WAUKESHA, Wis. (Mar. 16, 2021) – The North Central College baseball team opened College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play on Tuesday in defense of their five-straight regular-season titles, scoring a 11-7 victory over Carroll University at Frame Park.
 
North Central (5-1, 1-0 CCIW) jumped out to a commanding 9-0 lead in the contest, thanks in part to a three-run second and six-run third.  With one out in the top of the second, Paul Beverly doubled ahead of Michael Stoltz who drew a walk to put runners on first and second.
 
Luke Lehned followed with a RBI-single to score Beverly, while John Petty got in on the action with a single to load the bases for Rob Marinec.  Marinec wasted no time in adding to the Cardinal lead, singling to score Stoltz and Lehnen while taking a 3-0 lead.
 
The Cardinals then exploded for six runs in the next half inning, as Dom Listi was hit by a pitch and Colin Weilbacher singled to begin the frame.  Beverly followed with this second two-bagger in as many innings, scoring a pair in the process.
 
Still with nobody out in the inning, Luke Gregorio singled to center and the ball was misplayed by the Carroll center fielder, allowing Beverly to score and Gregorio to take second.
 
Following a couple outs and a Pioneer pitching change, Petty's second-straight single scored Gregorio from second before Marinec launched his second homerun in as many games, a two-run blast to cap the scoring in the inning and give North Central a commanding 9-0 lead.
 
On the mound, Luke Lamm was fantastic for the Cardinals, allowing no runs and just three hits and three walks over his five innings with seven strikeouts.
 
The Pioneers (4-2, 0-1 CCIW) were glad to see Lamm leave the ballgame as their offense plated a run in the sixth and then erupted for a six-run inning of their own in the bottom of the seventh.  With those six runs already in and following a three-run homerun from Nick Angus, Patrick Schaefer was summoned from the Cardinal pen.
 
Schaefer provided some much needed relief, inducing a flyout to left before striking out the next two batters swinging to end the frame.  Schaefer proceeded to shut down the Carroll offense over the next two innings to secure the save.
 
The Cardinals racked up 15 hits on the afternoon, led by a 4-for-4 showing with a hit by pitch, two runs scored and RBI from Petty.  Lehnen finished 3-for-5 with a walk, RBI and two runs scored and Beverly finished 2-for-5 with two double, two RBI and two runs scored.
 
Marinec added a 2-for-4 performance, driving in four, while his third-inning homerun increases his career total to 21 giving him sole possession of fourth on the program's all-time list.
 
Lamm earned the win on the bump, improving to 2-0 on the season and has struck out 22 batters while surrendering just six hits over his 13 total innings.
 
North Central continues CCIW play on Saturday, Mar. 20, traveling to Augustana College with game one of the doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. at Swanson Stadium.