Box Score Whitewater, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team fell 3-1 to sixth-ranked Concordia University Chicago (Ill.) Wednesday night in its opening game at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Midwest Regional at UW-Whitewater's Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.  The fourth-seeded Eagles drop to 26-17 on the season and will face third-ranked and top-seeded UW-Whitewater Thursday, May 15 at 3 p.m.

Third-seeded Concordia Chicago improves to 38-5 on the season with Wednesday's victory and will play Adrian College (Mich.) Thursday at 6 p.m.  The regional follows a double-elimination format.   The Cougars, making their third straight appearance in the NCAA III Regional, are ranked sixth in this week's American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division III Poll.

Concordia Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday.  Steve Zubrzycki was hit-by-pitch to start the inning and stole second.  He advanced to third on William Randerson's groundout.  After a walk by Carlos Olavarria, Zubrzycki scored on an RBI groundout by Thomas Gier.

UW-L, making its third appearance in the national tournament and second in three years, tied the game in the top of the third.  Taylor Kohlwey, selected the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Co-Position Player of the Year Tuesday, opened the inning with a single and stole second.  He then scored on a Bryce Barsness single to tie the game at 1-1.  Kohlwey's run was his 57th of the year, tying Vinny Rottino's single-season record set in 2002.

Kohlwey singled to start the game Wednesday and extended his hitting streak to 28 games, tying Jay Fanta's school record set over the 2010 and 2011 seasons. 

The Cougars came right back in the bottom of third inning.  Zubrzycki started the inning with a single and stole second with one out.  Olavarria walked for the second straight time putting runners on first and second.  Gier's fielder's choice forced Olavarria out at second base with Zubrzycki advancing to third.  Kyle Huber followed with a two-out RBI single to give Concordia Chicago a 2-1 lead.

The game remained 2-1 until the bottom of the eighth when Concordia Chicago added to its lead.  Zubrzycki doubled to open the frame and moved to third on a Randerson sacrifice bunt.  After Olavarria grounded out for the second out of the inning, Zubrzycki scored on a Ben Cejka wild pitch to give the Cougars a 3-1 lead.

UW-L loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but failed to score.  Jordan Greenland was hit-by-pitch with one out and stole second.  Pinch-hitter Timmy Kehren walked to put runners on first and second.  Kehren was forced out on a Josh Rowles' fielder's choice, but pinch-hitter Shane Adler was hit-by-pitch to load the bases.  Kohlwey then grounded out to second to end the game.

Cejka (7-3) suffered the loss for UW-L, pitching his seventh complete-game of the season.  He went 8.0 innings, allowing five hits, three runs and five walks while striking out four.

The Eagles tied their season-low with five hits.  Kohlwey finished 2-for-5 with a run scored while Barsness, Greenland and Alex Cordova each had one hit.  Kohlwey's 86 hits this year is a single-season school record.

Dan Kluss (6-2) earned the win for Concordia Chicago, also throwing a complete-game.  He went 9.0 innings, allowing five hits, one run and five walks with three strikeouts.

The Cougars were also held to five hits as Zubrzycki finished 2-for-3 and scored all three runs while Huber went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Rich Santarelli also had one hit.