CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park baseball took it to Division I opponent University of Illinois Chicago in an exhibition for the Vikings on Tuesday afternoon.

North Park was first to post a run on the scoreboard at Curtis Granderson Stadium when senior second baseman Justin Swanson got things going with a single down the right field line before scoring on junior outfielder Nate Sommerfeld's two-out double to left-center. 

The Flames, who played their normal starters in this official game on their schedule, got the run back and then some in their half of the inning. The Flames tallied four runs on five hits, including a two-run homer for Rayth Petersen, pulling UIC ahead 4-1.

North Park scratched one back in the second when senior shortstop Ethan Raspolich plated sophomore third baseman Rylan Kawakami on a fielder's choice.

Junior left-handed pitcher Jaedon Bader came in for three quality innings of relief, not allowing a hit while surrendering just one earned run. The Flames marked an unearned run in the fourth on an infield error, but the Vikings were about to showcase their best inning of the game.

In the fifth, junior center fielder Alex DiVito singled through the left side and moved up when Swanson was hit by a pitch. Next, Sommerfeld cracked his second double of the game, this time down the left-field line, to bring DiVito home. North Park would tie the game, 5-5, on a failed back pick to third base, scoring both Swanson and Sommerfeld. Sophomore designated hitter Carlos Martinez drove a two-out double to center before stealing third base, but a groundout would end the inning.

Unfortunately, the Flames got three back in the sixth inning on three hits, including a homer, and an NPU error and wild pitch. Junior left hander Brett Ravitz came in for the last two innings for the Vikings, spinning a pair of scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. However, the NPU offense only had three more hits left through the next four innings, falling to the DI opponent 8-5.

• Martinez goes 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and stolen base
• Sommerfeld 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, driving in two
• Two-hit game for Joe Perona  (2-for-4)
• Bader and Ravitz with quality relief appearances
  • Bader: three innings of no-hit relief with 0 ER allowed
  • Ravitz: two innings of one-hit, scoreless relief
• UIC homers twice: Petersen in the first and Nicoloudes in the sixth

North Park (2-3) makes its way back to Sauget, Illinois and GCS Ballpark for games against No. 25 Webster and UW-Oshkosh, who received votes in the Week 1 D3baseball.com poll. First pitch against host Webster on Saturday, March 2, is set for 10:00 AM CT.