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

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Apr. 6, 2019 – After a tough 2-1 loss in the opener, the North Central College baseball team was on the ropes in game two as well with North Park University on Saturday before Rob Marinec cranked a walkoff two-run homerun in the bottom of the ninth to salvage the series split with a 10-8 victory in game two.

The game one loss was tough to swallow for North Central, as both North Park (12-8, 5-3 CCIW) runs were of the unearned variety, scoring each run in identical fashion.  In the top of the first with runners on first and second with one out, Austin Polezoes struck out Brandon Davis swinging and on the throw down to second in an attempt to nab the Viking base stealer, the ball bounced away allowing Niko Buck to trot home and give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.

North Central pushed across a run in the bottom of the second on a Ryan Scott RBI-single to right field, knotting the game at one run apiece.

In the top of the fifth, again with runners on first and third, the Vikings pulled the same move as the first inning, with Buck attempting to steal second with away the ball was again thrown away, allowing what proved to be the game-winning run to score.

The Cardinal offense fell silent the rest of the way, as the best scoring chance game in the bottom of the ninth, but runners were stranded on first and second to end the game.

Despite not allowing an earned run, Polezoes received the unfortunate loss, scattering five hits over his seven innings with six strikeouts.

Scott was the lone Cardinal with multiple hits in the opener, going 2-for-4 from the plate with the lone run batted in.

Buck finished 3-for-4 and Kyle Balash was 2-for-4 as the pair accounted for all five of North Park's hits in the opener.

After blowing a 8-2 lead in the top of the ninth in game two, Michael Stoltz led off the bottom of the ninth in a 8-8 tie by beating out an infield single and proceeded to steal second a few pitches later to put the winning run on second with nobody out.

Following a pair of quick outs and Stoltz still stuck at second base, Marinec took the game into his own hands, crushing a no-doubt two-run bomb through the wind over the left field fence and was mobbed by teammates at home plate after redeeming the Cardinal pitching staff.

Tyler Jones earned the victory after recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth and stranding the go-ahead run at third base to end the inning.  Starter Charlie Klemm received a no-decision despite allowing just one run on only four hits over his 5 1/3 innings with five punch outs.

The offense tallied 16 hits in the nightcap, as eight of the nine starters recorded a hit, led by a 3-for-4 performance from Stoltz to go along with a walk, stolen base, run scored and RBI.  Matt Sutherland finished 3-for-6 with a RBI, while Scott added two more hits and two walks in game two.  Jeremy Quade, John Carmody and Colin Weilbacher were all 2-for-5, while Weilbacher successfully swiped three bags and Quade and Carmody each added another.

North Central (13-6, 3-3 CCIW) go for their first series win of the conference season tomorrow as the two teams meet for the rubber game in Chicago, Illinois with first pitch now scheduled for 4 p.m.  Links to live in-game coverage are available HERE.