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

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

May 7, 2016 – Needing a pair of wins in the final College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) series of the season, the North Central College baseball team did just that, defeating Carthage College, 6-3 in the opener before a walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth in game two, clinching at least a share of their second straight CCIW regular season championship.

With the two wins, the Cardinals are currently in a half game lead atop the CCIW standings, awaiting the result of the Augustana College and Millikin game contested tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Augustana.  The Cardinals will share the CCIW regular season title with an Augustana win and the Vikings would host the CCIW Tournament next weekend, holding the tiebreaker after taking two of three games from North Central earlier this season.  With an Augustana loss, the Cardinals would be crowned sole champions of the regular season and will host the CCIW Tournament next weekend.

In the opener, the Red Men (19-19, 11-10 CCIW) plated the game's first run on a Jared Helmich RBI groundout to the shortstop in the top of the first, but North Central (28-8, 15-6 CCIW) responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead.

Jeremy Quade led off the inning with a single up the middle, while Sing Fong followed with a walk to put two runners on with no outs.  Bobby Smith forced the issue the following batter, dropping a bunt single down the third base line and in an attempt to nab Smith at first, the Red Men third baseman airmailed first base, allowing Quade to score from second.  After two quick outs nearly stranded Fong and Smith, Nick Sotiros came through with a double in the left center field gap, scoring the pair to give North Central a two-run lead.

That two-run lead quickly vanished in the top of the second, as Carthage stormed back to score two runs on three hits in the inning, knotting the score 3-3.

The Cardinals were the ones to counter in the bottom half of the second, as Smith quickly took back the lead for North Central with a two-RBI triple to right field, giving the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.

Starter Bryan Polowy settled in nicely after allowing the three runs over his first two innings, holding the Red Men to just three hits over the next five innings.  Polowy scattered seven hits over his seven innings pitched, striking out one and walking one, while improving to 5-1 on the season.  Nick Rogalski finished the final two innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits while striking out two, earning his third save of the year.

Nick Sotiros finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI to lead the Cardinal offense, as his two doubles now increase his single-season record to 22.  Matt Sutherland finished 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored, while Smith was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, and Quade added a pair of hits and runs scored.

In the nightcap, the Cardinals faced a 5-3 deficit heading into the bottom of the eighth, but the bats came alive at just the right moment.  Smith led off the inning with a hit by pitch, while Michael Mateja reached on an error two batters later to put runners on first and second with one out.  The pair proceeded to pull off a double steal, before Nick Sotiros walked to load the bases.

After a Carthage pitching change, David Rico welcomed the new Red Men hurler to the game with a two-RBI double to left, scoring Mateja and Smith, while tying the score 5-5.  The Cardinals were not finished either, as Dan Sotiros reached on another error by the Carthage third baseman, the second of the inning, extending the inning for Sutherland.  The freshman stepped to the plate and lined a dribbled an infield single to third, scoring Nick Sotiros and giving the Cardinals a 6-5 lead heading into the ninth.

Carthage did not allow the Cardinals to go home quickly however, mounting a ninth-inning comeback as Jared Knoespel was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.  After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, Knoespel sprinted home on a Reed Hero RBI single to left center the following batter to once again tie the score, this time at six all.

In the bottom of the ninth, Smith drew a leadoff walk to get North Central in business, before Chris Hill set the Cardinals home 7-6 winners on the next pitch, lining a double to the right center field gap, scoring Smith from first to clinch the Cardinals second straight CCIW regular season title.

Smith was the lone Cardinal to finish with multiple hits in game two, going 2-for-3 from the dish with a walk, three runs scored and a RBI.  Sutherland and Nick Sotiros were each 1-for-3 with a walk, while Rico drove home a pair.

Rogalski earned the win in game two, tossing one inning in relief, striking out one.  Starter Evan Blunk received a no decision, allowing five runs, three earned, over his five innings, striking out three.

North Central closes out the regular season on Monday, May 9, playing host to Aurora University at 3 p.m. at Zimmerman Stadium.  Links to live in-game statistics are available HERE.