FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Box Score

LISLE, Ill. (May 4, 2011) - A late rally carried the North Central College baseball team's game at Benedictine University into extra innings on Wednesday, but the Cardinals allowed an unearned run to the hosts in the 10th frame and suffered a 4-3 setback at the Lisle Sports Complex.

The first four innings resulted in a scoreless draw, though both teams had several opportunities and left a combined eight runners on base. The Eagles (22-16) opened the scoring in the fifth, putting up two runs on three hits. Benedictine kept the Cardinals off the board until the eighth, when Matt Abraham singled to drive home North Central's first run and later tied the game by scoring on a wild pitch.

Benedictine pulled ahead once again with a run in the eighth, though the Cardinals (20-11) responded with an RBI double by Nick Daniels in the top of the ninth. The Eagles' first two batters reached safely in the bottom of the inning, but relief pitcher Tyler Herman was able to get the next three outs and end the threat.

North Central threatened to stage a two-out rally in the 10th, as Joe Turek walked and Brennan Hagensee singled, but both were stranded on base. The Eagles loaded the bases in the home half of the inning on an error, a single and an intentional walk, and infielder Uli Ortiz came through with a two-out single to drive home the game-winner.

The Cardinals return to College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play on Saturday at Illinois Wesleyan University. The double header at Jack Horenberger Field is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.