MAUSTON, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – Two close games against the seventh-ranked team in the country is still no consolation after both resulted in defeat as Concordia University Chicago scraped by with wins of 4-3 in 13 innings and 3-0 over the Marian University baseball team at Woodside Sports Complex, this afternoon, April 6.

Game one took more than 3.5 hours and the Sabres (9-9, 4-4 NACC) led 3-0 after three innings of play. A three-run fourth inning tied it for the Cougars (18-2, 6-0 NACC) and neither team scored until Concordia Chicago scraped across a 13th-inning run on Spohr's sacrifice fly with one out.

Marian established the first lead of the game when Jordan DeBoer singled through the right side to drive home Cole Miklavcic, who had singled to lead things off.

The Sabres added two more runs in the third inning when Ty Gellinger sent a big fly over the right field fence for his first home run of the season. DeBoer later scored on an Adam Ryan single to make it 3-0, Sabres.

The Cougars countered with a home run of their own off the bat of Kyle Huber, a two-run shot to tie the game. All three runs in the CUC fourth came with two outs.

Earl Vorpagel (0-2) allowed just a run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings in relief. Miklavcic finished 3-for-6 with a run scored to lead the Sabres offensively, while the top-three hitters overall combined for six of the team's 11 hits in the loss. Marian left 14 runners on base.

Jordan Tharp (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win in relief for CUC, while Vorpagel took the loss for Marian

In game two, CUC starter Ryan Thorsen (3-0) outdueled Marian's Tanner Biwer (1-2) with six scoreless frames and five strikeouts and was touched for just one hit. Biwer went eight strong and allowed three runs on nine hits, striking out six and walking none while keeping the Sabres in the game by retiring the final eight batters he faced.

A two-out rally once again proved the difference for CUC as it scored twice in the second inning on Colin Bethran's single through the left side. The Cougars tacked on another run in the fourth after stringing three straight hits that culminated with a Rich Santarelli RBI single to make it 3-0.

And that was all Concordia Chicago needed as Thorsen and Kevin Pawell combined for the shutout. Pawell threw the final three innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out four and walking one to earn his third save of the season.

Marian starts the season 4-4 in league play against teams they went 2-6 against a season ago. They look to bounce back from Sunday's sweep against nationally-ranked CUC with a doubleheader against non-conference Illinois Tech at home Saturday, April 12. It will be the home opener at Herr-Baker Field. Start time is set for 1 p.m.