April 22, 2007

Chicago Splits Two at Elmhurst

ELMHURST, Ill. -- The University of Chicago baseball team split a doubleheader Sunday at Elmhurst College, taking the opener 11-7 before falling 10-7 in extra innings in the nightcap.

Chicago's win in game one marked the 280th career victory for Head Coach Brian Baldea, tying him with Amos Alonzo Stagg for the most wins in the program's 115-year history. Baldea will look to surpass Stagg when the Maroons take on Concordia University Chicago on the road on Wednesday, April 28.

Junior designated hitter Nathan Ginsberg (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./ Dobbs Ferry) led a 14-hit Chicago onslaught in game one, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, including his first home run of the year.

The Maroons jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings, but Elmhurst tied the game with a five-run output in the bottom of the third. Chicago answered with three runs in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and seventh.

Chicago's 11 runs marked the team's second-highest total of the season and the most since its second game of the campaign back on March 19.

Sophomore first baseman Kyle Schmitt (Hoffman Estates, Ill./ Fremd) belted his second round-tripper of the year, a solo blast in the top of the seventh.

Senior left fielder John Thomas (Bloomington, Ind./ South) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while senior second baseman Tony Zitek (Tampa, Fla./ Plant) went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a pair of RBIs.

Senior right-hander Dan Cozzi (Park Ridge, Ill./ St. Ignatius) went the distance to raise his record to 3-2. He allowed seven hits and two walks while fanning five. Three of the seven runs charged to him were unearned.

Chicago (10-13) led 7-0 after two innings in game two, but the host Bluejays (13-14) rallied for five runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the gap to 7-6. Sophomore starter Alex Gallan (Downers Grove, Ill./ South) was tagged for six runs -- four earned -- in four-plus innings before giving way to senior southpaw Robert Wilson (Driggs, Idaho/ Teton) who pitched a pair of scoreless frames.

Elmhurst sent the game into extra innings when Tom Rhein scored on a balk by sophomore reliever Peyton Leonhardt (Wheaton, Ill./ Wheaton-Warrenville South) with out in the bottom of the seventh.

Rhein then clubbed a three-run walk-off home run off Leonhardt (0-2) in the bottom of the eighth as the Maroons fell to 0-2 in extra inning affairs on the year.

Elmhurst reliever Nick Ferrin (4-1) allowed just three hits over five scoreless innings of relief to notch the victory

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2