FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Drew Sauer,Graduate Assistant to Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. (April 28, 2012)—The North Central College baseball team was swept at the hands of Wheaton College in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Lee Pfund Stadium.
 
In game one the Thunder (21-15, 10-8 CCIW) broke open a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth to take a 6-4 victory, and in game two jumped out to an early first inning lead and would hold on for a 5-2 win.
 
Wheaton scored first in game one when Trey Martin drove in a run on an infield single, giving the Thunder an early 1-0 advantage.  The Cardinals (19-14, 9-9 CCIW) answered right back in the bottom of the first when Zac Pacanowski drew a bases loaded walk to even the score at 1-1.
 
After five innings of scoreless ball, North Central broke open the deadlock in the bottom of the seventh inning as Joe Turek shot an RBI double down the right field line to put the Cardinals on top 2-1.
 
Wheaton would get that run right back in the top of the eighth on an Alex MaLossi RBI single to knot the score once again before piling on four runs in the top of the ninth to take a decisive 6-2 lead.
 
North Central would add two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a 2-RBI double by Turek but the Thunder would cut the rally short, taking game one 6-4.
 
Sam Carius went 3 for 5 from the plate while Turek was 2 for 5 with three RBI to pace the Cardinals.
 
In the nightcap, Wheaton snagged an early 1-0 lead yet again as Drew Golz scored on a Cardinal throwing error.  The Thunder would add three more runs in the top of the third inning, increasing its advantage to 4-0, when Justin Zeller drove in a pair with a single up the middle and Justin Swider plated Zeller later in the inning on an RBI triple to left.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Cardinals would cut the Thunder lead in half when Nick Hammerl scored on a passed ball and Tom Ross drove an RBI single through the left side trimming the Wheaton margin to 4-2.
 
The Thunder pitching staff held Cardinal hitters in check for the remainder of the afternoon, as North Central was unable to score in the final six innings.
 
Ross led all Cardinal batters in game two going 2 for 5 with an RBI.
 
North Central travels to Stagg Field on Tuesday, May 1 to take on non-conference opponent the University of Chicago at 3 pm.