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

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (Mar. 9, 2024) - Defeating their second ranked opponent of the season, the North Central College baseball team secured a thrilling 1-0 victory over No. 24 Marietta College thanks to a combined shutout from AJ Kutcher, Gavin Gawronski, Nolan Shannon, and Luke Lehnen on Saturday at the Snowbird Baseball Classic.

Following a scoreless first two innings of play, Kutcher worked around a leadoff single thanks to an unassisted double play by Dave Fitzpatrick. In the fourth, the Pioneer leadoff batter reached on a Cardinal error, but again Kutcher closed out the inning with back-to-back strikeouts and kept the game tied, 0-0.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Peyton Burgh and Nolan King each singled to put runners on the corners and give North Central their best scoring opportunity of the day. Marietta worked out of the jam to keep the Cardinals off of the scoreboard.

After Kutcher struck out the side in the top of the sixth, Trey Roach led off with a walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Jackson Bland moved Roach over to third on a single. Breaking the scoreless tie, Michael Davis singled through the left side as Roach came around to score.

Gawronski relieved Kutcher in the eighth, allowing a walk and single to give the Pioneers a chance to even the score with runners at the corners. Gawronski struck out the Marietta batter to strand two runners on and keep the Pioneers scoreless.

Shannon entered the game and forced a fly out before Lehnen secured the final two outs of the game to earn a tight 1-0 victory for the Cardinals.

Nolan King led all batters with two hits as Roach scored the game's only run while Davis drove him in. Kutcher recorded his first win of the season by striking out six in seven innings pitched. Lehen tallied his second save of the season.

North Central continues the Snowbird Classic tomorrow as the Cardinals take on Babson College at 1 p.m. (ET). North Central beat the Beavers twice a season ago.

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