JOLIET, Ill. (Feb. 23, 2020) – A pair of seventh-inning triples catapulted the North Central College baseball team to a 10-6 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Stout on Sunday inside DuPage Medical Group Field, as the Cardinals finish the opening weekend a perfect 3-0.

With the score knotted 2-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinal bats finally came alive as Eric Outlaw singled to lead off the frame.  Dom Listi followed two batters later with a triple off the right-center field fence, missing his first collegiate homerun by a mere foot to plate the go-ahead run.

Following a groundout, the Cardinals generated some two-out magic as Colin Weilbacher padded the lead with a RBI-single up the middle, scoring Listi.  After Justin Rios drew a walk, Rob Marinec rocketed a line drive off the left field fence, legging out the second triple of the inning while driving in two more runs.  Joe Rizzo then capped the scoring in the inning with a RBI-single to center, scoring Marinec while increasing the lead 7-2.

What looked like just extra runs at the time, Rios added to the Cardinal lead in the bottom of the eighth, launching a three-run bomb to right-center, extending the lead 10-2 for what proved to be three important runs late.

UW-Stout refused to go down without a fight, plating four runs in the top of the ninth while forcing the Cardinals to use three pitchers in the inning. The Blue Devils (2-1) had the tying run on deck to end the game as Tim Davoren was summoned from the bullpen and struck out the only batter he faced to earn the save in his first collegiate appearance.

The offense racked up double digit runs and hits for the third-straight game to begin the season, led by a 3-for-3 performance from Rios, to go along with a pair of walks, three RBI and three runs scored.

Rizzo finished 2-for-4 from the plate with two RBI, while Weilbacher also finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.  Marinec also added two hits and two RBI, while Wojcik also added a 2-for-4 showing from the dish.

Starter Jason Shanner received a no-decision, tossing five innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts and left with North Central holding a 1-0 lead.  Patrick Schaefer earned the win in relief, inducing a huge groundout to strand a pair of runners on second and third and keep the score tied 2-2 in the seventh.

North Central (3-0) begins their annual Spring Break trip to the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida on Sunday, Mar. 1, taking on Otterbein University at 3 p.m. (ET) at North Charlotte Regional Park #10.