AZUSA, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine baseball team made it into the PacWest Championship day as they took on No.1 seed Point Loma. CUI needed to win a game in order to advance and win the tournament but Point Loma did not let up and won both games with 23-9 and 20-16 scores.
 
The Golden Eagles put up a remarkable 35 hits while the Sea Lions had 39 in just these two games alone in the tournament. Jake Covey was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher of the tournament after throwing a complete game shutout on Wednesday against Hawai'i Pacific.
 
Game 1: CUI 9, PLNU 23
 
Freshman Wyatt Madison was electric for the Golden Eagles as he brought in seven of the nine RBI that CUI put on the scoreboard. Madison went 3-for-4 while hitting two home runs.
 
Shane Wallace, Michael Mira, and Tank Espalin all contributed with two hits during the game with Espalin bringing in an RBI.
 
Senior Brett Finnel started on the mound for the Green and Gold and went 3.1 innings allowing three hits. Many relievers came into the game including Richie Kingsborough, Jason Rhodenbaugh, Ryan O'Toole, Wyatt Madison, and Scott Wood.
 
The Golden Eagles scored their nine runs in the first four innings while the Sea Lions were able to shut down the CUI offense for the remainder of the game and the Point Loma offense exploded scoring a total of 23 runs in the game.
 
 
Game 2: CUI 16, PLNU 20
 
This game was going to be the winner take all and going to be the PacWest Champions and it came down to a game that had a combined 42 hits.
 
Both David Baruch III and Espalin went 4-for-6 on the day while Madison went 5-for-5 and had another four RBI. The Los Alamitos, Calif. native has hit six home runs in the last 10 games that CUI has played and ties three other Golden Eagles for the CUI for season leader in home runs.
 
Baruch III started the game off with a solo home run to right field in the first inning. The Sea Lions would go on to score 12 runs in the first three innings.
 
In the top of the fifth Luke Glascoe blasted a two run home run to left center to cut their deficit 4-13. CUI got their offense going in the sixth with Madison hitting a solo home run marking his third on the day. Shortshop Isaiah Walz contributed with a three run homer to left field making that his second home run on the season. Haku grounded out to the second baseman but still scored Baruch on the play.
 
Madison was up at the plate and the hot hitter hit a two RBI double to right center to bring the Golden Eagles within two with an 11-13 score. Point Loma answered back in the bottom of the inning scoring another six runs.
 
The Green and Gold weren't done yet as Shane Wallace added a home run and Michael Dixon hit an RBI single up the middle. In the eighth Cole Quillin came in to pinch hit and hit a two-run single to bring the CUI score to 15. Madison was at it again in the ninth with an RBI single but the Sea Lions closed out the game by a final 16-20 score.
 
Freshman Matthew Kaiser started on the bump for CUI and went 1.2 innings and struck out two batters. Kingsborough Kaj James, Josh Pugh, and Conor Meehan came into the game and had a combined of three strikeouts.
 
The Golden Eagles finish the season going 25-22 overall and 17-15 in PacWest while making it to the finals in the PacWest Conference Championships for the first time.
 
To see the PacWest Conference Championships tournament central page click HERE.
 
To see the full CUI baseball schedule click HERE.