Cougars Heat Up on Cold Day, Sweep Lourdes in WHAC Showdown

(Toledo, OH) -- The Cleary Cougars Baseball team traveled south to Toledo, OH today to take on the Lourdes University Gray Wolves in a WHAC Conference matchup. The Cougars were able to get two wins on the cold day. 

In Game 1:  Both teams would get out to slow starts, going scoreless through the first five innings. Lourdes was able to apply some pressure in the second and fourth innings with runners on second and third with two outs; however, Cougar pitcher Jacob Savina would get out of both jams with strikeouts to end the innings. The Cougars were able to break things open in the sixth with a five-run inning. With the bases loaded, Brady Alverson would get a pinch hit double to left center, scoring Peyton Mullins and Hector Montilla. Two more runs would come in on an error, and the last run would come in on a sacrifice fly from Brendan Seman. Lourdes rallied themselves, scoring two runs in the bottom half of the inning to bring the ballgame to 5-2. The Cougars added two more insurance runs in the seventh with a two RBI single from Austin Vincent. Ryan Lieng would come in to pitch the seventh inning for the Cougars and shut down the Gray Wolves with a 1-2-3 inning, giving the Cougars a 7-2 win. 

Jacob Savina (4-1) got the start for the Cougars and had a final stat line of 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, and 3 SO. Brady Alverson and Austin Vincent both picked up two RBIs. 

In Game 2: The Cougars picked up where they left off in Game 1, picking up two runs in the second inning. Brodie Mackay hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Peyton Mullins. Ryan Rose scored later in the inning on an error. In the third, Joey Parinello singled up the middle,e scoring Gavin Kempainen and giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead. Lourdes grabbed a run back in the bottom half of the third before the Cougars added three more in the fourth. Conner Boone singled to score Zach Agemak and Austin Vincent. Joey Parinello later singled to score Gavin Kempainen. Lourdes would once again pick up a run in the fourth to make it a 6-2 game. Conner Boone added another run for the Cougars in the sixth with an infield single that scored Austin Vincent. The Cougars increased their lead to 9-2, with two more runs in the ninth. Austin Vincent walked with the bases loaded, and so would Conner Boone. Heading into the bottom of the ninth with the 9-2 lead, it seemed like the Cougars would breeze past. Lourdes put up a fight, however, and put together a rally of their own. After scoring four runs in the inning, the Cougars would stop the rally and walk home with a 9-6 victory. 

Brendan Seman (3-2) got the win on the mound with a final stat line of 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, and 8 SO. Jack Westerhoff picked up the save on the mound in the win. Conner Boone would finish 2-3 with 4 RBIs at the plate.

The Cougars improve to 19-17 overall and 9-7 in WHAC Conference play. The Cougars will hit the road on Saturday to take on the University of Michigan - Dearborn Wolverines in a WHAC Conference matchup. The doubleheader will take place at Oakland Baseball Field with first pitch set for 1:00 PM.