NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The North Park University baseball team concluded its season on Friday, May 21, with a gritty 2-1 loss to second-seeded Augustana College on day three of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) tournament.
With a grueling conference schedule not too far in the rearview, hot weather, and three days into the CCIW tournament, fans didn't expect a pitcher's duel. However, they got it in this clash of Vikings.
The 24th-ranked Augustana Vikings put the first run on the board in their first trip to the plate on a trickling grounder through the left side but senior catcher Ranko Stevanovic threw out his 14th would-be base stealer of the season to get North Park out of trouble.
Through the next five innings, North Park starter Justin Woolbright and Augustana starter Harrison Boushele would go tit for tat. Neither pitcher allowed a run and the duo totaled just five hits against through five innings.
However, North Park manufactured a run in the sixth inning the hard way.
Stevanovic drew a walk and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Next, with two outs, Woolbright skipped a firm groundball to the Augie shortstop, who sailed it into his own dugout to tie the game at one apiece.
Junior right fielder Logan Peters, who was the hero in yesterday's playoff win over Wheaton, relieved Woolbright and worked 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit. Unfortunately, that one hit was another bleeder through the left side with a runner on second base in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Augustana squeaked by, 2-1.
FINAL: Augustana 2, North Park 1
Quick Hits:
- Woolbright allowed only five hits in 6.1 innings of work, striking out four in his final career start
- Stevanovic was 1-for-3 and scored the lone run for NPU
- Augustana's Boushele went eight innings on the mound, surrendering only four hits
- North Park did not commit an error the entire CCIW tournament, ending the season on a four-game errorless streak
