LA CROSSE, Wisc. – The Indiana University South Bend Baseball Team (7-15, 3-5 CCAC) lost all four games of their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference series with the Viterbo University V-Hawks (11-5, 7-1 CCAC). Both teams were tied for fist place in the CCAC entering the series, but the V-Hawks set the tone taking both games day one 5-3 and 11-9. Viterbo took both games of day two to complete the sweep by scores of 8-2 and a lopsided 22-2.
Game 1 (L 5-3)
Viterbo University got out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings of play scoring one run in the first inning and two runs in the second inning. The V-Hawks tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to take 4-0 lead with just three innings left in the game. The Titan offense didn’t have much going until Sam Garner, who entered the game off the bench, hit a three run home run to center field in the top of the fifth inning to bring the Titans within one. Viterbo responded immediately with a single run in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend their lead to 5-3 and cruise to a game one win. Sam Garner led the offense with his 3 RBI home rune, while Braedon Leathed and Lucas Brown were the only other Titans to record a hit. Adam Amodei got the loss on the mound throwing the first 2.0 innings of the game, giving up 3 runs, 2 earned, on 5 hits and 2 strikeouts.
Game 2 (L 11-9)
The Titans looked to bounce back in game two, and showed some fight right out the gate scoring three runs in the top of the first inning with the help of a Joe Jefferson three run home run. The V-Hawks responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of the Titans. After a scoreless second inning, Viterbo tied the game with a lone run in the bottom of the third inning. The Titans regained the lead in the fourth inning on a Kaleb Farnham RBI single. In the fifth inning the V-Hawks got the big inning they had been searching for, as they scored four runs on five hits and a Titan error to take a 7-4 lead. Both teams scored a run in the sixth inning, but as the Titan offense fell silent for the seventh and eighth inning the V-Hawks a run in the seventh and two runs in the eighth giving them an 11-5 lead entering the ninth inning. The Titans didn’t go without a fight, scoring four runs thanks to four free bases from Viterbo and two IUSB hits, but it wasn’t enough as the Titans fell 11-9. Joe Jefferson led the way offensively going 2-5 with a home run and 4 RBI’s, Kaleb Farnham also added 2 RBI’s in the game. Aaron Boyer picked up the loss in his 2.0 innings of relief giving up 4 runs, 4 earned, on 6 hits and 4 strikeouts.
Game 3 (L 8-2)
After a tough day one, the Titans were looking to turn the tide in day two of the series. Braedon Leathed got the day going on the first pitch of the game hit a home run to left field to give the Titans a 1-0 lead. Viterbo responded with four runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. The Titan offense couldn’t get anything going while the V-Hawks added one run in the second inning and two runs in the fourth inning bringing their lead to 7-1 through five innings. IUSB added one more run in the sixth inning thanks to some V-Hawk errors, but that’s all the offense could muster for the rest of the game. The V-Hawks added one run in the bottom of the sixth inning as well bringing us to the 8-2 V-Hawk win. Braedon Leathed was the lone bright spot on the offense with his 2-3 game adding a home run and 1 RBI. Adam Amodei suffered his second loss of the series going just 0.1 innings in his start allowing 4 runs, 4 earned, on 4 hits and no strikeouts.
Game 4 (22-2)
Game four has historically been a struggle for the Titans, and this game four was no different. The V-Hawks continued what they had done all weekend, stringing hits together for big innings except this time Viterbo scored in every single inning of the game. Viterbo scored two in the first, one in the second, five in the third, seven in the fourth, two in the fifth, and five more in the sixth. The Titans offense scored a single run in the second inning thanks to a Gabe Cortez home run to left field, and added another run in the fourth inning on a V-Hawk error, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with Viterbo. The Titans sent seven different pitchers to the mound, but starter Gabe Cortez got the loss only lasting 2.1 innings giving up 8 runs, 8 earned, on 8 hits and 1 strikeout.
With the four game sweep the Titans drop to sixth place in the early CCAC standings with a 3-5 conference record, while Viterbo takes sole possession of first place in the CCAC with a 7-1 record.
The IU South Bend Baseball Team returns to action in their home opener on Tuesday March 18th when they welcome Calumet College of St. Joseph (4-7, 1-1 CCAC) to the friendly confines of Rex Weade Stadium for a midweek CCAC doubleheader.