PICTURED: Caleb Layden (Photo by Scott Smith)
North Park erased a 5-1 deficit against visiting Illinois Wesleyan University and seized a 9-8 lead only to see it dwindle into a 16-10 defeat Wednesday night in CCIW action.
With the victory, Illinois Wesleyan swept the three-game season series from the Vikes as North Park suffered its third loss in the last four games.
Despite the setback, a few new faces saw action in the Vikings' lineup, including freshman Cullen Gilbertson who finished 2 for 4 with a run scored.
After IWU scored three runs in the first inning and added single tallies in both the second and third innings, North Park responded with two runs in both the third and fourth frames. Greg Grana laced a two-run single in the third and a Caleb Layden two-RBI single up the middle trimmed the deficit to 7-5. The Titans came up with another run in the fifth, but North Park exploded for four runs in the sixth to claim a one-run lead. Both Ray Cekus and Tyler Woolbright connected for RBI singles and Anthony Bragg ripped a two-run double down the left field line. The comeback was short-lived however as IWU countered with eight runs in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
North Park (8-17, 2-7) looks to bounce back when it steps out of CCIW play tomorrow night to host Benedictine University for a 6 p.m. contest.
