ELMHURST, Ill. -- North Park Baseball kept their CCIW record perfect at 5-0 after dispatching the Elmhurst Bluejays, 11-1, in eight innings at Butterfield Park on Tuesday afternoon.

The Vikings wasted no time asserting their dominance, with senior second baseman Justin Swanson leading the charge. Swanson's two-out double in the opening frame set the stage for junior designated hitter Nate Sommerfeld to pick up the RBI single to put NPU up 1-0.

Sophomore right hander Carlos Martinez took the mound for the Vikings, putting together another really nice start on the hill. The Bluejays did scratch one unearned run off Martinez in the bottom of the first, scoring their only run off a hit by pitch, advanced by an error, and knocked in with a single through the left side. Martinez kept his pace, though, going three-up three-down in the second inning. 

Junior outfielder Alex DiVito led off the 3rd inning with a hit by pitch, Swanson reached on error, and Sommerfeld loaded the bases with his second single of the day. Junior shortstop Reece Arakaki traded an out for an RBI, senior first baseman Garrett Bragg wore a pitch to load the bases back up, and junior catcher Gio Lucchetto picked up a two-run single, giving North Park a 4-1 lead. Elmhurst was held to one hit in the bottom of the third. 

Then, in the top of the 4th the Vikings knocked back-to-back-to-back singles from sophomore outfielder Joe Perona, DiVito, and Swanson en route to picking up another run. A double steal put runners on 2nd and 3rd, setting the stage for Sommerfeld and Arakaki to pick up an RBI each. Vikings up 7-1.

Martinez made quick work of the Bluejays, facing just three batters in the bottom of the 4th. 

North Park manufactured an extra run in the 6th when Sommerfeld scored after wearing his 19th pitch of the season, tying a single-season record at North Park. The Vikings added two more in the 7th after Swanson knocks in two more runners.

Martinez tossed a clean 7th inning, finishing his day with 7.0 IP, while North Park secured two more runs in the top of the 8th, extending the lead to 12-1.

Sophomore Parker Dailey came into the game in relief, picking up one strikeout before junior Chase Duffy got out of a jam to close the door in the eighth. North Park kept the run-rule in affect, winning in eight innings 12-1.

• Justin Swanson leads the Vikings' offense with a 3-for-5 day while scoring three runs and driving in as many
• Garrett Bragg goes 3-for-4 with one run scored
• Nate Sommerfeld goes 2-for-3, scoring 2 runs and knocking in 2 RBI
• Carlos Martinez tosses 7.0 allowing just 1 unearned run off of 4 hits while striking out 7 

The Vikings return home on Wednesday, April 10, to finish the series against CCIW foe Augustana. First pitch is set for 5:00 PM at Holmgren.