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Box Score 2 FOND DU LAC, Wis. – Sophomore Tommy Dugandzic delivered a walk-off RBI single through the left side to guide Marian past Concordia Wisconsin 5-4 in the second game of a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader Sunday evening at Herr-Baker Field.
"I'm pretty speechless," Dugandzic said. "I was struggling on the plate and it feels great to help the team win an important conference game. I went up there with a positive attitude and all I wanted to do was hit the ball hard."
Marian baseball coach Jason Bartelt has high praise for his catcher.
"Due to injuries he had to catch 36 innings (four conference games in two days) and he has a motor like no other," Bartelt said. "Prior to his at-bat I told him 'One more swing and we'll win this sucker' and he did just that. Proud of him and the way he competed."
CUW (15-15, 7-7 NAC) found success early in game two and led 4-0 after three-complete innings. In the bottom of the fourth he Sabres cut the lead in half. TJ McCoy connected on a solo home run to left field and Tyler Thompson singled through the left side to put the Sabres on the board.
It was McCoy and Adam Ryan that helped the Sabres tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. McCoy singled through the left side to score a run and Ryan sacrificed to left field to score Earl Vorpagel from third.
Ty Gellinger, Dugandzic, McCoy and Vorpagel each collected two hits.
In the opener Brett Barger tossed seven and two third innings and scattered five hits, allowed three runs and two walks and fanned three to propel the Sabres past the Falcons 6-3.
Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, the Sabres broke the deadlock. With runners on first and third, Chase Eagan stole second base and Ryan dashed home to give the Sabres a one-run lead.
The Sabres, winners of eight in a row, added three insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the win.
Marian (16-13, 11-3 NACC) is in sole possession of second place in the conference standings and look to continue its success next weekend at Benedictine (15-16, 10-4 NACC).
