PICTURED: Cullen Gilbertson (Photo by Scott Smith)
Four days ago, Cullen Gilbertson was looking to get his first hit as collegiate shortstop.
Now the speedy North Park freshman made a little history and currently leads the team with a .478 batting average.
Gilbertson finished a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate with four runs scored, a double and an RBI – becoming the first freshman to go flawless in a game in nearly 10 seasons – as part of North Park's 18-8, eight-inning victory over Millikin University in the rubber match of its three-game set with the Big Blue Sunday.
The South Dakota native's performance was part of an offensive barrage that saw the Vikings produce a season-high 22 hits, eight of which came in a nine-run eighth inning.
Although they fell in a 2-0 hole early, the Vikings quickly dug themselves out of it with three runs in the fourth inning to tie the score at 3-3. After Millikin then seized an 8-4 advantage in the seventh, NP's offense didn't let up thereafter as it plated five runs in the seventh, highlighted by Gilbertson's two-run single up the middle, and nine in the eighth thanks to a Cam Adams two-RBI double, a Gilbertson run-scoring single, a Nate Simons two-RBI single and a run-scoring single from Anthony Bragg. Â
Senior pitcher Jimmy Roach earned his first collegiate victory as he tossed 1 2/3 innings. He yielded only one run on one hit while walking none.
North Park (11-18, 4-8) returns to action Saturday and Sunday when it opens a three-game series with Augustana College in Rock Island Saturday at 1 p.m.
