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

Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Apr. 18, 2014) – It took 11 innings but the North Central College baseball team was able to secure the series opening win over College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) foe Illinois Wesleyan University, 5-4 Friday night at Horenberger Field.
 
The Cardinals (15-10, 7-6 CCIW) trailed the CCIW leading Titans (16-11, 10-3 CCIW) throughout most the contest as Illinois Wesleyan led 4-2 after seven innings of play.
 
The North Central offense came alive in the top of the eighth, as Vito DeRango led off with a double to left center field.  Sam Carius followed with a single up the middle, and Jake Rone walked to load the bases with nobody out. 
 
Joe Paparone followed up with a bases loaded walk to drive in a run and pull the Cardinals to within one, forcing Titan starter Jeff Johnson to depart after seven innings pitched.  Later in the inning, Carius would sprint home on a wild pitch to knot the score 4-4.
 
In the top of the 11^th, the Cardinals took advantage of two Titan errors as DeRango came around to score on a throwing error with two outs in the inning to plate what would be the game-winning run.
 
Drew Sutton entered in relief of North Central starter Ben Krusen in the bottom of the ninth and pitched the final three innings, giving up just two hits while striking out a pair.  Krusen was charged with three earned runs over his eight innings of work, striking out 11 while walking just one.
 
Zac Pacanowski led all Cardinal batters going 2 for 5 from the plate with a RBI, and Carius finished the evening 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
 
The two teams square off again tomorrow, Apr. 18, with game one of the doubleheader scheduled for 12 pm at Zimmerman Stadium.  Links to live statistics and audio are available HERE.