NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Zachary Vrbancic (Stagg HS, Palos Hills, Ill.) singled in Alec McGinnis (Normal West HS, Normal, Ill.) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth Friday to give Augustana a 2-1 victory over North Park in the CCIW Tournament at Zimmerman Stadium. Coach Greg Wallace's squad, 35-8 on the year, advances to the 3:00 p.m. elimination game versus top-seeded North Central (35-8). NPU bows out of the tournament with an 18-23 record.
 
Despite outstanding starting efforts, neither Justin Woolbright of North Park or Augustana's Harrison Boushele (Grandview HS, Aurora, Colo.) figured in the decision.
 
Left-hander Logan Peters relieved Woolbright in the seventh inning and had retired five straight batters entering the ninth. He coaxed a pop out and ground out to extend the string to seven straight before walking McGinnis. The freshman stole second and then came around to score the game-winner standing up when Vrbancic drove a single through the left side.
 
Wallace's bunch took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Alex Simon (Hinsdale Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on Matt Ozanic's (East Leyden HS, Franklin Park, Ill.) two-out RBI single to left.
 
Boushele cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two baserunners. He issued his first two walks in the fifth, but escaped, leaving runners stranded at second and third.
 
NPU got to the freshman right-hander for an unearned run in the sixth. Ranko Stevanovic drew a two-out walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Woolbright followed with a grounder to short, but Vrbancic's throw to first was wide, allowing Stevanovic to come around with the tying run.
 
Woolbright left two Vikings stranded in the bottom of the sixth and had two runners on when Peters relieved him in the seventh. Those were left stranded as well. In the top of the eighth it was Boushele who left a pair of NPU runners on, fanning his final two batters of the afternoon—Stevanovic and Woolbright—to keep the score at 1-1.
 
John Hayes (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.) relieved Boushele to start the ninth. Justin Swanson touched him for a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second, but Hayes retired the next two batters without the ball leaving the infield to set the stage for McGinnis' and Vrbancic's heroics in the bottom half.
 
Boushele allowed four hits and no earned runs in an eight-inning stint. He walked three and fanned six. Hayes got the win to move to 5-1 on the year. Woolbright gave up five hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four. Peters (3-3) suffered the loss.
 
Ozanic was the only player on either team with two hits in the contest.