Payton Diaz throwing a pitch against Baldwin Wallace
Mark Black
0
Carroll (Wis.) CARROLL 11-8
11
Winner North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE 8-8
Carroll (Wis.) CARROLL
11-8
0
Final
11
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE
8-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Carroll (Wis.) CARROLL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1
North Central (Ill.) NORTH CE 2 0 1 0 0 1 3 4 11 13 1

W: Diaz, Payton (1-3) L: Bryten Staab (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Diaz’s Complete Game Leads Baseball Past Carroll, 11-0

Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

Mar. 25, 2026 - Behind the program's first complete-game shutout since 2022, Payton Diaz delivered a masterclass on the mound Wednesday as North Central overpowered Carroll University, 11–0, in eight innings at Zimmerman Stadium. The Cardinals backed Diaz with a flurry of extra-base-hits, piling up two home runs, two triples and three doubles to close the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin matchup early.

Diaz set the tone immediately with a 1-2-3 first inning before the Cardinals struck in the bottom half. Luke Wallace worked a leadoff walk, moved to second on a groundout and scored when Caleb Coberley lined a two-run single to center. A Carroll miscue allowed Coberley to come all the way around, giving North Central a quick 2–0 lead.

With two outs in the third, Parker Wyatt doubled down the left-field line and scored on another Coberley RBI single to extend the advantage. Diaz remained in full command, scattering just three hits through six innings while never allowing a Pioneer to reach third base.

North Central broke the game open in the sixth when Peyton Burgh greeted a new Carroll arm with a no-doubt home run to left. The Cardinals kept rolling in the seventh as Yuhki Yamada singled before Jackson Bland and Wyatt delivered back-to-back RBI triples. Coberley added a sacrifice fly to push the margin to 7–0.

Owen Ziaja opened the eighth with a double to left, and Yamada followed with an RBI single. After Bland drew a walk, Wyatt capped his standout day by launching a three-run homer to left, enforcing the run rule and sealing the 11–0 victory.

Diaz faced 30 batters across eight shutout innings, striking out eight without issuing a walk or hit batter. Wyatt finished 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Coberley drove in three and Bland crossed the plate three times.

North Central continues CCIW play Saturday, hosting Carthage for a noon doubleheader at Zimmerman Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Firebirds, 3–2, in last year's CCIW Tournament.
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