Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
Mar. 29, 2025 – A
Henry Saul walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning on Senior Day lifted the North Central College baseball team past Elmhurst University, 2-1, as the Cardinals improved to 2-0 in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin while winning their fourth straight contest.
North Central starter Chris Rogers made quick work of the Bluejays as no Elmhurst base runner reached third base while the lefty was on the mound. Elmhurst starter Charlie Smith followed suit as neither team pushed a run across until the fourth inning.
Austin Wienke walked and stole a base to put himself in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth inning. After moving up 90 feet on a wild pitch, Peyton Burgh hit an RBI double to give the Cardinals a 1-0 advantage.
Two straight 1-2-3 innings from Rogers put the Bluejays down to their final six puts of the game. Following a walk by Rogers, Elijah Hammond entered the game with a runner on first. Two singles later, Elmhurst evened the game at 1-1 after eight innings of play.
Hammond set the Bluejays down in order in the top of the ninth inning. Jackson Bland hit a lead-off single through the left side to begin the bottom half of the frame. A Wienke single put runners on the corners. After Burgh was intentionally walked, Saul delivered a game-winning single through the left side to score Bland and clinch a 2-1 victory for North Central.
Rogers threw 7.2 innings, allowing just one run while striking out nine. Hammond earned the win with 1.1 innings of work and two strikeouts. Burgh led all batters with two hits, while Bland and Wienke scored runs with Burgh and Saul driving them in.
North Central continues conference play Sunday as the Cardinals welcome Augustana College to Zimmerman Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Last year, the Cardinals and Vikings have split their last two matchups with North Central winning 13-3 at home.
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