CHICAGO, Ill. – North Park Baseball bowed out of the 2024 CCIW Tournament on Saturday evening, dropping to Millikin 16-3 and Augustana 8-4. The Vikings will hope for another chance at a playoff opportunity with an at-large bid this coming Monday.
Millikin 16, North Park 3
Against the league's co-champs, the Vikings had a hard time with the Big Blue's Drew Detmers. The all-conference hurler worked 6.2 innings on the mound, fanning four and allowing just five hits.
Meanwhile, Millikin's offense continued to impose its will. The Big Blue banged out 15 hits, including four for extra bases, while utilizing three steals to total 16 runs. Center fielder Tyler Gade was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and three RBI while second baseman Tommy Shaw, catcher Ryan Janssen, first baseman Andy Niebrugge, and shortstop Liam McGill all had a pair of hits. Right fielder Sam Bushur drover in four runners and left the yard.
The Vikings' junior center fielder Alex DiVito had a no-doubt blast in the seventh before the mercy rule came into play. The round tripper accounted for three RBI, the only runs of the game for NPU. Senior second baseman Justin Swanson was 2-for-4 against the Big Blue.
Augustana 8, North Park 4
Looking to bounce back against five seed Augustana in the second game of the day, the Vikings from Chicago took on the quality arm of Chance Carruthers. The sophomore righty blanked NPU through four innings after getting some big-time run support in Augie's first trip to the plate.
That help arrived in the form of five hits (all singles), two free passes, and a throwing error all in the first inning to put the Vikings from Rock Island up, 7-0, after just one trip to the plate.
North Park threatened in third when junior left fielder Nate Sommerfeld singled to center and swiped second before senior third baseman Ethan Raspolich reached on an infield single. Sophomore right fielder Joe Perona added another infield single before the next two NPU batters were sat down to end the inning.
NPU posted a pair of runs in the fifth on two-out singles from Swanson and senior first baseman Bobby Bartlett.
A solo homer by Augie's Colton Davis extended their lead to 8-2 before a two-run single by senior DH Garrett Bragg cut the deficit to 8-4 in the seventh. Unfortunately, the game would stalemate here. Augustana's Addison Southwick was solid in his three-inning shutout save, punching out five NPU batters to earn a championship chance.
After finishing up their hosting duties tomorrow, May 12, the Vikings will await their chances to continue in the Regional with an at-large bid on Monday, May 13. A 30-win season for Coach Luke Johnson, the most for NPU baseball in over 10 years, will hopefully be enough for the CCIW Co-Champs to journey forward for some more Viking Baseball. Tune in at NCAA.org and come back to this story on Monday morning for a link to the selection show.
