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

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

May 3, 2014 -- The North Central College baseball team wrapped up the regular season Saturday afternoon on Senior Day, dropping both games of the final College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) doubleheader to Carthage College, but despite the losses the Cardinals clinched the fourth and final spot in the CCIW Tournament, advancing to postseason play for the first time since 2011.
 
Thanks in part to yesterday's win over Carthage and other outcomes from around the CCIW, the Cardinals were able to secure a spot in the CCIW Tournament next weekend hosted by Augustana College.
 
This afternoon's doubleheader did not fare well for the Cardinals, losing a 12-11 heartbreaker in 11 innings in game one, before falling 7-3 in the nightcap.
 
In the opener the Cardinals (24-13, 12-9 CCIW) led 10-7 heading into the ninth, but could not hold on as Carthage rallied with a pair of homeruns in the inning as Zach Wade launched a two-run bomb and Matt Rave hit a pinch hit solo homerun to left to knot the score 10-10.
 
The two teams traded a run in the 10^th, before the Red Men pushed across the game-winning run in the top of the 11^th on a Reed Hero sacrifice fly to left, giving Carthage the game one, 12-11 victory.
 
The Red Men offense lit up the Cardinal pitching staff for 22 hits in the opener led my Mike Pugliese's 5 for 7 effort while the North Central defense committed five errors.  Drew Sutton was credited with the loss in relief of starter Kris Singh, who went six innings and gave up six earned runs in the no decision.
 
Sam Carius led all Cardinal batters with three hits in the opener with a run scored and a pair of runs batted in.  Joe Paparone was 1 for 2 with four RBI, including his third homerun of the season, a three-run shot to left in the fifth.
 
In the nightcap, starter Bryan Polowy took a no-hitter into the sixth but got into some trouble with two outs in the inning.  After an error extended the inning, Carthage put together four two out hits to plate four runs in the inning and suddenly take a 4-0 lead.
 
The Cardinal offense rallied for a run in the bottom half of the sixth, as Vito DeRango sent his first career homerun sailing over the left field fence, cutting the lead 4-1.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, North Central loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single, while John Ciolkosz followed with a bases loaded walk, trimming the Carthage advantage in half.  Zac Pacanowski followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Sam Klein and pulling the Cardinals to within one.
 
The Cardinal momentum was put to rest the following half inning as the Red Men plated three insurance runs.  Rave hit his second pinch-hit homerun of the day, finishing the doubleheader 2 for 2 from the plate with two of the four Carthage homeruns on the afternoon.
 
Polowy was credited with the loss, tossing seven innings while giving up four runs, none of which were earned, striking out seven and walking five.
 
Nick DeWolf was 2 for 4 in game two, while DeRango was 1 for 3 with a walk, RBI and run scored.
 
North Central will head to Rock Island, Ill. for the CCIW Tournament, hosted by regular season champion Augustana College, beginning Thursday, May 8.  Times and pairings will be announced at a later date.