Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
MOLINE, Ill. (Apr. 13, 2026) - Scoring the first seven runs of the game, the North Central College baseball team avenged a doubleheader sweep on Saturday with a 15–7 victory over Augustana College at Swanson Stadium to win its sixth conference game of the season.
Yuhki Yamada was hit by the second pitch of the game and moved to second on a groundout before Parker Wyatt drove him in with an RBI single. Caleb Coberley followed with a single to put runners on the corners, and Luke Wallace added an RBI single. After an Augustana error loaded the bases, Andre Medina drew a walk to push across a third run.
Cardinal starter Payton Diaz retired the Vikings in order in the bottom half. Jackson Bland opened the second with a home run to right, prompting an early bullpen move. With two outs, Wyatt doubled and Coberley walked ahead of Wallace, who hit a three-run home run to extend the lead to 7–0.
Augustana scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the second. Diaz settled in during the third with a three-up, three-down inning.
Yamada and Caleb Smith singled to start the fifth before Wyatt sent the first pitch he saw over the center field fence, pushing the Cardinals lead to 12–2. Wallace singled and Peyton Burgh doubled to set up Medina, whose RBI single plated both runners.
The Vikings answered with a five-run inning, using five hits, including a three-run homer, to cut the deficit to 14–7.
Elijah Hammond entered in the sixth and delivered a 1–2–3 inning with two strikeouts. In the bottom half, Wyatt was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single and double play, and scored on a passed ball to add an insurance run.
After recording his first career at-bat, Hammond closed the final two innings and secured the 15–7 win. He threw four scoreless frames, allowing one hit with six strikeouts to earn the save. Diaz improved to 2–0, working five innings with four strikeouts and seven runs allowed.
Bland, Wallace and Wyatt each homered. Wallace finished with a season-high five hits, four RBI and three runs. Wyatt went four-for-four with four RBI and four runs scored. Medina also drove in four.
North Central hosts North Park University on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Zimmerman Stadium in another key College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin matchup.
