DECATUR, Ill. -- North Park University baseball outlasted second-seeded Illinois Wesleyan in day two of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament, 17-4. The Vikings score multiple runs in five different innings to stay perfect in tournament play.
North Park finished with 17 runs on 19 hits, while Illinois Wesleyan posted 15 runs on 12 hits in a game that saw every Viking starter score or drive in a run.
North Park (24-17) jumped out early with three runs in the top of the first. After sophomore shortstop Taylor Joseph and sophomore first baseman John Greenwood worked walks, junior catcher Reyn Matsuzaki delivered an RBI single through the left side, moving up on an outfield error, to bring home the game's first run. Sophomore second baseman Kupono Akaka followed with an RBI groundout, and Matsuzaki later scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
Illinois Wesleyan (18-21) responded with four runs in the second to take a 4-3 lead. The inning was sparked by Jack Flagg's double and included a run-scoring fielder's choice, Matt Hudik's RBI double, and two more runs created pressure as the NPU defense struggled to provide support for starter Sam Jackson.
In the third, North Park trimmed the margin with junior left fielder Rylan Li's RBI single to score Greenwood. The Titans countered immediately with four in the bottom half, pushing their lead to 8-4. Illinois Wesleyan plated runs via RBI walks from Hudik and AJ Weller, an RBI single by Ben Ford, and a sacrifice fly.
North Park's offense erupted for seven runs in the fourth to swing the game back in the Vikings' favor. Greenwood lifted a sacrifice fly to score senior DH Rylan Kawakami before Matsuzaki punched an RBI single through the right side. Next, Akaka added another RBI with a groundout and, following a Titan pitching change, sophomore right fielder Vinnie Marvucic doubled in a run, and Li followed with another RBI single. Kawakami later added an RBI single, and senior center fielder Joe Perona capped the inning with an RBI single up the middle to put NPU ahead, 10-8.
Illinois Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the fourth when Luca Morelli singled and Flagg launched a two-run homer to left, tying the game at 10-10.
North Park added two more in the fifth, keyed by Matsuzaki's RBI triple to right-center after Greenwood's single. A second run came home later in the inning on a defensive error as NPU led 12-10.
The Titans bounced back with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead. Illinois Wesleyan scored on a bases-loaded walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a pair of run-producing grounders to continue the back-and-forth volley.
North Park responded in the sixth. Perona and Kawakami opened with singles and later executed a double steal, setting up Greenwood's RBI groundout. Matsuzaki then came through again with an RBI single up the middle to put North Park back in front, 15-14.
The Vikings were able to halt a Titans threat in the seventh, turning a 5-4-3 double play to close the inning. However, in the eighth, Illinois Wesleyan tied the game at 15-15 when Hudik drew a walk and Weller drove an RBI triple to right-center.
North Park delivered the pivotal swings in the ninth. Greenwood singled and pinch runner Luke Bellini moved up on Matsuzaki's sacrifice bunt. A walk to Akaka and a hit-by-pitch to Marvucic loaded the bases, and Li ripped a two-run single through the right side to put the Vikings ahead 17-15.
Illinois Wesleyan threatened in the bottom of the ninth when John Philip Ferraro doubled to left, but North Park reliever Ethan Condit shut the door by retiring the final hitters, finishing the win with two strikeouts in the inning to grab his second win in 24 hours.
Top Players
North Park
- Reyn Matsuzaki: 4-for-5, 3R, 4RBI, 3B
- Rylan Li: 4-for-6, 4 RBI
- Vinnie Marvucic: 3-for-5, 2B, 2RBI
- Rylan Kawakami: 3-for-6, 2R
- John Greenwood and Joe Perona each with a 2-hit game
- Ethan Condit: W, 1.1 IP, 1H, 0R, 2K
Illinois Wesleyan
- Jack Flagg: 2-for-6, 3R, 2B, HR
- Matt Hudik: 2-for-3, 3R, 3BB
What's Next?
North Park stays perfect in CCIW Tournament action and seeks revenge against host and top-seeded Millikin University (32-8) on Friday afternoon. First pitch at Workman Family Field is set for 2:00 PM CT.
