FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
Apr. 21, 2010 - The North Central College baseball team returned to non-conference play with a bang Wednesday, using a big sixth inning to break away from the University of Chicago and subdue the Maroons, 14-3, at Zimmerman Stadium.
Venturing outside the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin schedule for the first time in three weeks, the 30th-ranked Cardinals (21-5) hammered out 17 hits and kept Chicago off the scoreboard for the first six innings, exacting some revenge for the Maroons' two victories in a three-game set against North Central last season.
The game remained in a scoreless deadlock until the bottom of the third inning, when
Matt Burke led off with a walk and scored on a triple by
Peter Romanello.
Nick Robinson followed with a double to drive Romanello home before scoring himself on a sacrifice fly by
Joe Turek.
The score held up until the sixth, when the hosts sent 15 batters to the plate and wound up scoring 10 runs.
Steve Hlavac opened the rally by scoring on a fielder's choice, Robinson came through with a two-run double, Turek drove home two runs with a single, Hlavac plated a pair of runs with a triple, and Robinson doubled his RBI total in the inning with a two-run single to inflate the Cardinals' lead to 13-0.
Chicago (14-12) broke up the shutout with a run in the seventh and added two more in the eighth.
Andrew Wulbecker scored on a bases-loaded double play in the eighth.
Robinson finished the day 4 for 5 at the plate with five runs batted in and two runs scored. Wulbecker went 3 for 5 and Romanello went 2 for 2 with two walks to extend his current hitting streak to 13 games.
Michael McGrath drew the start for North Central and pitched three shutout innings, issuing four walks but allowing no hits.
Keeler Otero added two scoreless innings of his own and was credited with the win (2-0).
The Cardinals travel to Alexian Field in Schaumburg, Ill., on Friday to take on Wheaton College at 4 p.m.
