North Park wrapped up its participation in the Gene Cusic Classic with a 12-6 win over Wisconsin Lutheran Saturday in Fort Myers, Florida. The Vikings ended their spring trip with a 4-2 record to up their season mark to 6-5.
The Vikings got on the board in the top of the second. After Joe Belmonte was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Dan Sabin hit a line shot off the WLU pitcher for an infield single. Mike Coduto followed with a run-scoring single and Mario Creecy was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mitchell Jordan then cracked a two-run single to give North Park a 3-0 lead. Connor Sarant bunted the runners over and Zak Worsley hit a sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead. In the third, Joe Belmonte was robbed of extra bases on a great diving catch by the Warriors' center fielder, Connor Vredeveld. Sabin singled, moved up on a wild pitch, and rode home on a bloop single by Coduto.
The Vikings' starter, Jason Meger, had worked through two scoreless innings, thanks in large part to his defense: Sabin threw a runner out trying to steal in the first, and the Vikings turned a double play in the second. The Warriors managed a pair of tallies in the third with two outs on a pair of walks and two singles to cut the deficit to 5-2.
In the fifth, North Park scored two runs. Eric Sousanes singled and stole second, then Tommy Endres launched a triple that just eluded the leap of Vredeveled in deep center. Belmonte singled in Endres for a 7-2 lead.
Meger once again got some stellar defensive support in the bottom of the fifth. The Vikings turned a double play after a leadoff single, and after a triple, Creecy snared a lined drive at third to end the threat. After walking the first two batters to start the sixth, Meger was lifted in favor of Kenny Blanchard, who allowed a run-scoring single but then proceeded to register a groundout, a strikeout, and a flyout to preserve the 7-3 lead.
The Vikings struck for four runs in the eighth. Belmonte and Sabin singled, Coduto doubled both runners in but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit to a triple; Creecy walked, Jordan singled and advanced to second on a throwing error that allowed Creecy to score. A pair of wild pitches brought Creecy in for an 11-3 advantage.
The Warriors took advantage of some wildness to score three times in the bottom of the eighth. Blanchard walked the leadoff batter and was replaced by Merrick McGrady, who gave up two walks and two singles to see the lead cut to 11-6. Johnny Larson came in to retire the first batter he faced to escape further damage.
In the ninth, North Park wrapped up the scoring when Belmonte doubled and Sabin singled him home. Larson worked a perfect ninth to close out the victory.
Sabin led all batters with four hits and three runs scored. Belmonte and Coduto each had three and Coduto was credited with four RBIs. Meger saw his record improve to 2-1.