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Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

ELMHURST, Ill. (Apr. 11, 2014) – Despite jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the North Central College baseball team was unable to hang on in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) series opener Friday evening at Elmhurst College, ultimately falling 7-4 at Butterfield Park.
 
The Cardinals (13-9, 5-5 CCIW) plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning as Jake Rone was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, and Vito DeRango followed with a walk.  After advancing on a passed ball, Rone trotted home on a John Ciolkosz groundout to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Two batters later, Zac Pacanowski stepped to the plate and lined a RBI single to center, scoring DeRango and giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third, North Central added to its lead as Sam Klein belted his team-leading third homerun of the season over the left field fence to go ahead 3-0.
 
The Cardinals momentum quickly faded as the Bluejays (7-15, 2-8 CCIW) strung together four hits and took advantage of a Cardinal error to plate five runs in the bottom half of the third to take a 5-3 lead.
 
North Central was able to add an unearned run in the top of the fourth but Elmhurst answered with two runs in the bottom half, running Cardinal starter Ben Krusen after four innings pitched to the tune of seven runs, six earned, while striking out four and walking three.
 
Elmhurst starter Justin Theisen went the distance to earn his first victory of the season, giving up four earned runs while striking out four.
 
Klein led all Cardinal batters going 2 for 3 from the plate with a walk and a homerun.  Rone and Pacanowski each added a pair of hits on the evening.
 
The two teams are back at it tomorrow to wrap up the series at Zimmerman Stadium.  Game one of the doubleheader is slated for 12 pm.  Links to live statistics and audio are available HERE.