FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Apr. 19, 2014 – Riding two outstanding pitching performances Saturday afternoon, the North Central College baseball team was able to secure the season sweep of Illinois Wesleyan University, claiming both games of a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) doubleheader by scores of 3-2 and 7-4.
 
North Central starting pitchers Kris Singh and Bryan Polowy combined to throw 17 of the 18 innings over the two victories, as Singh tossed a complete game while giving up just one earned run on five hits, striking out three and throwing only 98 pitches to improve to 5-0.  Polowy went eight strong innings in the nightcap to even his record to 2-2 on the season, allowing only one earned run, striking out a pair while surrendering zero walks.
 
In the opener, the Cardinals (17-10, 9-6 CCIW) broke open a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third as Alex Khoury reached base via walk with one out in the inning.  Nick DeWolf followed with a double down the left field line and Sam Carius scored Khoury on a RBI groundout giving North Central a 1-0 lead.
 
With two outs in the inning, Jake Rone shot a single through the right side scoring DeWolf, while Paparone followed with a run-scoring double down the right field line, putting the Cardinals ahead 3-0.
 
Singh took a shutout into the eighth inning, but the Titans (16-13, 10-5 CCIW) rallied for a pair of runs as Derek Idstein singled home a run and Bobby Czarnowski brought Illinois Wesleyan to within a run of the lead on a sacrifice fly to right field.  With just one out and runners on the corners, Singh hunkered down and induced a 4-6-3 double play to get the Cardinals out of the inning.
 
Singh would complete what he started, forcing a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the 3-2 victory.  Sam Klein was the lone batter with multiple hits in game one, going 2 for 4 from the plate, while Alex Khoury was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.
 
In the nightcap, the Cardinal jumped on Titan starter Robert Romano to the tune of five first inning runs on five hits and a Titan error.
 
After Carius led off the bottom half of the first with a double down the right field line, Paparone would bring him around to score two batters later on a RBI single to left center.  After Klein and Vito DeRango singled to load the bases, Zac Pacanowski pulled a long single down the right field line, clearing the bases and giving North Central a 4-0 lead.  Pacanowski would then come around to score later in the inning on an errant throw by the Illinois Wesleyan first baseman.
 
North Central added to its lead in the bottom of the third inning as Pacanowski drove in his fourth run of the game, scoring DeRango on a sharp single through the right side, giving Polowy a six-run cushion.
 
The Cardinal defense would allow the Titans to cut the lead in half with a run in the fourth and two runs in the sixth, committing two errors in each inning, holding a 6-3 lead after 5 ½ innings played.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, North Central got a run back on the board as Klein drove a RBI single to left field to increase the Cardinal lead 7-3.
 
Illinois Wesleyan would add another unearned run in the top of the ninth inning, but Kelse Gengler came in to shut the door and earn his first collegiate save as the Freshman has yet to allow an earned run over four appearances this season.
 
Five Cardinals finished with multiple hits in game two led by Pacanowski's 2 for 4 performance in game two with four RBI and a run scored.  DeRango ended 1 for 2 from the dish with two walks and two runs scored.
 
North Central returns to action Tuesday, Apr. 22, hosting Aurora University in a non-conference matchup scheduled for 3 pm.