In the fourth doubleheader of the season, the College of DuPage baseball team brought their hitting power against Moraine Valley Community College, hitting seven doubles, two triples and scoring five home runs throughout the two games. Despite problematic starts in both games, the Chaparrals were able to take control with their dependable offense. The Chaparrals swept the Cyclones, winning the first game 16-6 in six innings and the second game 11-8.

“We swung the bat pretty well in game one and we threw strikes,” head baseball coach Bobby Wilson said. “For the most part I thought we did OK, I thought we did [well] enough to win the first game. Game two, we struggled early and we bounced back; our offense kept us in the ballgame.”

Wilson hopes to have the team more defensively focused going into their doubleheader against the Joliet Junior College Wolves, as they made four fielding errors through the two games against Moraine Valley.

“If you make three, four or five errors in a game, you don’t really deserve to win,” he said. “Game two was kind of a lucky win. Hitting, base running and their will to win is a big part of it, but we need to play a little bit more defense.”

Sophomore outfielder Jason Cousineau recorded four hits and walked once in seven at-bats through the two games. He also scored four runs, adding his third home run of the season in the first game and his fourth in the second, and collected six RBIs.

“The two home runs were fastballs,” Cousineau said. “I have to see the ball deep. I can hit any pitch as long as I see it deep enough and that’s what I did on both pitches.”

Sophomore infielder Joe Cosenza recorded two hits, walked once and struck out once in six at-bats through both games. He also scored one run, adding his fourth home run of the season in the first game and collected five RBIs.

“[The pitcher] just threw it right down the middle,” Cosenza said. “I sat back on it and hit it to the center.”

Sophomore infielder A.J. Taylor recorded five hits in seven at-bats through both games. He also scored five runs, adding his fifth home run of the season in the first game and collected one RBI.

“I was running,” Taylor said. “I thought [the ball] was going to hit the foul pole, but it didn’t. I was trying to get on [second base] because I didn’t think it was out at first. I [also] thought it might go off the wall, but it didn’t.”

Freshman pitcher Jake Spotofora pitched through three innings in the second game, throwing five strikeouts and two walks with one error. He allowed four hits and one run.

“I don’t normally do a lot [to prepare],” Spotofora said. “I just go out there and do my best. With [every] pitch, I don’t really think about what happened before. It’s always about the future, and I like to think that the guy in the box can’t hit me, so that helps with the confidence.”

Freshman catcher Filip Milatovic recorded one hit and struck out once in four at-bats in the first game. He also scored one run, adding his third home run of the season and collected one RBI.

“We’re going to come out and get two [wins against JJC,]” Milatovic said. “If we come out and play our game, no one can compete with us in this region.”

The Chaparrals look to sweep their second consecutive doubleheader and remain undefeated in conference against the Joliet Junior College Wolves. The first game starts at 2 p.m. on April 14 at the COD Baseball Field.