IRVINE, Calif. — Concordia Baseball returned home in a big way after over a month of away games. In their last home stand, the Eagles took three of four games against Holy Names on March 8-10.
On April 20th, Concordia defeated the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific University at Eagles Field in the first of two doubleheaders by scores of 5-4 and 8-7. Alex Dimascio went 2-for-4 in game one and hit a walk off sacrifice fly in the 12th inning of game two to win it for the Eagles.
Concordia 5, Fresno Pacific 4: Senior Neil Lang, tossed a gem from the mound in game one. Lang threw eight innings of four hit baseball and struck out four Sunbirds.
Hunter Holland lit a fire under the offense with a home run down the left field line to score Alex DiMascio and give the Eagles a two run lead in the second. Scoring again in the third, Dillon Millar hit a triple to right center and stood in scoring position for Haloa Dudoit to knock him home with a sac fly. Dimascio singled once again in the fourth and was sent home by another RBI sacrifice fly, this time from the bat of Tony Garcia III.
CUI led through seven innings and rounded out the scoring in the eighth. Chris Martin doubled to left field to start the inning. Dudoit entered the box and cracked a single through the right side to score Martin and move the lead to 5-0 through eight.
The top of the ninth proved troublesome for the Eagles as FPU added four after two walks, a double and a single. Morgan Brannock took the ball to shut down the Sunbird offense and secure the win for Concordia 5-4.
Concordia 8, Fresno Pacific 7: Fresno Pacific kept its offensive momentum rolling into the first inning of game two. A double, double, single combination scored two runs for the lead and stuck until the Eagles at bats in the second inning.
Holland started the rally once again with a single to second base. Then, Juan Zuniga singled up the middle, Dominic Castro singled through the left side, and Martin knocked an RBI single to bring Holland home. An error brought Castro and Zuniga across the plate for a 3-0 Eagles lead after the second.
The Eagles and the Sunbirds matched each other with two runs a piece in the sixth inning. Concordia's runs came via Bailey Collins' two run RBI double.
The sophomore smacked another RBI double in the eighth and slid home on a throwing error by Fresno Pacific defense. CUI led 7-5 before the pressure of the ninth inning where FPU came back to tie the game at seven.
It wasn't until the 12th inning that Millar doubled, was moved over on a bunt by Dudoit, and tagged up to score the winning run off a sacrifice fly to right field by Dimascio. Concordia stormed the field to celebrate not only the 8-7 win over Fresno Pacific, but also bringing two wins home to Eagles Field.
Jack Reugge fired from the mound for the last three innings, struck out three Sunbirds, and earned the game two win.
Up Next: Eagles Baseball (16-24, 13-18 PWC) looks to repeat Friday's outcome in Saturday's doubleheader at Eagles Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
