Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
CHICAGO (Apr. 26, 2026) - In their final nonconference matchup of the season, the North Central College baseball team could not withstand a ninth-inning rally from the Illinois Institute of Technology, falling 8-7 Sunday afternoon at Ed Glancy Field.
The Scarlet Hawks struck early as their first six batters reached safely, pushing across four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jonny Rossi settled in with a 1-2-3 second before keeping Illinois Tech scoreless in the third.
Yuhki Yamada opened the fourth with a walk. With two outs, Ryan Huskey continued his strong stretch at the plate, hitting a two-run homer to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
Colby Gaither entered in the fifth and retired the side in order. Illinois Tech added a run in the sixth to extend its lead to 5-2 with three innings remaining.
Jackson Bland walked and Jacob Hoernschemeyer was hit by a pitch before a Caleb Smith walk loaded the bases. Yamada drove in two on a single to pull North Central within one, 5-4, but the Scarlet Hawks escaped further damage. Parker Eickhorst followed with a scoreless seventh.
Parker Wyatt led off the eighth with a single and stole second. Bland's RBI single scored Wyatt to tie the game at 5-5. A wild pitch brought home Payton Diaz, and Hoernschemeyer added an RBI single to give the Cardinals a 7-5 advantage heading to the ninth.
Illinois Tech drew a leadoff walk in the bottom half before a double down the right field line put the tying run in scoring position. A two-run single evened the score at 7-7. After a stolen base moved the go-ahead run to second, Tyler Gutsfeld delivered a walk-off single up the middle.
Yamada and Diaz each recorded two hits, while Yamada and Huskey drove in two runs apiece. Gaither, Ryan Gerdes and Eickhorst each turned in scoreless outings.
The Cardinals close the 2026 regular season with a three-game series at Elmhurst University, with a CCIW Tournament berth at stake. Game one is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Butterfield Park in Elmhurst.
