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Box Score

Apr. 26, 2010 - A gem of a pitching performance by Nate Arenson and a five-run binge in the first three innings proved to be more than enough to secure a fifth straight victory for the North Central College baseball team on Monday, as the Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of Wheaton College with a 7-2 victory at Zimmerman Stadium.

Arenson pitched his second complete game of the season, scattering seven hits and allowing no earned runs while striking out five. His record stands at a perfect 7-0 this season, which puts him first in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin in wins.

The 30th-ranked Cardinals (24-5, 12-3 CCIW) made use of a pair of extra-base hits to score twice in the first inning. Nick Robinson led off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Abraham, who established a new North Central record with his seventh sacrifice fly of the season. Michael Corrigan followed by hammering a 3-1 fastball over the right-field fence for his sixth home run of the season.

After surrendering a run in the second inning, North Central scored two more. Steve Hlavac came through with a single and Andrew Wulbecker doubled to start the inning, and Matt Burke delivered a base hit to bring Hlavac home. Wulbecker crossed the plate on a double play. The Cardinals also got a leadoff single in the third from Dan Scott, who stole second base before scoring on a fielder's choice and extending the Cardinals' lead to 5-1.

Both teams' offenses were kept silent for the next four innings. Wheaton (20-12, 7-8 CCIW) tacked on a run in the eighth, but the Cardinals responded once again with a two-run single by Burke in the home half of the inning.

Corrigan went 3 for 4 in the game, while Burke was 2 for 4 with three RBI.

The Cardinals host Benedictine University (15-16) in a non-conference game on Wednesday at 3 p.m.