Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
CAROL STREAM, Ill. (Mar. 15, 2026) - Taking on the No. 1 team in NCAA Division III, the North Central College baseball team fell 17-0 to Denison University Sunday at Lee Pfund Stadium in the finale of the Buona Beef - Chicagoland Marriott Naperville Invite.
The Big Red led off with a home run on the first pitch before a two-run double put the visitors ahead 3-0 after the first inning. Back-to-back doubles added a run in the second frame. Denison took advantage of a Cardinal error to plate a pair of runs, taking a 6-0 lead.
Gavin Gawronski settled in, posting a three-up, three-down top of the third. North Central's best chance at a run in the early going came in the bottom half of the frame. Luke Wallace and Yuhki Yamada singled to put runners on first and second. A fielder's choice and strikeout kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard.
Denison blew the game open in the fourth, as Jack Lutte's grand slam highlighted a seven-run inning as the Big Red took a 13-0 lead after four innings of play.
Gavin Kleist singled up the middle and moved to second on a Wallace walk. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners for Parker Wyatt, who was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A timely Denison punchout held the Cardinals scoreless in the fifth. The Big Red added two runs in the sixth and another two in the seventh.
A Wallace walk, Yamada single and Wyatt walk loaded the bases for North Central in the seventh, but the Cardinals did not capitalize to fall, 17-0, to top-ranked Denison.
Caleb Coberley and Yamada each recorded multiple hits on the day. Wallace went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in the contest. Gawronski suffered the loss, allowing eight runs (six earned) in three innings, with four strikeouts. Robbie Lee picked up his third win of the season, throwing five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and six hits allowed.
North Central begins College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play Thursday afternoon as the Cardinals take on North Park University at 3 p.m. at Holmgren Athletic Complex.
