Apr. 6, 2021 – Generating a little two-out magic in the bottom of the ninth, the North Central College baseball team walked off with a 6-5 win over Millikin University on Tuesday in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) thriller at Zimmerman Stadium.

After the first two batters of the ninth were retired in order, Joe Rizzo drew a two-out walk before Luke Gregorio singled to center to put two on with two away for Michael Stoltz.   With Michael Patterson pinch-running for Rizzo at second, Stoltz came through in the clutch with a seeing-eye single through the left side as Patterson dove in to home just ahead of the throw from left to send the Cardinals home 6-5 winners.

North Central (12-5, 7-3 CCIW) actually took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Millikin strung together four singles in the inning, including a two-RBI base hit from Gabe Soria to tie the game 5-5.  Threatening to plate the go-ahead run with runners on first and third with two away, Nicholas Rietz entered and struck out the Big Blue's toughest hitter in Brent Beals to hold the go-ahead run at third.

Both teams scored a run in the first before the Millikin took the lead with a pair of run in the top of the fourth on a two-RBI single from Soria.

The Cardinals took those runs back in the bottom of the fifth, as John Petty plated a run with a pinch-hit double to right center and came around to score on a RBI-single from Rizzo.

North Central added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, as a two-out Millikin error extended the inning and the Cardinals made them pay.  Dom Listi scored on the error by the Big Blue second baseman while Rob Marinec took second on the play.  Justin Rios then made Millikin pay even further, lining a single to left to plate Marinec and take a 5-3 lead.

Rietz earned the win on the mound for North Central, striking out the lone batter faced to move to 2-0 on the season.  Luke Lamm was credited with a no-decision after going eight innings, allowing just a pair of earned runs on eight hits, striking out three and walking none.

Beals received the loss on the mound for Millikin, allowing his first earned run of the season in his eighth appearance.

Rios finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Listi also finished 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored.  Stoltz reached base on four occasions, going 2-for-3 including the walk-off hit, while walking twice, stealing a bag and driving in one.

Soria led the Big Blue with a 4-for-5 showing from the plate with four of the team's five RBI, while Garrett Fritz and Andrew Auton were each 2-for-4.

North Central returns to Zimmerman Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 10, hosting Elmhurst University with game one of the doubleheader scheduled for 12 p.m.