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Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Mar. 28, 2015 – Suffering a heartbreaking, ninth inning loss in game one, the North Central College baseball team salvaged a doubleheader split with Augustana College, claiming the nightcap 6-3 to open College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play Saturday afternoon at Zimmerman Stadium.
 
North Central took a 10-6 lead into the top of the ninth inning in the opener, but the bullpen could not hang on as Augustana plated seven runs on six hits, while taking advantage of two Cardinal errors to quickly turn the tables and take a 13-10 advantage.
 
Darwin Townsend came on in the bottom half of the ninth to shut the door and earn his second save of the season.
 
Cardinal starter Ben Krusen went seven strong innings, giving up five earned runs, striking out one and walking four.
 
The North Central offense hit around Viking starter Seth Davis, who entered the afternoon with an unblemished 5-0 record, while leading the conference in strikeouts and innings pitched.
 
Davis earned the no decision despite allowing six earned runs over his 5 2/3 innings pitched, striking out six while walking three. Nick Refka earned the victory in relief, allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings pitched.
 
Vito DeRango led the Cardinal offense in game one, going 3-for-4 from the plate, with two doubles, two runs scored and a run batted in.  Sam Carius also finished with three hits in the opener, also scoring twice and driving in a pair.
 
In the nightcap, the Cardinals (8-8, 1-1 CCIW) used a steady pitching performance from Bryan Polowy and a big third inning to capture a 6-3 win and salvage the series split.
 
North Central started the scoring in the bottom of the third as Carius walked to leadoff the inning and Nick Brandt followed with a single to left field.  After Carius and Brandt advanced on a wild pitch, Joe Paparone singled home the pair, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
 
After Paparone advanced to second on a passed ball and Jake Rone drew a walk, DeRango lined a single to right center, scoring Paparone.
 
Chris Hill promptly drove in Rone following the DeRango single with a single of his own to right, increasing the Cardinal lead 4-0.
 
Bobby Smith capped the scoring in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly to right, giving North Central a commanding 5-0 lead.
 
Polowy held the Vikings (14-4, 1-1 CCIW) scoreless through five, but found himself in a little trouble in the top of the sixth, allowing four hits leading to three runs as Augustana quickly cut the lead in half.
 
Polowy regained his control in the top of the seventh, shutting down the Vikings 1-2-3 and after allowing a one out walk in the top of the eighth was pulled due to a high pitch count.
 
Jake Staab entered the contest and recorded the final five outs to earn his first save of the season, surrendering just a walk while striking out one in his 1 1/3 innings of work.
 
DeRango once again paced the Cardinal offense in game two, going 4-for-4, with a double, run scored and RBI, finishing 7-for-8 on the afternoon.
 
Polowy earned the win on the mound, giving up three earned over 7 1/3 innings pitched, scattering eight hits while striking out three and walking two.
 
The two teams are back in action tomorrow in the rubber game contested at Swanson Stadium in Rock Island, Ill., with first pitch slated at 1 pm.  The link to live statistics is available HERE.