Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Mar. 26, 2025 – Offense was at a premium Wednesday at Zimmerman Stadium as the North Central College baseball team edged out the University of Chicago with a go-ahead run in the sixth inning to claim a narrow 3-2 victory over the Maroons.
AJ Kutcher posted a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first and kept Chicago scoreless in the second inning. Austin Wienke was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom half of the second inning. Singles from Caleb Coberley and Andre Medina loaded the bases for the Cardinals. Kolby Fujii delivered a two-run single to left field to give North Central the first runs of the game.
In the fifth, the Maroons plated their first run with three walks and a fielder's choice cut the Cardinal lead in half, 2-1. An inning later, Chicago used a leadoff double followed by a single through the left side to knot the contest at 2-2 after six and a half innings.
North Central responded as a hit by pitch and two walks loaded the bases for Wienke, who drew an RBI walk to put the Cardinals back in front, 3-2.
Andrew Bollman shut down the Maroons in the seventh before Jaedin Kotcki worked around a leadoff double to keep Chicago off the scoreboard in the eighth. Looking for his second collegiate save, Kotecki set the Maroons down in order to secure a 3-2 Cardinal victory.
Fujii drove in two runs on the day, while Wienke scored and drove in a run to push North Central past Chicago. Kutcher, Bollman and Kotecki did not allow a run in their respective appearances. Ben Muhich earned his first collegiate win, throwing two innings and allowing a run with two strikeouts.
The Cardinals return to College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play Saturday as North Central welcomes Elmhurst University to Zimmerman Stadium for senior day. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m., with senior day festivities beginning at 1:45 p.m.
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