FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Mar. 28, 2010 - Prolific hitting from the heart of the order helped the North Central College baseball team remain unbeaten at home Sunday, as the Cardinals extended their current winning streak to nine games by defeating the University of Wisconsin-Superior, 11-5 and 8-5, at Zimmerman Stadium.
North Central (11-1) has won the first four of its 20 scheduled home games this season, and has already equaled its victory total from the 2009 campaign.
The Cardinals staked their claim to Sunday's first contest in the very first inning, as
Nick Robinson and
Dan Scott led off with singles before
Matt Abraham's base hit drove home the first run.
Michael Corrigan followed with the first home run at Zimmerman Stadium in 2010, hammering a three-run shot to left-center field.
The hosts followed with a three-run second inning, as
Peter Romanello and
Andrew Wulbecker scored on a fielder's choice and an error, respectively, before Corrigan drove in a run with a single. Corrigan doubled in the fourth inning and scored on Wulbecker's single, and the lead reached 11-0 in the fifth after a two-run double by Corrigan and an RBI single by
Brennan Hagensee.
The Yellowjackets (7-6) strung together five hits and took advantage of three walks and an error to plate five runs in the sixth, but relief pitcher
Tim Riggenbach was able to keep North Central out of any serious trouble, picking up the final out of the sixth and recording a scoreless seventh.
Corrigan as a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate with six runs batted in and three runs scored, while Robinson and Wulbecker each went 3 for 4.
Nate Arenson got the win on the pitcher's mound (3-0), permitting four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
The Cardinals had to rally from behind in the nightcap after committing three errors in the first two innings, which allowed UW-Superior to score four times despite recording just two hits. North Central pulled even with a four-run third inning, as
Dan Scott was hit by a pitch and Abraham singled to set the table for Corrigan, who drove in North Central's first run with a single.
Joe Turek followed with an RBI single of his own,
Matt Burke came through with a sacrifice fly, and Turek later scored on an error to knot the game at 4-4.
The Yellowjackets converted a leadoff walk into a go-ahead run in the fifth, though North Central was able to tie the score once again in the bottom half as Robinson reached on an error then scored on another UWS miscue.
The Cardinals pulled ahead for good in the fifth, as Burke and Wulbecker led off with singles, Burke later scored on an error, and Abraham brought home two runs with a single.
Abraham went 4 for 4 in the second game, while Wulbecker again went 3 for 4 and Corrigan and Turek each finished 2 for 4.
Micah Yarbrough pitched the first five innings and improved to 2-0 with the victory, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking two.
Kevin Krajewski pitched two scoreless innings of relief for his first save.
The Cardinals host Aurora University in a non-conference game on Wednesday, beginning at 3 p.m.
