FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Apr. 2, 2011 - The North Central College baseball team was able to erase one deficit on Saturday against North Park University, but came up short in its effort to do so a second time, as the Cardinals split a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin double header with North Park University at Zimmerman Stadium.
The Cardinals (7-5, 1-1 CCIW) rallied in the ninth inning to win the first game, 14-12, before a 9-3 loss in the nightcap.
North Park scored four runs in the first two innings of the opener to take a comfortable lead, though the Cardinals broke up the shutout in the third with a RBI single by Tom Ross. The home team got another run back in the fourth, as Michael Corrigan sent his third home run of the season over the left-center field fence.
The Cardinals were able to tie the game in the fifth, as Joe Turek led off with his fourth home run of the year and Dan Scott followed with a run-scoring single with two outs. North Central then followed with a seven-run outburst in the sixth inning to take its first lead, 11-4. Hector Belen opened the scoring with a RBI single, and Nick Daniels added a two-run double, followed by a two-run single by Ross, a run-scoring sacrifice bunt by Scott and a RBI double by Kevin Hennessy.
The Vikings (14-4, 1-1) needed almost no time to respond, tallying eight runs on seven hits in the seventh inning to regain the lead at 12-11. North Park's lead held up until the bottom of the ninth, when Belen led off with a double and scored on a single by Matt Abraham.
After North Park turned a double play to clear the bases, Daniels drew a four-pitch walk, bringing Matt Burke to the plate. The senior brought the game to a close with his first home run in two years, a two-run shot to left field.
Belen went 3 for 4 in the game, while Turek and Burke each scored three runs. Jon Rashid pitched the first six innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits, and Jeff Dickey pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the win.
The Vikings were able to plate a run in the top of the first inning of the second game as well, though North Central responded in the bottom of the inning as Hennessy drove a run in with a single and Scott scored on a double play.
North Park tied the game with a run in the third, and pulled ahead with two runs in the fifth before the Cardinals countered with Burke's RBI groundout. The visitors, however, slammed the door with a five-run seventh inning that North Central was unable to negate.
Travis Vanderwall allowed three earned runs on eight hits and struck out six in five innings in his first collegiate start, taking the loss.
The Cardinals travel to North Park for the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.
