FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
CHICAGO (Apr. 3, 2011) - Bouncing back from an early deficit for the second straight day, the North Central College baseball team secured a win in its first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin series of the season on Sunday, defeating North Park University, 12-11, at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.
The Cardinals overcame a 9-4 deficit and posted their second win in their three-game set against the Vikings, winning the series for the second straight season.
North Central (8-5, 2-1 CCIW) opened the game with back-to-back singles by Tom Ross and Dan Scott, and Michael Corrigan gave the visitors an early 3-0 lead by hitting his fourth home run of the season. The Cardinals also turned a leadoff single into a run in the second inning, as Matt Burke reached on a base hit, advanced to second base on a wild pitch, stole third, then scored on a grouundout by Scott.
The Vikings bounced back and tied the score in the bottom of the second, then put up five runs in the third to give the hosts their first lead of the day. North Central was able to get two runs back in the fourth inning, as Joe Turek doubled and scored on an error before Scott recorded an RBI with a bunt single.
Matt Abraham helped the Cardinals tie the score in the fifth inning, driving in two runs with a double before scoring on a wild pitch. The contest remained tied until the bottom of the sixth, as North Park's Zach Deutscher hit a solo home run to center field.
North Central regained the lead in the eighth, as Kevin Hennessy hit an RBI double and Scott scored on an error on the same play. The Vikings (14-5, 1-2) forced another tie at 11-11 in the eighth, taking advantage of a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly.
The Cardinals manufactured the game-winning run in the ninth, as Turek was hit by a pitch with one out and pinch runner Matt Zemke stole second base. Zemke advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on an error. North Park came up with a pair of singles in the bottom of the inning, but relief pitcher Matt Hussey got a fly ball for an out to close the game.
Corrigan was 3 for 4 in the game, while Burke went 3 for 5 with three runs scored. Alec Phillipp came on to pitch in the eighth inning and got the win (1-0), while Hussey was credited with the save.
The Cardinals host Millikin University in a double header at Zimmerman Stadium on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.
