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

Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis. (May 2, 2014) – The North Central College baseball team is one step closer to the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament, defeating Carthage College, 8-2 in the opening game of the final CCIW series of the season.
 
Winners of 10 of the last 11 games, the Cardinals (24-11, 12-7 CCIW) jumped on Carthage starter Andrew Arenson to the tune of five first inning runs as Jake Rone walked with one out in the inning and Joe Paparone followed with a single to left to get the rally started.  Sam Klein plated the game's first run with a RBI single to left, scoring Rone and giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
 
After Vito DeRango loaded the bases with a walk, Zac Pacanowski promptly cleared them, launching a grand slam over the right field fence, his second homerun of the season and giving North Central a 5-0, first inning lead.
 
Carthage (18-19, 7-12 CCIW) rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth as the Red Men strung together three hits in the inning, trimming the Cardinal lead 5-2.
 
North Central would tack on three more insurance runs, scoring in each of the final three innings as starter Ben Krusen shut down the Carthage offense, allowing just three hits over the final five innings.  Krusen completed his third game of the season, tossing all nine innings, giving up just the two earned runs while striking out seven and walking just one.  Krusen now ranks fifth on the programs all-time strikeouts list with 162 career punch-outs.
 
Pacanowski finished the afternoon 3 for 5 from the dish with four RBI and two runs scored, while Klein was also 3 for 5, finishing with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
The two teams square off again tomorrow as the Cardinals host the Red Men on Senior Day at Zimmerman Stadium.  Game one of the doubleheader is slated for 12 pm.  Links to live audio and statistics are available HERE.