Trey Roach
Steve Woltmann
2
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE 4-7
3
Winner Adrian ADRIAN 6-4
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE
4-7
2
Final
3
Adrian ADRIAN
6-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 8 0
Adrian ADRIAN 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 X 3 9 1

W: J. Charles (2-1) L: Kutcher, AJ (1-3) S: R. Davis (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Late Rally Not Enough for Cardinals vs Adrian

Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

ADRIAN, Mich. (Mar. 15, 2024) - Kicking off the Adrian College Invite, the North Central College baseball team scored two runs in the ninth inning, but it wasn't enough as the host Bulldogs held off the Cardinals for a 3-2 win on Friday afternoon.

AJ Kutcher held Adrian hitless over the first three innings of play while North Central threatened in the top of the fourth inning. Trey Roach singled and advanced to second base on a Michael Davis single to right field. They each moved up a base on a wild pitch but did not score as the Cardinals couldn't push the run across.

The Bulldogs singled to open the bottom of the fourth, but Kutcher picked off the Adrian runner to keep the score tied at 0-0.

After a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, Adrian broke the scoreless tie by scoring three runs on five hits.

North Central answered with a threatening top of the seventh. Luke Lehnen singled to center field and advanced to second on a Bulldog error. Jackson Bland singled, moving Lehnen to third base where he was stranded as Adrian kept the Cardinals off of the board.

Anthony Raineri came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh. After allowing a double and a single, Raineri recorded three straight outs to hold Adrian at three runs.

In the bottom of the ninth, Roach walked and Lehnen singled to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs and forced a Bulldog pitching change. Dave Fitzpatrick scored Roach before Bland plated Lehnen on an RBI single. Peyton Burgh walked, but Adrian struck out Caleb Coberley to secure the 3-2 win.

Lehnen, Bland, and John Michael Scumaci tallied two hits each as Lehnen and Roach scored the two runs for North Central. Kutcher struck out five in his six innings of work, allowing three runs and suffering the loss. Raineri and Jaedin Kotecki posted scoreless outings out of the bullpen.

North Central faces No. 6 Denison University for the second time this season. In the first matchup, the Big Red won 17-5 in the Derby City Classic. This game is set for 1 p.m. (ET) at Nicolay Field in Adrian Mich.

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