LEESBURG, Fla. -- North Park baseball had one get away from them in Sunday's game against the Suffolk University Rams. After leading 13-7, a nine-run eighth handed victory over to the Rams.
The Vikings started their day with a single to right from sophomore right fielder Joe Perona followed up by junior center fielder Alex DiVito's hit by pitch. Senior second baseman Justin Swanson then crushed his first home run of the year to put North Park up 3-0, clearing the left field wall by plenty.
Suffolk answered back with two solo shots in the bottom of the first, sharply closing the gap to 3-2.
North Park found another two runs in the top of the second with a walk by sophomore DH Carlos Martinez. Senior third baseman Ethan Raspolich plated Martinez with a single to left center before Perona found his way on with a walk and DiVito picked up an RBI double down the left field line.Â
Senior left hander Bobby Bartlett settled in on the mound, working clean through the second and third inning.Â
Suffolk scratched across thre more runs in the fifth inning, tying the game at 5-5. The Vikings respond with an explosive sixth inning, scoring five runs on six hits.Â
The Rams scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth with their third homerun of the game.Â
North Park answered back with a three-run top of the eighth, taking a 13-7 lead. Suffolk refused to quit, though, getting help from eight free passes and a pair of wild pitches.
The Rams held on to the lead with a clean ninth inning, winning the game with a final score of 16-13.Â
-Alex DiVito records 3-for-5 day at the plate with 2 runs, 2 RBI
-Joe Perona goes 2-for-4 with 2 runs and 2 walks
-Ethan Raspolich records 2-for-5 day scoring 2 runs and one RBI
- Justin Swanson and Nate Sommerfeld picking up 3 and 2 RBIs a piece
North Park (5-6) will face Greenville University on Monday, March 11, out at Lake Myrtle Complex in Auburndale, Florida. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM ET.
