BOXSCORE

River Forest, Ill. – The Wheaton baseball team lost a 7-6 decision at Concordia University-Chicago (22-7) in a back-and-forth contest on Monday afternoon. The Cougars used a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn the victory.

The Thunder loss snapped an eight-game non-conference winning streak for the 'Orange and Blue'. Wheaton is now 20-9 on the season. The Thunder will resume conference play on Friday afternoon when the team begins a three-game series with CCIW co-leader North Central in a 4 PM start at Alexian Field in Schaumburg. The Thunder and Cardinals will conclude their conference series on Saturday with a noon doubleheader in Naperville.

In today's 7-6 Concordia victory, the Cougars scored seven runs, on seven hits, with one error and Wheaton scored six runs, on 16 hits, with three errors. Thunder freshman Jimmy McDonald started the game on the mound for the guests, with four innings to his credit. McDonald allowed two runs, on four hits. John Pohl allowed two runs, on one hit in one inning of relief. Senior Tim Urbanowicz worked one inning of scoreless relief, with one hit and a strikeout. Josh Weaver allowed one run, with two strikeouts. Freshman Eric Albaugh tossed one inning of scoreless relief, with a strikeout. Drew Golz faced five batters, allowing two runs, with one hit. Wheaton pitchers combined to walk 13 Cougar batters in the game.

Sophomore catcher Austin Driggers was 3-for-4, with a double and a run scored. Senior shortstop Brian Kolb was 3-for-4, with a RBI and a run scored. Weaver was 3-for-4, with two RBI. Second baseman Ryan Miller was 3-for-5, with two runs scored and one run driven in. Freshman third baseman Trey Martin was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Weaver hit a RBI-single to drive in Miller who led off the game with a single to rightfield. The Thunder extended its lead to 2-0 in the top of the second inning when Charlie Antal hit a sacrifice fly that brought Martin home following Martin's one-out single to left centerfield. The Cougars scored a run in the bottom of the second and added another in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Wheaton regained the lead with a 3-2 edge in the top of the fifth inning when Kolb hit a leadoff double and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Weaver. The Cougars countered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead. The hosts added a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend their lead to 5-3.

Wheaton plated two runs in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Driggers hit a leadoff single to open the eighth inning and stole second base. Miller hit a RBI-single through the left side of the infield that brought Driggers home and Miller scored on a RBI-single to centerfield by Kolb to tie the game.

Albaugh held the Cougars scoreless in the bottom of the eighth inning and Wheaton took the lead with a run in the top of the ninth inning to give the Thunder a 6-5 lead. A leadoff single to centerfield by Weaver opened the top of the ninth inning and Martin hit a sacrifice fly to leftfield to bring home the go-ahead run. The Cougars rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to earn the victory in a game that saw five lead changes, including two in the ninth inning.