SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – The North Park University baseball team took two more games from the Stars of Dominican University, earning a 5-3 win in game one before a come-from-behind 12-11 win in game two.

Game One: Vikings win 5-3

Once more, the Vikings struck first. In the first inning, senior shortstop Jake Reinhardt brought senior center fielder Jared Cantu home on an error. Next, senior catcher Ranko Stevanovic drove junior right fielder Logan Peters in with a sacrifice fly and sophomore first baseman Bobby Bartlett plated Reinhardt with a single.

The next three innings were quiet, as Viking starter Brendan Russ allowed just one unearned run in the first inning and three hits through four innings of work. 

North Park broke the scoreless streak in the fifth inning on an RBI double from Stevanovic, scoring Cantu and added another run in the ninth inning on a balk.

Russ secured his first win of the season, tossing six innings while striking out five batters and allowing no earned runs.

FINAL: North Park 5, Dominican 3

Game Two: Vikings win 12-11

In the second game of the day, the Stars were first to score, marking a pair of runs off Viking starter Brent Brueske in the second inning. North Park knotted the game in their next trip to the plate on Reinhardt's RBI triple and Stevanovic's RBI groundout, but Dominican took another two-run advantage in their half of the inning.

The North Park powder keg exploded in the fourth inning to the tune of six runs. In the inning, the Vikings drove six hits and put nine runners on base. Junior catcher Nick Cecchi drove a leadoff double, freshman second baseman Justin Swanson scored Cecchi on an RBI single, and Peters doubled in Swanson to tie the game, 4-4. Next, Reinhardt brought Cantu and Peters home with a two RBI single and senior designated hitter Justin Woolbright added two more with a two-run single into right-center field.

However, the Viking lead was short lived as the Stars added three runs in the bottom of the fourth and three runs in the sixth to lead 10-9. 

After both teams scored a run in the eighth inning, it would come down to who could widen the gap in the ninth.

Reinhardt started the inning with a single to left field and advanced on a passed ball. Next, Stevanovic singled while Reinhardt was held at third. Stevanovic promptly swiped second base before Bartlett drew a walk to load the bases for Davis. Davis drove the second pitch of his at-bat firmly into right-center field, plating Stevanovic and Reinhardt to give the Vikings a 12-11 lead.

This lead would hold up, as Peters secured the two-inning save, striking out two, to give the Vikings a four-game sweep over Dominican.

FINAL: North Park 12, Dominican 11

Quick Hits: 

• 25 more hits for the Vikings in their two games on Saturday
• Peters earned both a win and a save on the mound
• Reinhardt led the offense in game two – 3-for-4 with four RBI and a triple
• Russ grabs his first win, surrendering no earned runs with K'ing five through six innings
• Davis and Woolbright add four hits each on the day
• Junior Jeff Mustari notched his first Viking hit

What's Next?

North Park (4-0) opens College Conference on Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play next Tuesday, March 16, when they travel to Bloomington, Ill. for a single game against Illinois Wesleyan University. First pitch at Horenberger Field is set for 3 p.m.