Apr. 17, 2018 – The North Central College baseball team improved to 9-1 in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play on Tuesday, prevailing 15-9 over Augustana College in an ugly affair at Zimmerman Stadium.

The two teams combined for 26 runs, 28 hits, 10 errors, 15 base on balls, while leaving a combined 21 runners on base on the afternoon as each team used five pitchers over the nine-inning contest.

North Central (14-7, 9-1 CCIW) took a 9-6 lead into the top of the eighth inning, scoring three runs in each of the first, fifth and sixth innings, but the Vikings rallied to score three runs, plating the tying run on an overthrow on a failed pick-off attempt.

Regrouping after a tough top of the eighth, Michael Mateja sparked a Cardinal rally in the bottom half of the frame with a leadoff bunt single.  On what looked to be a double play ball off the bat of John Carmody, the Viking first baseman threw the ball away in the attempt to nab Mateja at second, while Colin Weilbacher reached on another error a few pitches later, allowing Mateja to come around and score.

Rob Marinec then singled to left center field, loading the bases with nobody out for Joe Rizzo who delivered his second double of the game, plating Carmody and Weilbacher to increase the North Central lead 12-9.

Matt Sutherland followed suit with a RBI-single through the left side, scoring Marinec, before Jeremy Quade drew a walk to load the bags yet again.  Eric Outlaw got in on the action, reaching on a fielder's choice but scored Rizzo in the process, before Sutherland dashed home on heads up play, scoring on an overthrow on the toss from the catcher back to the pitcher, adding on to the lead 15-9.

Nick Rogalski shut the door in the ninth after entering in relief in the eighth inning, tossing just the second 1-2-3 inning of the contest, earning the victory to improve to 2-0 on the season.

The North Central offense racked up double-digit hits for the 15^th-straight game, led by a 4-for-5 performance with three RBI and a run scored from Rizzo.  Mike Wisz finished 3-for-5 from the plate with two runs scored and two driven in, while Mateja finished 3-for-6 with three runs scored, increasing his reached-base streak to 64 games.

Ryan Kairis finished 4-for-6 from the plate to pace the Augustana offense, while John Moraski added three hits and three RBI.

North Central heads to the road for a few games, starting on Wednesday, Apr. 18, making the short trip to Wheaton College with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. at Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream, Ill.