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

Augustana Box Score
Illinois Wesleyan Box Score

MOLINE, Ill. (May 14, 2016) – Just six outs away from the CCIW Tournament Championship game, things quickly fell apart for the North Central College baseball team on Saturday, surrendering four eighth-inning runs to fall 5-3 in the opener to Augustana College, before a 10^th inning error allowed the winning run to come around to score in the second game of the day against Illinois Wesleyan University, eliminating the Cardinals from the tournament with a 9-8 defeat.
 
Holding a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eight inning, Illinois Wesleyan finally got to Cardinal starter Bryan Polowy after allowing only one run over his first seven innings, as Jeff Prior led off the inning with a double down the left field line, before John Swiderski quickly tied the score with a two-run homerun over the right field fence.
 
The Vikings (29-12) were not finished either, plating a pair of two out runs as Jack Hallmark and Ryan Kairis each lined RBI singles to right and left field, respectively to turn the tables and give Augustana a 5-3 lead heading into the ninth.
 
Kyle McGinley induced three quick outs in the ninth to seal the win for Augustana as McGinley held the Cardinals to just one hit over his 2 2/3 innings.
 
Michael Mateja led the Cardinal offense going 2-for-3 with a walk, while David Rico was 0-for-2 but walked twice, scored a run and drove in a run.
 
Polowy received the loss, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits over 7 2/3 innings, striking out one and walking one.
 
The Cardinals fell behind 5-0 early in game two against Illinois Wesleyan (24-18), but bounced back to score five runs of their own in the top of the third as Dan Sotiros and Matt Sutherland each singled to lead off the inning, while Jeremy Quade followed with a single of his own, scoring Sotiros to get the Cardinals on the board.
 
After Sing Fong reached on a Titan error on a sacrifice bunt, Bobby Smith promptly cleared the bases while tying the score at five with a grand slam to center field.
 
The Titans regained the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, but North Central countered yet again with three runs in the top of the fifth.  Quade and Fong each singled to start the Cardinal rally, while Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.
 
Chris Hill stepped to the plate and lined a single through the right side, scoring Quade and Fong, while knotting the score 7-7.  Mateja drove home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center the next batter, scoring Smith to give North Central a 8-7 lead with one out.  A double play two batters later stranded runners at first and second with one out for North Central.
 
With a runner on second and one out in the bottom of the sixth and Illinois Wesleyan threatening, Jarrod Juskiewicz doubled to center field but a 8-4-2 relay cut down the Titan runner at home attempting to score on the play to keep the one-run lead intact. 
 
Still with a runner on second but with two outs now in the inning, Matthew Mardis lined a single to center, scoring Juskiewicz while tying the score yet again 8-8.
 
After three straight scoreless innings sent the contest into extra innings, the Cardinals were held scoreless in the top of the 10^th, while Illinois Wesleyan put runners on first and second with one out after a single and hit by pitch.  Cardinal reliever Nick Anderson induced what looked like a inning-ending double play, but the ensuing throw to first base was off the line, allowing Jacob Houghton to come around to score the game-winning run from second.
 
Anderson was credited with the loss despite not allowing an earned run, while striking out one in his 1 2/3 innings.  Evan Blunk received the no decision allowing even runs, six earned, on 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings.
 
Dan Sotiros led the Cardinal offense going 3-for-5 from the dish with a run scored, while Fong was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.  Quade and Smith each recorded two hits, while Smith's four RBI led the team.
 
Batters two through four in the Titan lineup combined to go 11-for-16 from the plate, as Juskiewicz drove in a team-leading four runs while Bosco scored three times.
 
North Central will look to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, as selections will be announced Monday morning.