FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Apr. 5, 2011 - Compiling 32 hits and drawing 14 walks in two games, the North Central College baseball team used an impressive show of offensive force to claim both ends of a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin double header against Millikin University on Tuesday at Zimmerman Stadium.
The Cardinals cruised to a 17-4 victory in the opener, then withstood a late rally to preserve a 10-7 win in the nightcap. The wins improved North Central's record to 10-5 overall and 4-1 in CCIW play.
North Central jumped on top of the Big Blue in the first inning, recording just one hit but taking advantage of two errors, a walk and a hit batter. With the bases loaded, Hector Belen was hit by a pitch to drive in the game's first run. Matt Abraham tacked on a run with a sacrifice fly, and Kevin Hennessy scored on an error to give the hosts an early 3-0 lead.
Abraham's sacrifice fly was the 10th of his North Central career, giving him sole possession of the school career record.
The Cardinals hammered out five more runs in the second inning to put themselves in a commanding position. Dan Scott came through with an RBI single before a two-run double by Hennessy, a sacrifice fly by Belen, and a run-scoring single by Nick Daniels.
Millikin (4-15, 0-5 CCIW) got on the board with three runs in the third inning, but the hosts bounced back with another five-run inning in the home half. Hennessy hammered an RBI double, Belen added a run with a single, and Daniels ripped a three-run triple to left-center field.
Another RBI base hit by Belen and a bases-loaded walk by Abraham gave North Central two additional runs in the fourth. Daniels scored on a double play in the fifth, then doubled to plate the team's final run in the sixth.
Hennessy went 3 for 5 with four runs scored and three RBI in the day's first game, while Daniels was 3 for 4 with five runs driven in. Belen drove in four runs, while Scott, Michael Corrigan and Tom Ross each scored three runs. Nate Arenson pitched the first six innings and got the win (2-1), allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out eight.
The Cardinals took advantage of a pair of Millikin errors again in the first inning of the second game, scoring four unearned runs. Hennessy singled home the opening run, Corrigan contributed a sacrifice fly, Belen added an RBI single and Matt Burke drew a walk with the bases loaded. Scott led off the second inning with his second home run of the season, and Abraham added a RBI single as North Central pulled ahead, 6-0.
The Big Blue scored twice in the third, though North Central answered with a RBI single by Hennessy. Millikin scored once in the fourth, which was countered by Hennessy's sacrifice fly in the fifth. The visitors began their comeback attempt in earnest in the sixth, scoring four runs before relief pitcher Keeler Otero came on and put a lid on the scoring.
Daniels hit a solo home run, the first of his collegiate career, in the sixth, and Belen scored on an error in the eighth.
Hennessy went 3 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored in the nightcap, while Ross and Abraham each went 3 for 5. Ross also scored three runs. Tyler Herman made his first start of the season, pitching five innings to get the win (1-1). He allowed six earned runs and nine hits, striking out four and walking two. Michael McGrath pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and earned his first save.
The Cardinals travel to face 16th-ranked Carthage College (12-3, 4-0 CCIW) on Saturday in a double header, beginning at noon.
