IRVINE, Calif. — In an eventful first game of a three game series, Concordia hosted Cal State San Marcos at Eagles field for a ten inning thriller. The teams battled until the last out and racked up a game total of 29 hits, 14 for the home team. Concordia had two big innings late in the game, scoring three runs in two straight frames. After a tenth inning, the Eagles fell to the Cougars, 9-8.
Haloa Dudoit went 4-for-6 with three singles and a double. Matt Lautz stole two bases and went 3-for-4 with two singles. Cooper Moore went 2-for-4 with two RBI's from a solo home run, a double and a sacrifice fly. Andrew Stout, Jack Ruegge, Morgan Brannock, and Nicholas Manago all hurled from the hill for the Eagles in the three hour and 25 minute contest.
CSUSM took an early lead, getting one on the board in the first. In the second, Moore smacked a first pitch home run over the fence in right-center, his first as an Eagle. Soon after, Alex DiMascio hit an RBI single down the left field line to score Lautz and give Concordia a 2-1 lead.
The next five innings drew blanks for Eagles bats. The Cougars scored seven and lead 8-2 through seven innings.
The game started to heat up in the bottom of the eighth. First, Lautz reached on an error and DiMascio walked. Tony Garcia III doubled to left field and score them both, cutting the lead at 8-4. Freshman Calvin Schonebaum knocked a pinch hit single up the middle to score Garcia and earn his first collegiate Hit and RBI.
Brannock did his job on the mound in the top of the ninth and sent the Eagles back to the dugout for what could've been their final at-bats. Dudoit hit a leadoff single up the middle and Bailey Collins walked. Moore hit an RBI sacrifice fly to right field and Dudoit scored. Then, Lautz singled to shortstop to score Collins and put Concordia within one run, 8-7.
Lautz stole second base to get himself into scoring position. With two strikes, Shane Hersh smashed a triple over the centerfielder to tie the ballgame at 8-8 and send the teams to a tenth inning.
A double and an RBI single put one up for the Cougars in the tenth. Concordia couldn't match it in the bottom of the inning and dropped the game 9-8.
"There was so much energy in the comeback, everyone stayed in it and didn't give up on each other," Moore said. "Thats a great feeling to have in the dugout. I love it here, nothing bad to say".
Join your Eagles for games two and three against CSUSM on Saturday Feb. 9 at Eagles Field. The games are scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Follow live HERE.
