Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (May 10, 2023) - Taking on Illinois Wesleyan University on the opening day of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament, the North Central College baseball team used a seven-run sixth inning on their way to a 15-5 victory on Wednesday afternoon.

The Titans took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a walk, single and sacrifice fly to plate the game's first run. The Cardinals went down in order in both the first and second inning. Starting pitcher Jason Shanner worked his way out of a leadoff double in the top of the third inning to hold IWU scoreless in the third. 

Michael Davis led off the bottom of the third inning with a double to left center field and came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of Dave Fitzpatrick to tie the game at 1-1. After Luke Lehnen singled and John Michael Scumaci walked, Rob Marinec drove in both Lehnen and Scumaci on a two-run single through the left side, giving North Central a 3-1 lead.

Shanner went 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth before Fitzpatrick launched a solo home run over the left field fence to extend the Cardinals' lead to three.

Illinois Wesleyan battled back in the fifth by scoring two runs on three hits to bring themselves within a run. North Central answered immediately as Scumaci doubled and scored on a Marinec RBI single. Justin Rios walked and Dom Listi was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Davis. He delivered a three-run double to left field as the Cardinals took an 8-3 advantage. 

Following a Titan solo home run, Lehnen was hit by a pitch and worked his way to third base to score on a Scumaci double down the left field line. Marinec drew a walk and forced an IWU pitching change. Rios greeted the new pitcher with a two-run single before Davis plated Jared Wojcik to set the score at 12-4. Joe Hamilton drove in Wojcik and Davis before Lehnen hit an RBI single to score Hamilton to complete the seven-run inning and put the Cardinals ahead 15-4.

Not wanting the game to end in seven innings, IWU quickly loaded the bases in the seventh inning. The Titans scored one run before Gavin Gawronski forced a ground ball to Hamilton to turn the double play and secured the 15-5 victory.

Shanner picked up his fourth win of the season as he went six innings with four strikeouts while allowing five runs in his 101 pitches. Davis racked up three hits and four RBIs on the day while Lehnen, Scumaci, Marinec, and Fitzpatrick posted two hits each. All nine batters in the starting lineup scored at least one run in the game.

North Central takes on the winner of #3 Millikin University and #4 North Park University, which is being played at 7 p.m. tonight. That game will be played tomorrow night at 6 p.m. inside Swanson Stadium.

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