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

Mar. 18, 2025 – A clutch two-run double off the bat of Justin Lang pushed the North Central College baseball team past Concordia University Chicago, 6-4 on Tuesday afternoon at Zimmerman Stadium in the Cardinals' home opener.

After Brian Duvall posted a 1-2-3 inning, Jackson Bland singled up the middle with two outs. He moved to second on a Cougars error before scoring on a Peyton Brugh RBI single to left field to give North Central a 1-0 lead.

Concordia Chicago used three straight singles to load the bases in the top of the third. The Cougars plated their first run on a wild pitch, but Duvall limited the damage to keep the game knotted at 1-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, Yuhki Yamada and Lang reached on fielder's choices. John Michael Scumaci hit an RBI double to score Yamada to put the Cardinals back in front. Tacking on two more runs, Bland plated Lang and Scumaci on a two-run single to center field, giving North Central a 4-1 advantage.

The Cougars scored two unearned runs with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to bring themselves within a run, 4-3. In the following inning, Elijah Hickman singled, stole a base and scored on an RBI single to even the score at 4-4.

Henry Saul was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Frankie Valli used a pinch hit single to move Saul to third base on a Concordia Chicago error. Lang broke the 4-4 tie with a two-run single to plate Saul and Valley, putting the Cardinals on top, 6-4.

Payton Diaz kept the Cougars in check to earn the first win of his collegiate career. He struck out three batters in three innings and allowed just one hit. Duvall received a no-decision in his 5.2 innings of work, allowing just one earned run with a strikeout. Bland tallied three hits with two RBI and a run. Lang drove in two and scored a run as well for the Cardinals.

North Central's game against Milwaukee School of Engineering has been canceled on Thursday due to the weather forecast. The Cardinals will now host St. Mary's (Minn.) at noon Sunday for game one of a doubleheader before taking on the Illinois Institute of Technology at 3 p.m.

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