Purdue Calumet Splits At Roosevelt, Picks Up 10th Win of the Year

PUC-PeregrinsThe Purdue University Calumet baseball team used a strong hitting performance in Game 1 before falling in a tight Game 2 in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference split at Roosevelt University Thursday.

The Peregrines (10-4, 3-4 CCAC) won Game 1, 9-4, before falling in Game 2, 2-1, to the Lakers (4-13, 2-8) at Boomer Stadium in Schaumberg.

Purdue Calumet returns to action Saturday, March 28, when the Peregrines host league rival Purdue North Central in a league twin bill at Dowling Park’s Albert’s Diamond Jewelers Field. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. CT.

GAME 1: Purdue Calumet 9, Roosevelt 4 The Peregrines saw 10 different players record a hit in the team’s 16-hit performance in the Game 1 victory.

Eric Sickles (Benicia, Calif./Benicia) and Anthony Colosimo (Lake Forest, Ind./Loyola) each tallied three hits to lead the Peregrine hitters, while teammates Brad Staszewski (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) and John Livingston (Highland, Ind./Highland) added two hits each.

Purdue Calumet struck first in the contest with two runs in the opening frame, led off by a Sickles triple to left center. The junior would score on a Staszewski RBI-single before Colosimo drove in his first of three RBI with a two-out double down the line to score Livingston, who singled.

After the Lakers took a 3-2 lead in the second on a Alvin Perez two-RBI double and a Peregrine throwing error, Purdue Calumet fought back with seven runs in next three innings to seal its 10th win of the year.

In the fourth, sophomore Cole Garcia (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon) connected on a two-RBI single through the right side with the bases loaded to give the Peregrines back the lead, 4-3. An inning later, Colosimo added his second RBI-double down the line to score Cody Dykema (Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central), who singled.

Purdue Calumet then used a big four-run sixth – capitalizing on two Roosevelt errors and RBI singles by Colosimo and Staszewksi – to cap the Peregrines’ scoring for the game.

Freshman Jeremy Swart (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) picked up his first win of the season in two innings of relief, giving up three hits, one earned run and striking out one. Sophomore Matt Sandoval (Highland, Ind./Bishop Noll) earned the save, holding the Lakers hitless in 1-2-3 inning in the seventh.

GAME 2: Roosevelt 2, Purdue Calumet 1 The Lakers used a two-run eighth inning to thwart the Peregrines’ chances at the sweep after Purdue Calumet held a 1-0 lead through six.

Sickles drilled an RBI-single in the second inning to put the Peregrines on top early, scoring freshman Nazario Trejo (San Jose, Calif./Piedmont Hills), who led off the inning with an infield single.

Junior right-hander Phil Madvek (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) would then take over for the Peregrines, as he allowed just two hits and one earned run in 7.1 innings in another strong start on the hill.

The Lakers’ Marcus Radz was able to hold Purdue Calumet hitters in check in Game 2, however, scattering seven hits and fanning 11 in his nine-inning outing.

Roosevelt didn’t score until the eighth, when a walk, failed pickoff attempt and a balk put a runner on third base. AJ Neufeld then came up with a two-out RBI single to give the Lakers the lead.

The Peregrines got two on base in the ninth – Thomas Gaede (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) singled to open the inning – but were unable to capitalize late.

Madvek (3-1) took the loss, despite giving up just one earned run, while Sickles and Dykema led the Peregrines at the plate with two hits apiece.