Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Apr. 20, 2024) - Facing Augustana College for the first time this season, the North Central College baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader with the Vikings on Saturday, falling 8-3 in game one and 9-8 in the nightcap.
John Michael Scumaci was the first Cardinal baserunner as he was hit by a pitch in the top of the first inning. After advancing to second on a Jackson Bland single, Henry Saul delivered an RBI single to score the first run of the game. AJ Kutcher held the Vikings scoreless in the bottom half of the inning.
The Vikings racked up five runs on three hits, two walks and a hit by pitch in the second inning to take a 5-1 lead. The Cardinals responded with a Scumaci leadoff triple in the third. Bland sent him home on an RBI single to right field.
In the fifth, Augustana extended their lead by scoring two runs, taking advantage of a Cardinal error.
After the Vikings tacked on another run in the sixth, North Central's Jack Oberli and Jaden Weinzierl reached to begin the ninth. Scumaci plated Oberli on a double to left center, but that would be all the scoring the Cardinals would do as Augustana secured the 8-3 win.
Scumaci tallied two hits, two runs, and an RBI while Oberli scored a run with three walks and a hit. Kutcher took the loss with 4.1 innings of work, allowing seven runs (six earned) and two strikeouts. Sam Corbett threw the final 3.2 innings, allowing just two hits and one run.
North Central again got on the board early as Scumaci doubled, and moved to third base on a Bland single. Following a Bland stolen base, Dave Fitzpatrick scored both Scumaci and Bland on a two-run single to left field.
The Vikings put up a five-spot in the second inning on three hits, five walks and a Cardinal error to take a 5-2 lead.
Bland and Oberli singled in the top of the third before moving up a base on a Viking passed ball. Bland scored on a sacrifice fly from Fitzpatrick to cut the deficit to two runs, 5-3.
Inching closer in the fourth, Taylor Kujak singled before advancing to third on back-to-back walks. Scumaci hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Kujak to cross home plate and bring the Cardinals within one, 5-4.
In the sixth, Joe Hamilton reached on an Augustana error and moved to second base. Luke Lehnen pushed him to third on a sacrifice bunt. Another sacrifice fly from Scuamaci plated Hamilton to knot the contest at 5-5.
The Vikings retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth by scoring four runs on three hits and two Cardinal errors to go ahead 9-5. Fitzpatrick and Weinzierl singled in the seventh before Trey Roach hit an RBI single to score Fitzpatrick from second, cutting into the Viking lead.
Down to their final three outs, Fitzpatrick doubled and Weinzierl singled to put the tying run in the batter's box and force a Viking pitching change. Kujak hit an RBi single down the right field line to score Fitzpatrick. After a sacrifice bunt from Kolby Fujii, Hamilton used a sacrifice fly to plate Weinzierl, making the score 9-8. The Vikings secured the win with a strikeout to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Fitzpatrick recorded three hits, three RBIs and two runs while Weinzierl and Kujak joined with three hits in the game. Bland scored twice with Scumaci driving in two runs. Nolan King suffered the loss, throwing 4.1 innings in relief with four runs allowed, just one being earned. Ryan Gerdes pitched 2.1 innings, not allowing a hit or a run.
North Central and Augustana complete the season series tomorrow in Naperville. That game is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch at Zimmerman Stadium.
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