MEQUON, Wis. - The Carroll University baseball team managed just three hits as it lost to Concordia University Wisconsin 9-2 in a cloudy, cool nonconference game at Kapco Park on Wednesday afternoon.
It was the first in-state loss of the early season for Carroll, which split the two-game series and dropped to 2-3 overall.
CUW improved to 1-1 overall, scoring two runs in both the bottom of the first and second innings followed by a three-run third to pull away.
Ryan Green was the winning pitcher, yielding one run on one hit with five strikeouts and one walk through six complete innings.
Sam Beers went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two doubles and drove in a run to help power a 10-hit offensive attack for the Falcons.
Justin Baker broke up a no-hitter with a lead-off single to left field in the top of the fifth and later scored on a passed ball for Carroll, which stranded three runners on base and committed three errors in the contest.
Josh Kolb had a two-out single to center field in the eighth and Mitchell Massino had a no-out single to center field in the ninth.
Bennet Becker scored the Pioneers' final run on a passed ball in the ninth.
Sophomore right-hander Jorge Rodriguez was the starting pitcher and took the loss for Carroll, allowing seven runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and four walks through three complete innings.
Rodriguez finished with a total of 76 pitches, including 41 strikes, in facing 21 batters in the outing.
Freshman right-hander Elliot Elm worked the next three innings, yielding two runs on two hits in facing 13 batters. Elm threw 41 pitches with 28 strikes in the confidence-building effort.
Senior left-hander Zach Tuss worked a scoreless seventh and junior right-hander Connor Kelly turned in an unblemished eighth for the Pioneers.
Stay up to date on Carroll baseball by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics)