CHICAGO, Ill. -- The North Park Vikings won an important series against CCIW foe Millikin University this weekend, dropping the first game in Decatur before earning come-from-behind wins on Saturday and Sunday to steal the series away. Seniors Justin Swanson and Bobby Bartlett came through clutch with go-ahead or walkoff hits in the wins, keeping NPU in the top slot of the CCIW race.
Game One: Millikin 5, North Park 1
Millikin's starter Caleb Buehrle kept the Vikings at bay, allowing just 4 hits and one earned run over 7 innings while punching out 12. Justin Swanson and Reece Arakaki take notched two hits a piece, accounting for 4 out of 5 total hits for North Park. This one was all in the favor of Millikin, who rocked a dozen hits as four Big Blue players had multi-hit games.
Game Two: North Park 4, Millikin 3
Game two was a pitcher's duel between North Park's Brandon Leidolph and Millikin's David Detmers.
A single and a walk gave Millikin a man on first and second to open the game. Leidolph picked up a big strikeout before a fly ball advances the runner to third. A wild pitch scored the run and the Big Blue took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Leidolph found his groove, though, facing just three batters in the 2nd and 3rd innings.
Meanwhile, Detmers cruised through the Vikings' lineup, not allowing a run through 5 innings. The 6th inning rolled around and junior outfielder Alex DiVito legged out a triple to right-center before being driven in by senior second baseman Justin Swanson.
Millikin answered back with haste, putting up a run in the bottom of the 6th after a double and an RBI single to take back the lead.
Millikin looked to add on in the 7th after a one-out triple but the Vikings' stuffed the runner at home after a botched squeeze attempt. Leidolph ended his day with a strikeout.
Right hander Chase Duffy took the mound for the Vikings in the bottom of the 8th, surrendering one run before getting out of a jam.
North Park started off their 9th inning rally with a walk by sophomore Carlos Martinez. Freshman Reyn Matsuzaki singled through the left side and Noah Fujitani pinch ran for him before senior Garrett Bragg crushed a pinch-hit, RBI double. Sophomore Joe Perona knocked a single to left field and a mix up on the bases left the Vikings with man on 1st and 3rd and one out. Perona picked up a stolen bag before a strikeout left Swanson with a 2-out opportunity. The All-American came through clutch, cracking a triple down the right field line, scoring Fujitani and Perona to give NPU its first lead of the game, 4-3.
North Park called on closer Ethan Condit to finish out the game, slamming the door shut while picking up a strikeout to lead NPU to a 4-3 comeback win in Decatur.
Game Three: North Park 5, Millikin 3
North Park hosted game three of the series, giving Carlos Martinez his second start of the week.
Millikin opened the game with back-to-back singles before Martinez picked up a strikeout and rolled a perfect double play ball up the middle - 6-4-3.
DiVito led the North Park offense off with a one-out hit by pitch before Swanson singled to centerfield, but the Big Blue got out of the inning with no runs.
Martinez walked his first batter of the 2nd inning before throwing another double play ball and picking up a strikeout to get out without a run crossing the plate.
The Vikings scored the first run of the game after junior shortstop Reece Arakaki walked and advanced to second on a failed pick off attempt. Bragg advanced him before Matsuzaki scored Arakaki with a groundout to shortstop.
Millikin answered back in the top of the 3rd, starting with a double to right center. A sac bunt moved the runner to third before a single up the middle scored the run. Another single and a double steal gave the Big Blue 2nd and 3rd with one out. A sacrifice fly to left scored Millikin's second run of the inning, leading 2-1 after three.
Freshman Luke Glaser took the mound in relief for the Vikings, picking up a strikeout in his first clean frame.
Perona drew a walk in the bottom of the 5th before stealing second. DiVito moves him to third with a fly out to centerfield. Swanson picks up the RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field.
Glaser tosses a clean 6th and 7th inning before surrendering a run in the top of the 8th. Millikin leads 3-2.
North Park threatened in the bottom of the 8th inning after Arakaki led off with a double, the first knock of the day to get behind the Big Blue outfield.
With two outs, Arakaki moved to third after a sloppy throw back to the pitcher. The Big Blue wiggled their way out of the inning with no damage, though.
Glaser started the 9th but was relieved by Condit, who took over a one-out runners on 2nd and 3rd situation. Condit picked up a huge strikeout before getting a fly ball to center to end the inning.
North Park swings the momentum into the bottom of the 9th starting with a Perona triple to left field.
DiVito ties the game up with an RBI single, as the middle of the order was up for NPU.
A fly out and a fielder's choice brought the Vikings to their last out before extras.
Bobby Bartlett called game with his first long ball of the season, peppering the right-field bleachers to secure a series win over Millikin, 5-3.
North Park (19-8, 8-1 CCIW) will play their makeup game against North Central this coming Tuesday, April 16, out in Naperville. First pitch at Zimmerman Stadium is set for 3:0 PM.
