After four-straight games at the Holmgren Athletic Complex with runs in the double digits, pitching was the order of the day Saturday as North Park and North Central split a CCIW twin bill.
The Vikings took game one, 6-3, and the Cardinals came back for a 5-2 victory in the second game.
Starter Nick Soldano was staked to an early 1-0 lead when Eric Sousanes reached on an error and scored on a double by Tommy Endres. In the second, the Cardinals tied the game in the second on a solo home run by Sam Carius.
The Vikings put up four runs in the bottom of the third against Cardinal hurler Ben Krusen, who entered the game with a 4-0 record. Mario Creecy and Zak Worsley drew back-to-back walks to start the frame and Sousanes laid down a perfect bunt for an infield hit. Endres connected for his second double, this one down the left field line to score two.
Joe Belmonte followed with a run-scoring groundout, and a Dan Sabin base hit gave the Vikings a 5-1 advantage. They added a run in the fifth when Brett Bernal reached second on a fielder's choice and an error, moved to third on a wild pitch, and then scored when Mike Coduto was caught in a rundown between first and second. Bernal managed to cross the plate before Coduto was tagged out.
The Cardinals finally reached Soldano for two runs in the eighth on three hits. In the ninth, reliever Merrick McGrady issued a pair of one-out walks, but lefty Matt Peterson came in to shut the door with a strikeout and a lineout.
Soldano moved to 4-1 on the season. Peterson picked up his first save of the year. Endres (2-for-4, three RBIs, two doubles) paced the offense, while Sousanes, Sabin, and Coduto each had a pair of hits.
Game 2 featured a dominant pitching performance by North Central's Kris Singh, who worked a complete-game six-hitter to stifle the Viking bats. Singh allowed just one earned run and struck out 12.
The Vikings scored one in the first when Sousanes walked, Endres singled, Sousanes stole third and then home on a double steal. An unearned run on a pair of hits tied the game in the second. Viking hurler Alex Silverthorne allowed a pair of walks and a two-out double in the third to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. North Park would tie the game in the fourth, again courtesy of the stolen base, as Coduto reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and third and came in when the throw skipped past the third baseman. But that would be the last run the Vikings could muster against Singh, who held them to one hit over the last five frames. The Cardinals scored one in the fifth against Silverthorne and then one in each of the last two innings against reliever Kenny Blanchard.
NOTES: With today's win, Soldano moves into 2nd place all-time with career victories (21), surpassing Don Mason. Pete Zajac holds the all-time lead with 24 career wins. Nick has 224 career strikeouts, third best, and needs 23 to tie Mike Giovenco and 24 to tie leader Jeff Hanson.