April 23, 2006

Maroons Rally to Gain Split with Elmhurst

CHICAGO -- After dropping the opening game 14-6, the University of Chicago baseball team rallied from a 6-0 deficit to defeat Elmhurst College 8-7 in the nightcap Sunday at J. Kyle Anderson Field.

Trailing 6-0 after two and one-half innings in game two, Chicago scored four times in the bottom of the third. Freshman left fielder Kyle Schmitt (Hoffman Estates, Ill./ Fremd) delivered a key two-out, two-run double.

Chicago entered the seventh and final inning down 7-5 before scoring three times to win 8-7. After a bases-loaded walk to senior designated hitter Ryan Denton (Worth, Ill./ Marist) brought the Maroons to within a run, Schmitt tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

Two batters later, junior third baseman John Thomas (Bloomington, Ind./ South) walked with the bases loaded to plate sophomore center fielder Nathan Ginsberg (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./ Dobbs Ferry) with the winning run.

Senior pitcher Dan Yeksigian (Downers Grove, Ill./ Benet) earned the win in relief of junior starter Dan Cozzi (Park Ridge, Ill./ St. Ignatius). Yeksigian recorded the final two outs in the top of the seventh to raise his record to 6-2. He now has 18 wins during his career, placing him in sole possession of second place all-time at Chicago.

Elmhurst collected 13 hits and took advantage of eight Chicago errors in game one en route to a 14-6 victory.

Jim Deschamps sparked the Bluejays with a home run and three RBIs, while Chicago freshman catcher Scott Hofer (San Marino, Calif./ Flintridge Prep) belted his first career home run -- a two-run blast in the first inning.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2