Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
LISLE, Ill. (Apr. 9, 2026) - Scoring 19 runs on back-to-back nights, the North Central College baseball team rode
Parker Wyatt's cycle and six RBI from
Caleb Coberley to outlast Benedictine University, 19-10, Thursday night at Benedictine Baseball Field.
Yuhki Yamada opened the game by reaching on a hit by pitch and stole second before Jackson Bland walked. A wild pitch moved both into scoring position, and Wyatt's RBI single to left plated the first run. After Wyatt stole second, Coberley doubled home two more for a 3-0 lead.
Benedictine answered immediately. Two singles, an error and a three-run homer flipped the score, and an RBI double pushed the Eagles ahead 5-3.
North Central countered in the second. Caleb Smith, Yamada and Luke Wallace loaded the bases before Bland's RBI single scored Smith. Wyatt followed with a two-run double to reclaim a 6-5 lead. Payton Diaz walked to load the bases again, and Coberley and Peyton Burgh each forced in runs with bases-loaded walks. After a pitching change, Diaz scored on a wild pitch, and Yamada capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 10-5.
After a quiet third, the Cardinals added insurance. Smith singled and advanced to third before Wallace lifted a sacrifice fly. With Yamada aboard, Wyatt launched a two-run homer to extend the lead to 13-5.
Benedictine clawed back with four runs on three hits and two walks in the fourth to pull within 13-9.
Bland doubled in the sixth, and Diaz singled to put runners on the corners. Coberley then delivered a three-run homer, his third of the season, to stretch the margin to 16-9.
Chris Rogers steadied the game with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Bland added a solo shot in the eighth. After the Eagles scored once in the bottom half, back-to-back bases-loaded hit-by-pitches drawn by Bland and Wyatt pushed the Cardinals to 19-10.
Jim Shortall handled the final three innings to earn the save, allowing one run with two strikeouts. Brian Duvall picked up his first win of the season, working three innings and giving up five runs (three earned) with two strikeouts.
Wyatt and Coberley each drove in six runs, while Bland scored four times. Wyatt and Yamada crossed the plate three times apiece, and eight Cardinals scored at least once. North Central drew 18 free passes (12 walks and six hit-by-pitches). Wyatt's cycle is the program's first since Luke Lehnen accomplished the feat in 2024.
North Central returns to College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play Saturday, hosting Augustana College for a doubleheader at Zimmerman Stadium. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
