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

Box Score

May 3, 2017 – In a contest moved to Zimmerman Stadium due to inclement weather, the North Central College baseball team pounded out 16 hits while Evan Blunk spun seven shutout frames in a 12-0 blanking of Illinois Wesleyan University on Wednesday, securing a much needed College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) victory.

In a game that took just under two hours to play, the Cardinals (16-15, 11-8 CCIW) sent six or more batters to the plate in all seven innings at the plate, scoring in six of those frames while all nine batters in the lineup recorded a hit. 

The scoring began early for North Central, the visiting team in the contest, as John Carmody lined a two-out single to center field in the top of the first, scoring Quade who singled earlier in the inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals increased that lead even further with three runs in each of the next three innings, as all three runs in the second came with two outs.  Quade singled home Matt Sutherland after the inning was extended due to a Titan error, while Nick Sotiros plated a pair on an 0-2 pitch the following batter, giving North Central a 4-0 lead.

All three runs in the top of the third also came with two away, as Sutherland lined a double down the left field line, scoring Carmody and Colin Weilbacher, while Michael Mateja plated Sutherland with a base hit through the right side to increase the Cardinal advantage 7-0.

In the top of the fourth, Chris Hill and Carmody each drew one out walks to begin the rally, before Sing Fong drove in a run with a single to left.  After Weilbacher was hit by a pitch, Adam Nelson plated a pair with a single down the left field line to put the Cardinals ahead 10-0 after four innings of play, running Illinois Wesleyan starter Matt Banaitis in the process.

That lead was more than enough for Blunk, tossing all seven innings to complete the shutout, allowing just three hits on only 78 pitches, increasing his scoreless innings streak to 15 innings.  Blunk also induced three 6-4-3 double plays on the afternoon, helping to limit his pitch count.

Sutherland finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI to pace the Cardinal offense, while Weilbacher was also 3-for-4 to go along with a hit by pitch, RBI and run scored.  Carmody finished a perfect 2-for-2 from the dish with two hit by pitches, a walk, two runs scored and a RBI.

Mateja added a 2-for-4 performance with two walk, a run scored and RBI, while increasing his reached-base streak to 26 games.  Quade finished 2-for-6 with two runs scored and a RBI, increasing his hit streak to a career-best 14 games.

North Central continues play on Friday, May 5, traveling to Elmhurst College with game one of the twin bill scheduled for 3 p.m. at Butterfield Park.  Links to live in-game coverage are available HERE.