FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
KENOSHA, Wis. (Apr. 9, 2011) - The North Central College baseball team emerged victorious in one of two close games at 16th-ranked Carthage College on Saturday, losing a 5-4 decision in the opener before snapping the Red Men's 10-game winning streak with a 6-3 10-inning win in the second contest.
Both games came down to the final inning played, as Carthage scored the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth inning of the first game and the Cardinals piled up four runs in the 10th inning of the nightcap to even the series at 1-1 heading into Sunday's rubber match at Zimmerman Stadium.
The Red Men (13-4, 5-1 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) owned a 4-0 advantage in the day's first game before a three-run surge in the sixth inning got North Central back into contention. Michael Corrigan drew a leadoff walk and Matt Abraham and Joe Turek each recorded singles before Nick Daniels' two-run double down the left-field line got the Cardinals on the board. Matt Burke drove in the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.
North Central tied the game in the top of the ninth, as consecutive base hits by Dan Scott and Kevin Hennessy preceded an RBI single to left field by Corrigan. Carthage, however, responded in the ninth by loading the bases with two singles and a walk before third baseman Josh Albers brought home the game-winning run on a single to right-center field.
Abraham went 3 for 4 in the game, while Scott was 2 for 4 and Hennessy went 2 for 5. Jon Rashid pitched the first eight innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking four. Michael McGrath opened the ninth inning and took the loss (0-1).
The Cardinals (11-6, 5-2 CCIW) were able to take an early lead in the second game, as Daniels and Burke led off the inning with singles and Daniels later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Scott. A leadoff single also led to a run in the sixth, as Abraham reached and wound up scoring on a double by Corrigan.
Carthage got a home run by outfielder Mike Petti in the bottom half of the sixth to break up the shutout and close the gap to 2-1, then tacked on an unearned run in the seventh to tie the score. The score remained deadlocked until the 10th inning.
The Cardinals began their game-winning rally with one out, as Abraham singled, Hennessy reached on an error and Corrigan walked before Matt Zemke was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to get the first run across. Hennessy scored on a wild pitch before Daniels doubled again to drive home two more runs. Carthage was able to get one run back in the bottom of the 10th, but left two runners on base as the game ended.
North Central pitcher Travis Vanderwall pitched nine innings to get his first collegiate win (1-1), allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out three and walking three. McGrath came on in the 10th inning to earn his second save. Burke went 3 for 5 at the plate, while Daniels went 2 for 4 and Abraham was 2 for 5.
The third and final game in the series is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday.
