Pictures by Eddie Faican
CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park baseball scored 11 runs between the fifth and eighth innings to short-game the Carroll Pioneers, 18-8, on Sunday afternoon.
After a 1-2-3 start for Viking starter Ethan Condit, North Park pulled ahead by three runs in their first chance at the plate. Reece Arakaki reached on an infield error before Bobby Bartlett singled through the right side and Justin Swanson drew a walk. Next, Nathan Sommerfeld lofted a sac fly to center field, scoring Arakaki, and Carlos Martinez sent a two-run single into left field, bringing home Swanson and Bartlett. However, the early three-run lead disappeared when the Pioneers drew four walks and Ben Hurt Haller drove a three-run homer to right-center field, pulling ahead 4-3.
The Vikings responded in their next trip to the plate by taking advantage of another infield error before Sommerfeld one-hopped the left field fence with a two-run double down the line, scoring Swanson and Bartlett. Next, Graham Porter nearly left the yard, hitting the railing in right field to score Sommerfeld with the RBI double. North Park held a three-run lead, 7-4, just two innings in.
Once more, though, a three-run round tripper by Hurt Haller knotted the game up when he sent one of the left-center field wall in the top of the third. Carrol's Justin Baker joined the long ball part with a solo shot down the left field line, giving the Pios an 8-7 lead.
However, the Viking bats were anything but dormant through the remainder of the chilly Sunday game.
Alex DiVito got things going with an infield single in the fifth, scoring Martinez, before RBI singles in the 56 hole by Garrett Bragg and DiVito plated Swanson and Sommerfeld in the sixth inning. Porter kept the line moving in the seventh with a two-run single, scoring Sommerfeld and Bartlett, DiVito earned another RBI on a bases-loaded walk, and Zay finalized the seventh inning scoring with a two-run knock to left.Â
Carroll, now trailing 15-8, began to threaten in the top of the eighth after back-to-back singles. Trevor Benz got a good one to hit, sending a deep shot four feet over the left field wall. However, the would-be three-run homer didn't go far enough as Sommerfeld leapt into the air, robbed Benz of a homer, and uncorked a throw to third to double up the runner attempting to advance.
Reliever Brandon Leidolph struck out the next batter looking and North Park was ready to put this one away in the eighth.
After Adam Gin's pinch-hit walk, Swanson doubled off the right-center field wall to bring the speedy Gin all the way home from first base. Next, Sommerfeld singled and Porter drove another double to right center, scoring Sommerfeld, and putting North Park one run away from the mercy rule. Martinez would oblige, lifting a sac fly deep enough to right field to score Sommerfeld.
FINAL: North Park 18, Carroll 8
Quick Hits:
- Bartlett and Sommerfeld go 4-for-5 with three and four runs scored, respectively
- Porter with a pair of doubles, Swanson and Sommerfeld add one each
- Porter leads the charge with 4 RBI, Sommerfeld, Martinez, and Divito with three each
- Carroll's Hurt Haller leaves the yard twice; both homers driving in three runs
- Viking offense produces 18 runs on 23 hits
- Julian Ledezma secures his fourth win, scattering four hits over four innings with 3 K's
- Leidolph entered the game with a two-run lead and, despite the final score, picks up a save
What's Next?
North Park (12-20, 6-6) step out of conference for a single game against U-Dubuque on Thursday, April 27. First pitch in Chicago at Holmgren is set for 3:00 PM CT.
