RIVER FOREST, Ill. (Apr. 14, 2021) – Erupting for 14 runs for the second-consecutive game, the North Central College baseball team rolled to a 14-4 win over Concordia University Chicago on Wednesday in the final non-conference game of the season.

North Central (16-5) took a commanding lead early with five runs in the top of the second, as the Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out ahead of Trey Roach who singled to left field in his first collegiate start, driving in Paul Beverly who was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame.

Following a double play that scored John Petty, Michael Stoltz reached on an error, allowing Luke Gregorio to score on the play while increasing the Cardinal lead 3-0.  Luke Lehnen then delivered a two-out single to left, scoring Stoltz, before advancing to second on a passed ball and scoring on a Dom Listi RBI-single to center.

After Concordia (7-12) got on the board with a run in the bottom half of the second, Beverly and Petty each walked to start the third, before Gregorio advanced the pair up a base with a sacrifice bunt.  With runners on second and third with one away, Roach legged out an infield single, scoring Beverly, while Petty also scored on the play on an error by the Cougar second baseman.

Scoring for the third-straight inning, Lehnen led off the fourth with a triple to deep center field and Listi wasted no time in plating Lehnen, singling the other way to give North Central a 8-1 lead.

North Central put up another crooked number in the top of the sixth, as Lehnen once again sparked the Cardinal rally with a one-out triple, this time to right field, as Lehnen entered the game with no triples on the season.  Just like the fourth, Listi followed with a RBI-single to center to score Lehnen, while Michael Davis and Kobe Shutter each singled to load the bags.

Following a Colin Weilbacher sacrifice fly to right field that plated Listi, Brent Swenson lined a pinch-hit RBI-single to left, scoring Davis while capping the scoring in the inning and increasing the lead 11-1.

Concordia cut into the lead with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh, but Roach single-handedly took those runs right back, launching a no-doubter of a three-run homerun to right center, the first of his young collegiate career.

Roach accomplished a few firsts, including his first collegiate hit and homerun, while his five RBI led the team.  Listi finished a perfect 4-for-4 on the day with a steal, three RBI and a run scored, while Lehnen was 3-for-5 with two triples, three runs scored and a RBI.  Beverly and Petty each scored a pair of runs, while Shutter was 2-for-2 with a run off the bench and Swenson was 1-for-1 with a walk, RBI and run scored after pinch-hitting in the sixth.

Justin Rios was credited with the win, tossing three innings of one-run ball on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.

The Cardinals return to the CCIW slate on Saturday, Apr. 17, opening the weekend series with Carthage College as game one of the doubleheader at Augie Schmidt Field is scheduled for 12 p.m.