KENOSHA, Wis. (Apr. 17, 2021) – The Cardinal pitching staff stymied the Carthage College offense on Saturday, as the North Central College baseball team shut out the Firebirds by scores of 5-0 and 7-0 on Saturday in the series opening doubleheader at Augie Schmidt Field.
 
Game one was a pitcher's dual between Jason Shanner and Keith Kutzler through five innings, before the Cardinals opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth.  Dom Listi walked to lead off the frame before Rob Marinec quickly plated the first run of the game with a triple to left center and scored on a wild pitch shortly after to give North Central a 2-0 lead.
 
North Central (18-5, 12-3 CCIW) plated another in the top of the seventh as Luke Gregorio led off with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch with two outs. 
 
Adding two more insurance runs in the eighth, Michael Stoltz scored Paul Beverly with a RBI-single to left, before Luke Lehnen capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to increase the lead 5-0.
 
Shanner exited after six innings of work, scattering just two hits and two walks, while striking out nine and earning the win to improve to 4-1 on the season.
 
Patrick Schaefer entered with a 3-0 lead in the seventh and tossed the final three innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts to earn his second save of the season.  The save marks the seventh of Schaefer's career, moving him into a tie for 10^th in program history.
 
Marinec was the lone Cardinal with multiple hits in the opener, finishing 2-for-3 with two walk, a triple, run scored and RBI.  His sixth inning triple was the 10^th of his career, moving him into a tie for sixth in program history.
 
Joe Rizzo finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored, while Listi walked twice and scored once.  Beverly was also 1-for-3 with a run scored and Gregorio and Stoltz each finished 1-for-4.  Justin Rios also finished 1-for-4 and increased his hitting streak to 10 games.
 
After nine innings of neither team allowing a run in game two, patience finally prevailed for North Central in the top of the 10^th, as four walks, a hit by pitch and two big hits plated seven runs to steal away the sweep.
 
Michael Davis was hit by a pitch to lead off the 10^th, while Rizzo walked and Gregorio reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bags with nobody away.
 
With Lehnen at the plate and the bases full of Cardinals, the freshman drew a four-pitch walk to plate the first run of the ballgame, before Listi lined a single the other way to score Rizzo.
 
Following another walk from Marinec to plate the third run of the inning, Jared Wojcik scored Lehnen with a RBI-fielder's choice.  Following a Beverly walk to load the bases once again, Davis delivered the ultimate knockout punch, a bases-clearing double to left center, finishing off the seven-run 10^th.
 
Ryan Behling went eight strong, shutout innings on the mound, scattering six hits while striking out seven but received a no decision in the end.  Tyler Jones continued the trend of shutting down the Firebird (11-11, 6-9 CCIW) lineup, finishing off the final two innings to earn the win.
 
North Central drew seven walks in the nightcap, drawn by six different Cardinals, while Listi led the offense with a 2-for-5 showing with a run and RBI.  Davis finished 1-for-3 with the big three-run double, adding a walk and run scored.
 
The Cardinals go for the series sweep on Sunday, Apr. 18 with first pitch at Zimmerman Stadium scheduled for 1 p.m.