WAUKESHA, Wis. -- Sophomore outfielder Joe Perona decimated Pioneer pitching these past 24 hours, as the Vikings' right fielder led North Park to a sweep of Carroll in Waukesha with a 10-2 win on Saturday afternoon.

Perona was hit by the first pitch of the game, moved to second via steal, and wound up at third on a wild pitch. However, Carroll starter Erik Jaschinski, who ended up striking out seven Viking hitters in his six innings of work, struck out the next three NPU batters to toss a first-inning zero.

North Park's sophomore right hander Kevin Ayeski had the chance to hit the reset button at Frame Park, getting a redo from a shortened Friday night start in Chicago. The Pios got on the board against Ayeski in their first trip to the plate, scoring two runs on a pair of singles from Dalen Lamberty and Casey Mir, followed by an RBI double for Nick Angus. However, Ayeski would settle in after the first inning, allowing only three hits while shutting out the Pios through the sixth.

North Park's bats took four innings to get going, but they managed runs in each inning beginning with the fifth. Senior first baseman Garrett Bragg reached on an infield error before a single from freshman catcher Reyn Matsuzaki put runners on first and second. Senior third baseman Ethan Raspolich moved the runners up on a sac bunt before Perona tied the game with an oppo double to left field, bringing in Matsuzaki and Bragg. The Vikings took the lead when junior center fielder Alex DiVito walked, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch before another Pio error let him cross the plate.

The Vikings extended their lead on a three-run single by Perona in the sixth and added another run in the seventh when senior second baseman Justin Swanson doubled and later came home to score when senior designated hitter Bobby Bartlett swiped second base.

North Park tacked on two more in the eighth on, guess what, another RBI single from Perona and a second RBI single from Justin Swanson. 9-2 in favor of North Park.

NPU capped its scoring in the final frame when junior shortstop Reece Arakaki singled, Bragg walked, and Matsuzaki singled to load the bases. Raspolich drove Arakaki home on an RBI fielder's choice for the Vikings' 10th run of the game.

Meanwhile, sophomore right hander Carlos Martinez took over for Ayeski in the seventh. He blanked the Pios in his three innings of work, allowing just a pair of hits while punching out two, to pick up the first save of his career.

• Perona 3-for-4 with 6 RBI, a double, and a stolen base
  • Ended the series against Carroll 8-for-11 with 4 XBH, 12 RBI, 5 R, 3 SB, and robbed a would-be home run
• Ayeski gets the win: 6 IP, 3 K's, 2 ER
• Matsuzaki 4-for-5 with three runs scored and a double
• Swanson 2-for-5 with a double, 2 RBI
• Arakaki 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored
• Pair of sac bunts for Raspolich
• Save for Martinez: 3 IP in a shutout, 2 K's

North Park (26-10, 14-3 CCIW) controls its own destiny in the journey for a 2024 CCIW title. The Vikings aren't back in action until Friday, May 3, for a doubleheader under the lights of the Holmgren Athletic Complex against Illinois Wesleyan University. First pitch of game one is set for 4:00 PM CT.