Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Mar. 18, 2018 - The North Central College baseball team dropped to 0-4 on its Spring Break trip to Florida over the weekend, losing by a 10-2 count to Keystone College (Pennsylvania) on Saturday before a 5-4 setback against Adrian College (Michigan) on Sunday.

The Cardinals fell behind early on Saturday as Keystone (7-5) scored twice in the first inning before breaking the contest open with a four-run, five-hit third inning. North Central scored its lone runs of the game in the ninth inning on a two-run home run by Michael Mateja, who also hit a triple in a 2 for 4 performance at the plate. Starting pitcher Charlie Klemm allowed six earned runs on nine hits in five innings, striking out three and walking five. 

On Sunday, the Cardinals took a brief 2-1 lead, getting an RBI single by Joe Rizzo and a sacrifice fly by Jeremy Quade in the second inning. Adrian, however, countered with a three-run third inning and went into the ninth frame with a 5-2 advantage.

North Central made one final bid to claim the victory, as a leadoff single by Mike Wisz and walks by Ryan Scott and Eric Outlaw loaded the bases with one out. Wisz scored on a run-scoring groundout by pinch hitter Rob Marinec, and pinch runner Michael Mathey scored on an error before the Bulldogs (5-3) were able to close the contest out.

Wisz went 3 for 5, while Robert Zebrauskas and John Carmody each went 2 for 5. John Clifford pitched the first 5 2/3 innings, yielding just one earned run on five hits while striking out four and walking four. Patrick Schaefer permitted just one unearned run on one hit over the final 3 1/3.

The Cardinals (2-4) take on Denison University (Ohio) at noon Eastern time on Monday.