By Jami Sponaugle

Mequon, Wis. - In their game opener of the 2023 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference  Baseball Tournament, the No. 5 seeded Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks took on the No. 4 seeded Edgewood College Eagles. Hosted at Kapco Park by Concordia University Wisconsin, the contest between the Hawks and the Eagles was the second of four games for the day on Thursday. 

Edgewood 9 - Illinois Tech 2

Although the Hawks jumped out early in the first inning with two runs off a Matthew Jackson double down the left field line, the Eagles quickly answered in the bottom of the inning with four runs. The Eagles would go on to add two runs in the bottom of the fourth and three runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend their lead. Unfortunately, the Hawks were unable to find their flow as they fell to the Eagles 9-2. 

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Jackson went 1-for-4 with 2 RBI's and a double. 

• Tyler Gutsfeld and Brandon Bennitt both went 1-for-4 with 1 run.

Eagles Standouts

• Kyle Sagan went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI's, 2 runs, and a home run.

• Kyle Prindle went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI's, 1 run, and a double

• Leo Stone was the winning pitcher. Stone pitched 9.0 innings, allowed 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and struck out 6. 

Up Next

The Hawks will turn around and play the No. 6 seeded Concordia University Chicago in the first game on Friday, fifth game of the tournament. Friday's game is a must win as the loser will be eliminated from the NACC tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM.