Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
WAUKESHA, Wis. (Apr. 8, 2026) - Scoring 18 unanswered runs, highlighted by a pair of grand slams from
Parker Wyatt and
Payton Diaz, the North Central College baseball team improved to 4-3 in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play, beating Carroll University 19-16 on a busy Wednesday evening at Frame Park.
The Pioneers scored first as a leadoff walk and a home run put Carroll up 2-0 after two batters. A single and second homer followed, putting the hosts ahead, 4-0. The hosts tacked on another run to take a 5-0 lead after the first frame. A two-run single sent the Cardinals to the bullpen. Tyler Pritchard worked out of the jam, allowing just one more run as Carroll held an 8-0 lead after two innings.
North Central answered in the third as Caleb Smith led off with a single. Yuhki Yamada capitalized on a Pioneer error, and Luke Wallace reached on an infield single to load the bases. Wyatt launched a grand slam over the left-field fence to cut the Carroll lead in half, 8-4. With Diaz on third, Ryan Huskey drove in the fifth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.
Pritchard worked around a Cardinal error to keep the Pioneers scoreless in the bottom half of the third. In the fourth, Yamada hit a leadoff single before Jackson Bland belted a two-run shot over the right-field fence to bring the Cardinals within one, 8-7.
A pair of singles from Caleb Coberley and Andre Medina forced the Pioneers to go to the bullpen. Smith greeted the new hurler with a two-run double to left field as North Central took a 9-8 lead, its first of the game. After a Wallace single and Bland hit by pitch, Wyatt drove in Smith with an RBI single. Following another Carroll pitching change, Wallace scored on a passed ball as the Cardinals scored four runs on five hits to go ahead, 11-8.
Coberley led off the sixth with a double to right field. Medina reached on a hit by pitch before Smith walked to load the bases. Yamada plated Coberley on a fielder's choice. After Yamada stole second, Medina scored on a wild pitch. A Wallace RBI double scored Yamada. Bland and Wallace walked for Diaz, who hit another grand slam for the Cardinals as the visitors jumped out to a 10-run lead, 18-8.
The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on three hits, a walk, a hit by pitch, and a North Central error to cut their deficit to six, 18-12. With two outs in the top of the seventh, Yamada was hit by a pitch. Wallace singled and Bland walked to load the bases. Another walk, drawn by Wyatt, brought home Yamada as the Cardinals tacked on another run, 19-12.
Carroll put together a two-out rally that scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh to come within four, 19-15. In the eighth, the Pioneers added a run on an RBI single, 19-16. Gavin Gawronski entered the game with the tying runner at the plate and forced a foul-out and strikeout to preserve the Cardinal lead, 19-16.
Gawronski posted a 1-2-3 ninth to secure the high-scoring victory for North Central. He earned the save, throwing the final 1.2 innings with no hits and a strikeout.
Wyatt posted six RBI, highlighted by his grand slam, with Diaz driving in four on one swing. Yamada scored four times, with Wallace scoring on three occasions. Eight Cardinals scored at least two runs on the day, with the feted duo of Wyatt and Diaz setting the tone, and seven batters driving in at least one run.
Pritchard picked up the win for North Central, throwing 4.1 innings with two runs (none earned) on three hits, three strikeouts and two walks.
The Cardinals turn around quickly to play Benedictine University Thursday evening at 5 p.m. in Lisle. North Central has beaten the local rival in each of the past four matchups.
