RIVER FOREST, Ill. – It's finals week here at Concordia University Chicago (CUC) but the Cougar athletic teams aren't slowing down. Check out all the action as the regular seasons wind down and Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) playoffs and championships begin.
 
Track & Field
The Cougars hosted the Cougar Invite.
 
The men's team took gold, placing first of 13 teams. Austin Knight (Forest Park, Ill.) won the 200m with a season best time of 22.04. He also tied for second with teammate, Kamren Hannah (El Paso, Texas) in the 100m. Their time of 10.93 was a personal best for Hannah and a season best time of 10.93. Hannah also ran in the 200m, finishing third with a personal record of 22.30. Knight, Hannah, Vincent Scarnato (Pottstown, Pa.), and Tremain Dockery (Chicago, Ill.) competed in the 4x100m relay and took third with a season best time of 43.19. Gael Arroyo (Cicero, Ill.) took second place in the 800m with a finish time of 2:00.76. Dayton Merli (Union Mills, Ind.) took first place in the pole vault with a new season best of 3.95m. Korey Randle (East Moline, Ill.) placed second in the triple jump with a new season best of 13.87m. Brandon Montford (Fairburn, Ga.) secured second place with a new season best in the shot put with a throw of 13.20m.
 
The women's team finished second of 11 teams. Madison Hipshire (Riverview, Mich.) placed first in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:12.75. Izzy Fairless (Royal Oak, Mich.) took second place in the 800m with a new season best of 2:26.04. Kirsten Bockhorst (Union, Mo.) finished fourth with a new season best in the long jump of 4.87m. Stacey Maskery (Alfreton, England) finished fifth in the 400m with a new personal record of 1:07.73. Madalyn Smock (Poplar Grove, Ill.)  secured second place in the javelin with a throw of 25.49m and placed third in discus with a new season best of 31.29m.
 
CUC will compete in the NACC Championships this weekend, May 1-2, in Wauwatosa, Wis.
 
Baseball (19-16, 14-6)
The CUC baseball team played four games this week and clinched a spot in the NACC Playoffs.
 
The Cougars began the week by finishing their series against Marian University, winning 8-4. Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) went three-for-four at the plate with four RBIs after rocketing his 13^th home run of the season. Jack Linko (New Lenox, Ill.) followed, going two-for-four at the plate, picking up his third home run of the season. Brendan Holloway (Vernon Hills, Ill.) went two-for-four, scoring one run. Jack Carroll (North Aurora, Ill.) picked up his third win of the season going six innings with five strikeouts while Michael Southard (Northbrook, Ill.) picked up his first save of the season, coming in for three innings of relief.
 
CUC then held a non-conference game against North Central College (NCC). The Cougars battled hard but fell 5-4. Cam Buckley (New Lenox, Ill.), Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.), and Holloway each got two hits, where Holloway collected two RBIs. Dom Owens (Frankfort, Ill.) and Linko each added a hit and both scored a run. The pitchers had a bullpen day where after each pitching an inning, Blake Hickey (Chicago, Ill.), Dylan Ferraro (Windsor, Colo.), David Deimling (Bloomingdale, Ill.), and Kyle Connelly (New Lenox, Ill.) struck out one batter, and Kadin Borck (McHenry, Ill.) struck out three on five batters faced.
 
CUC rounded out the week with a doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC). The Cougars won game one, 10-3. Richie Sperando (Darien, Ill.) and B. Mahler each went two-for-five at the plate, each driving in two runs, while Mahler tacked on his own run and a stolen base. Holloway went two-for-five at the plate with two runs and a stolen base.  Ryan Renella (New Lenox, Ill.) posted six strikeouts in six innings of work while Kyle Ston (Winfield, Ill.) and Josh Prosise (Joliet, Ill.) came in for relief.
 
In game two, CUC won 4-0. Buckley led the way, going three-for-five with two RBIs and one run. J. Mahler went three-for-five at the plate with one RBI while B. Mahler went two-for-four with one RBI. Matthew Licardi (Peoria, Ariz.)  went seven innings on the mound with Connelly coming in for two innings in relief.
 
This week the Cougars round out the regular season with two doubleheaders. They will host Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) on Tuesday, April 28, with first pitch at 12:00 pm. Then on Friday, May 1, CUC will take on Rockford University on the road at noon.
 
Softball (15-19, 10-12)
The Cougars played two doubleheaders this weekend.
 
CUC first hosted WLC. In game one, the Cougars had a comeback 5-4 victory. Linley Southern (Decatur, Ill) went three-for-four at the plate, hitting the go ahead two RBI single. Alyssa Campos (Eastvale, Calif.) went two-for-three at the plate, grabbing two runs and one RBI. Mayah Larenas (Chino, Calif.) went one-for-two. Eden Pufahl (Laguna Hills, Calif.) secured the win in the circle with seven batters faced in two innings pitched.
 
In game two, the Cougars kept the momentum and won, 2-0. Southern kicked off game with a solo home run, going two-for-three at the plate. She also scored the second run. McKyler Morris (Belvidere, Ill.) went two-for-three at the plate. Melisa Hadzic (Westchester, Ill.) went one-for-two at the plate, picking up an RBI. Morgan Houfek (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) took the win in the circle with two innings pitched and six batters faced while Alyssa Lopez (Corona, Calif.) recorded the save with two innings pitched and six batters faced.
 
CUC then traveled to Wisconsin to take on MSOE. The Cougars fell in game one, 4-2. Morris led the offense, going two-for-four with two RBIs. Hadzic followed, going two-for-four, including a run scored. Southern recorded two hits and a walk. Arissa Santos (Moreno Valley, Calif.), Campos, and Larenas each recorded a hit. Lopez and Katie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) dished in the circle.
 
In game two, CUC won 9-2. Campos went a perfect four-for-four at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored. She also pitched two innings in the circle. Eliza Auger (Littleton, Colo.), Hadzic, and Morris each recorded two hits while Auger and Morris each picked up an RBI. Larenas collected a two RBI double. Houfek secured the victory and Davis picked up the save.
 
This week, the Cougars will play a non-conference doubleheader against NCC on Tuesday, April 28. First pitch is at 2:30 pm. Then on Saturday, May 2, CUC hosts Aurora University. First pitch is at 12:00 pm.
 
Men's Tennis (1-17, 1-5)
The sixth seeded Cougars play the first round of the NACC playoffs against the third seed, St. Norbert College on Tuesday, April 28, at 11:30 am.
 
Esports
The Smash team lost its nationals match, 2-0, to East Central University (ECU) Tigers Fentom. James Bruxvoort (Holland, Mich.) was able to take two stocks with Dark Pitt before losing his three. ECU's Joker player took eight stocks in a row before losing their last one to Cameron Hall (Chicago, Ill.). The Tigers' second player took the Cougars' last stock to take game one. In game two, ECU sent their King K Rool player, who took all 12 of CUC's stocks, only losing two of their own to win, 12-2.
 
The Cougars end their season 4-4 and rank 10^th in the nation.
 
You can keep up with all things CUC Athletics on Twitter @CUChicagoSports, watch all the action at cucougars.com/coverage, and view all photos from the seasons here.