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

Box Score

Apr. 19, 2015 – Coming back from an early deficit, the North Central College baseball team rallied to defeat Elmhurst College, 6-2 and sweep the season series, while moving atop the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) standings.
 
Elmhurst (10-20, 3-12 CCIW) took an early 2-0 lead after three innings played as the Bluejays tallied six of its ten hits over the first three frames while starter Ben Havel held the Cardinals hitless.
 
The Cardinal bats broke out in the bottom of the fourth as Joe Paparone looped a leadoff single to left center and would come around to score later in the inning on a Bluejay throwing error.
 
Bobby Smith followed with a RBI single to right field, scoring Richard Concialdi who reached via fielder's choice earlier in the inning, knotting the score 2-2.
 
The Cardinal offense kept rolling in the bottom of the fifth with three straight hits to start the inning, as Sam Carius led off with a single to right and Jake Rone followed with a RBI triple to the right center field gap, scoring Carius and giving North Central its first lead of the afternoon 3-2.
 
Sam Klein extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a RBI single, sending home Rone and increasing the Cardinal lead 4-2.
 
The Cardinals (20-11, 11-4 CCIW) used some small ball in the bottom of the eighth to add a couple insurance runs, as DeRango led off the inning with a single.  After advancing to second on a balk, DeRango was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Concialdi and came around to score on a Smith single through the left side the following batter.
 
Zach Jarosz capped the Cardinal scoring with a RBI double down the left field line, plating Smith and giving North Central a decisive 6-2 advantage.
 
Starter Evan Blunk settled down after allowing two earned runs over the first three innings, shutting down the Elmhurst offense over the next three innings, finishing with three strikeouts and one walk, scattering eight hits over his six innings pitched.
 
Nick Anderson entered in relief for two scoreless innings, striking out three, while Jordan Van Dyck struck out the side in the ninth to shut the door.
 
Smith finished 2-for-3 from the dish with two RBI, a walk and a run scored, while DeRango was also 2-for-3 from the plate, adding a run scored.  Klein added a pair of hits to go along with a run batted in on the afternoon.
 
North Central travels to the University of Chicago on Wednesday, Apr. 22, with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. at J. Kyle Anderson Field.  The link to live in-game statistics is available HERE.