Washington University (Mo.) 2, Concordia University-Chicago (Ill.) 0La Crosse, Wis. - Washington University (Mo.) earned a 2-0 victory over Concordia University-Chicago (Ill.) in an opening round game Wednesday at the NCAA Division III Baseball Midwest Regional at Copeland Park. The Bears improve to 34-14 on the season while the Cougars drop to 30-14. Washington (Mo.) advances to play the winner of UW-La Crosse/The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) Thursday, May 14 at 7:45 p.m. Concordia-Chicago (Ill.) will play the loser of the UW-L/St. Scholastica (Minn.) Thursday, March 14 at 1:15 p.m. in an elimination game.
Washington (Mo.) starting pitcher Scott Nelson (8-0) tossed a complete-game three-hitter in leading the Bears to the victory. He retired the first 17 batters of the game before allowing a two-out single in the top of the sixth inning. Nelson went 9.0 innings, allowing three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.
The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Zack Kessinger doubled with two outs and scored on a Brian Cizek RBI single.
Washington (Mo.), which tied a school record with its 34 win of the season (2006), extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth. Austin Darmawan singled with two outs, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Chris Lowery's single to left center drove him in to make it 2-0.
Darmawan finished 2-for-4 with a run scored for Washington (Mo.).
Kurt Kempema (4-2) took the loss for Concordia-Chicago (Ill.) as he also pitched a complete-game. He went 8.0 innings, allowing six hits, two runs and four walks while striking out one. Brent Spohr, Mitch Wilson, and Will Randerson each had a hit for the Cougars.
