CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park University baseball dropped a pair of games to a well-rounded Millikin University team on Saturday afternoon, falling in game one 12-5 and game two 8-1.
Big Blue starter Adam Zuk and Viking hurler Ethan Sund showcased why they're two of the best in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW), as just a single run was scored between the two through four innings. The lone run scored came off the red-hot bat of senior Ranko Stevanovic, who brought home Logan Peters on a sharp single into center.
Millikin pulled ahead in the fifth inning with a pair of runs and extended their lead in the sixth with two more. However, the Vikings broke through in the sixth inning.
Three consecutive batters reached base – Peters was hit by a pitch, Jake Reinhardt singled into left field, and Stevanovic drew a walk. Next, Bobby Bartlett skipped a run-scoring groundout and Justin Woolbright drove a two-run single down the left field line to plate Stevanovic and Reinhardt. Capping the scoring, Richie Silva drove a double that hit the very top of the fence in right field to give the Vikings a 5-4 lead.
Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as Millikin scored six runs in the seventh and one run each in the eighth and ninth innings to win, 12-5.
FINAL: Millikin 12, North Park 5
The second game of the day featured a well-rounded arsenal from the Big Blue. Miliikin manufactured eight runs on 11 hits while playing flawless defense. Additionally, Big Blue starter Caleb Buehrle threw a complete game, allowing just one run while fanning 11. That lone run arrived on Ryan Moritsugu's first home run of his Viking career in the fifth inning.
FINAL: Millikin 8, North Park 1
Quick Hits:
- Reinhardt was the lone multi-hit performer in game two, going 3-for-4 with a double
- Stevanovic was 2-for-3 with a double in game one, lining out three times in the second game
- Silva had a multi-hit game in the first game – 3-for-4 with two doubles
- Sund struck out 10 batters in 5.2 innings of work
- Bartlett had the game two start – six K's through six innings
- Moritsugu added his first collegiate homer in game two
What's Next?
North Park (6-2, 1-2 CCIW) heads to Decatur, Ill. for their third game of the season at the home of the Big Blue. First pitch at Workman Family Baseball Field will be 3 p.m.