FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Drew Sauer,Graduate Assistant to Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Box Score
May 13, 2012—The North Central College baseball team was unable to secure a victory on the final day of the 2012 season on Sunday afternoon, falling to North Park University, 16-9, in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) match-up inside Zimmerman Stadium.
In the bottom of the first inning the Cardinals (20-19, 9-12 CCIW) jumped on the board with an unearned run, as
Sam Carius reached on an error to lead off the game and would later score on
Steve Hlavac's RBI fielder's choice, giving the hosts an early 1-0 lead.
The Vikings (32-12, 14-7 CCIW) would counter in the top of the next inning scoring four runs on three hits including a 2-RBI single by Ryan Javech, to take a 4-1 advantage.
North Central's comeback attempt would begin in the bottom of the third when Nick Hammerl drew a bases loaded walk, trimming the Viking lead to 4-2.
The Cardinal offense would breakout in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs on four hits in the inning.
Alex Koszulinski got the rally started with an RBI fielder's choice followed by an RBI single to right by
Zac Pacanowski. Later in the inning,
Peter Romanello drove home a pair of Cardinals with a 2-RBI triple to deep left center before Nick Hammerl successfully layed down a squeeze bunt with two outs in the inning, putting the Cardinals on top 7-4.
In the top of the fifth, North Park would cut the Cardinal lead to 7-6 as Joel Bonnett drove a 2-run homerun over the right center field fence.
Two innings later, the Vikings would take the lead for good as Mike Coduto plated two runners with single through the right side, giving North Park an 8-7 advantage. The visitors would put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth, scoring eight runs on seven hits while taking advantage of one Cardinal error..
Leading the way offensively for North Central were Romanello and Hammerl, each with two hits and two RBI.
The Cardinals finish the 2012 season with an overall record of 20-19 while going 9-12 in CCIW play.
