Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

Mar. 28, 2017 – Opening both the home and College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) schedules, the North Central College baseball team rolled to a 9-1 victory over Elmhurst College on Tuesday, scoring in each of the first five innings.

Elmhurst (6-8, 0-1 CCIW) actually jumped on the board first, as the first two batters drew walks off Cardinal starter Austin Polezoes, but the sophomore minimized the damage, allowing a lone run.

The Cardinal offense responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with just one out when Nick Sotiros promptly cleared the bases with a double to the left center field fence.

The two-run cushion proved to be all Polezoes needed, stifling the Bluejay hitters over the next six innings to the tune of just three hits without allowing another run.

North Central continued to pile on the run support, plating two runs in each of the second and third innings, as Sing Fong drove in the first run of the second on a sacrifice fly to right, while Jeremy Quade came home to score on a Bluejay error later in the inning.

In the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and nobody out, Adam Nelson drove a sharp single to left, plating Sotiros who led off the inning with a base hit to right.  Later in the inning, John Carmody came around to score on a double play groundout.

The Cardinals continued the scoring barrage in the bottom of the fourth, as Michael Mateja lined a one-out single to left, proceeded to steal second and came around to score on a Chris Hill single up the middle a few pitches later.

North Central capped the scoring in the bottom of the fifth, as Mike Noesen walked to lead off the inning and advanced to third on an errant pick-off attempt.  After Nelson was hit by a pitch, Robert Zebrauskas drove in Noesen on a base hit the other way, increasing the Cardinal lead 9-1.

Anthony Serafini and Nick Rogalski each worked a scoreless inning to secure the win for North Central, while Polezoes earned the victory, allowing just the one earned run over his seven innings, striking out seven while allowing zero walks after the first inning.

Sotiros led the Cardinal offense with a 3-for-5 showing from the dish, driving in three runs while scoring once.  Noesen finished 1-for-2 and drew three of North Central's 10 walks on the afternoon, while Fong finished 0-for-1 but was hit by a pitch twice, walked once, scored once and drove in a run.

Reagan McReynolds finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored to lead the Elmhurst offense, while starting pitcher Ben Havel was roughed up for seven earned over his 3 1/3 innings, walking six and striking out none.

North Central returns home tomorrow, continuing CCIW play against Carthage College with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.  Links to live in-game coverage are available HERE.