Winter Haven, FL (March 5, 2017) - The DeSales University baseball led early but was unable to hold onto its early advantage as Concordia University (IL) rallied for six runs in the sixth and seventh innings to earn a 9-6 win in the first game of the Bulldogs' spring trip to Winter Haven, FL on Sunday morning.

DSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly from senior Mike Kacergis and scored twice in the third inning to take a 3-2 lead on an RBI double from senior Tyler Sweeney and an RBI single from Kacergis.

The Bulldogs (1-4) extended their lead to 4-2 in the fourth on an RBI bunt single from junior Hunter Hart and senior Andrew Schuler was cruising along having retired 10 in a row retiring the first batter of the sixth inning when the momentum shifted.

A DSU error on the next batter was followed by a two-run home run tying the game at four and CU added two more runs in the inning to take a 6-4 lead.  DeSales made two more errors in the top of the seventh inning leading to two unearned runs and three runs total for Concordia as they took a commanding 9-4 lead.

The Bulldogs got one back in the bottom of the seventh inning on an RBI single from sophomore Tommy Epsaro and plated one more on an RBI double from sophomore Preston Amato in the eighth and had runners on second and third with just one out after the Amato double but were unable to push anything else across and went in order in the ninth.

Amato had a great day at the plate finishing 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Sweeney added three hits and two runs scored and Kacergis had two RBIs.  Senior Danny Licamara also had two hits in the loss.

Schuler took the loss allowing four earned over 5 2/3 innings, striking out three and not allowing a walk.

The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow taking on St. John Fisher College in game two of six on the spring trip.