Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Apr. 6, 2024 - Following a game one loss, the North Central College baseball team scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to extend the game into extras where the Cardinals took advantage of an Illinois Wesleyan University error to claim a 6-5 victory in game two on Saturday evening at Zimmerman Stadium.
Starting pitchers AJ Kutcher and Dalen Banks dominated early in game one as neither team scored a run until the fifth inning where the Titans scored two unearned runs to take a 2-0 edge.
In the bottom of the sixth, John Michael Scumaci doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a deep fly ball from Trey Roach. Dave Fitzpatrick's RBi single scored North Central's first run of the day.
The Titans tacked on a run in the seventh, thanks to two hits and a Cardinal error.
Again, the Cardinals answered as Joe Hamilton drew a walk in the bottom of the seventh. He moved over to third on a hit by pitch and single before Taylor Kujak's RBI groundout scored Hamilton, making the game 3-2.
Illinois Wesleyan scored three runs on one hit, two walks, and a North Central error to take a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth. The Cardinals scored a run on a Kujak RBI single as Hamilton scored, but the Titans secured the 6-3 win in game one.
Fitzpatrick led the team with three hits while Kujak drove in two runs. Hamilton scored twice in the game as well. Kutcher suffered the loss, allowing no earned runs and three runs total. Banks earned his fourth win of the season for the Titans, throwing seven innings with seven strikeouts and two earned runs.
Game two saw no scoring until the third inning as the Titans scored two runs on two hits to take a 2-0 lead after three innings of action. In the fifth, Illinois Wesleyan added three insurance runs by recording two hits, two walks and a hit by pitch, taking a 5-0 advantage.
The Cardinal offense was stagnant until the bottom of the ninth. Hamilton and Danny Nuccio each hit infield singles before Luke Lehnen singled through the right side to put the first run on the board for North Central. Roach hit another RBI single before Jackson Bland drove in two runs on a single to center field. Tying the game at 5-5 was Kujak who singled through the left side to plate Roach and send the game into extra innings.
Anthony Raineri worked out of a jam in the 10th and 11th innings as the Titans stranded two runners in scoring position.
Scumaci singled to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning before Roach walked. With runners on first and second, Fitzpatrick moved them up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt. After Bland was intentionally walked to load the bases, Kujak hit into a fielder's choice on a groundball back to the pitcher. The Titans hurler attempted to get the force out at the plate, but threw it wide as Scumaci scored the game-winning run to secure a 6-5 win for North Central.
Kukak, Roach, and Scumaci each recorded three hits while Bland drove in two runs. Brian Duvall, Jaedin Kotecki, Nolan King, and Raineri each threw scoreless outings as Raineri picked up his first win of the season.
The Cardinals and Titans conclude their season series on Monday at Horenberger Field with a probable 4 p.m. start. This a change from the original schedule as rain has postponed Sunday's game in Bloomington.
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