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

Box Score

Apr. 18, 2017 – The North Central College baseball team held off a late-inning rally against Rockford University on Tuesday in a non-conference contest at Zimmerman Stadium, coming away with a 7-5 victory.

The Regents (12-16) struck first with a run in the top of the third on a RBI groundout off the bat of Tyler Johnson, but North Central countered with a two spot in the bottom of the fourth as John Carmody came around to score on a Rockford throwing error after reaching on a hit by pitch earlier in the inning.  Matt Sutherland followed with a RBI single to left, scoring Ryan Scott and giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.

North Central added another run in the bottom of the fifth, as Adam Nelson led off the inning with an infield single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and came home on another infield single, this one off the bat of Jeremy Quade.

In the bottom of the seventh, North Central plated what proved to be an important four runs as Nick Sotiros singled to center with the bases loaded, scoring Michael Namoff on the play.  Still with the bases loaded, Carmody line a single through the right side, scoring a pair, while Robert Zebrauskas plated Soritos with a base hit to the shortstop, capping the scoring while increasing the Cardinal lead 7-1.

The Regents rallied with a late charge however, trimming the lead with four runs on just one hit in the top of the eighth, but John Clifford shut the door in the ninth, earning his first collegiate save with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.

Evan Blunk earned the victory on the mound, allowing just one earned run on five hits over five innings pitched, striking out four while walking none.

Sotiros was the lone Cardinal with multiple hits on the afternoon, going 2-for-4 from the plate with a RBI, run scored and stolen base.  Michael Mateja finished 1-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch, run scored and two stolen bases, while Carmody was 1-for-3 with a run scored and two driven in.

North Central is back in action tomorrow with the rubber game against Carroll University scheduled for 3 p.m.  Links to live in-game coverage are available HERE.