Box Score

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – North Central scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday to defeat Augustana 15-9 at Zimmerman Stadium. The Vikings dropped to 17-8 on the year and 5-5 in the CCIW, while the hosts improved to 14-7 overall and 9-1 in the league.
 
After Augustana had scored one in the top of the seventh and three in the eighth to knot the score at 9-9, the Cardinals responded with six unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth. Michael Mateja led off the frame with a bunt single and two outs later scored the go-ahead run on a Viking error. Joe Rizzo added a two-run double, Matt Sutherland an RBI single and Eric Outlaw drove in a run with a fielder's choice. The final run of the inning scored on another Viking miscue.
 
Nick Rogalski set Augustana down in order in the top of the ninth to secure the win.
 
The slugfest started with each team plating three runs in the first. Junior Ryan Grannemann (McHenry West HS, McHenry, Ill.) drew a bases-loaded walk from Cardinal starter Austin Polezoes and senior John Moraski (Kewanee HS, Kewanee, Ill.) added a two-run double. North Central benefited from two Connor Berek (Riverside-Brookfield HS, Brookfield, Ill.) walks and a pair of errors to get three of its own in the bottom half.
 
Junior Ryan Kairis (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) had an RBI double in the second inning and Jake Huber (Lockport HS, Homer Glen, Ill.) a sacrifice fly in the fourth to put the Vikings on top 5-3.
 
North Central responded with three runs each in the fifth and sixth to take a 9-5 lead. Mateja and Mike Wisz started the fifth with back-to-back doubles. Rizzo singled in a run and Rob Marinec scored the go-ahead run on a steal of home. Mateja had an RBI single in the sixth.
 
Senior Matt Loeffl (Grayslake Central HS, Grayslake, Ill.) led off the seventh with a single and scored on a bases-loaded walk to classmate Jack Hallmark (Cherry Creek HS, Evergreen, Colo.). Augustana tied it with three in the top of the eighth. Junior Gunnar Haskins (Alleman HS, Moline, Ill.) had a leadoff single and later scored on a wild pitch. Moraski singled in another run and sophomore Griffin Schuster (North Boone HS, Poplar Grove, Ill.), who entered the game as a pinch runner, scored the tying run on a North Central error.
 
Kairis finished 4-for-6 with a run scored and one driven in. Moraski went 3-for-5 with three RBI and Loeffl had a pair of hits and scored twice. Four Cardinals had multiple hits, led by a 4-for-5 performance from Rizzo.
 
Senior Mitch Malone (Minooka HS, Minooka, Ill.) suffered the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year. Rogalski threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.
 
Coach Greg Wallace's club returns to Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field on Thursday, April 19 to finish its three-game set with Elmhurst. At 4:00 p.m., the teams will complete a game that was suspended on Friday, April 13 in Elmhurst, Illinois with Augustana leading 1-0. 30 minutes after the completion of that contest, the Vikings and Bluejays will play the final game of the series.