DECATUR, Ill. — North Park baseball advanced to the CCIW Tournament Championship with a dramatic 12-9 comeback win over Carthage on Saturday morning, then came up just short in the title game as Millikin earned a 6-5 victory later in the day at Workman Baseball.
CCIW Tournament Semifinal
North Park 12, Carthage 9
Carthage struck first with two runs in the opening inning. Michael Ossenfort drew a walk and moved into scoring position before Caden Meyer doubled to left-center to drive him in. Later in the frame, AJ Gaca grounded out to shortstop for an RBI to make it 2-0.
North Park answered with a four-run second to grab the lead. Junior catcher Reyn Matsuzaki started the rally with a single, and sophomore second baseman Kupono Akaka reached to keep the inning moving. Sophomore right fielder Vinnie Marvucic delivered a key two-run double down the left-field line, and senior third baseman Eli Johnson followed with an RBI single up the middle. Senior third baseman Rylan Kawakami capped the inning with an RBI double down the right-field line to put the Vikings in front, 4-2.
The Firebirds tied the game in the third. Ossenfort singled, and after an error extended the inning, Zander Tubbs doubled down the right-field line for an RBI. Carthage tied it moments later when Meyer scored on a passed ball.
Carthage regained the lead in the fifth with a three-run surge. Landon Dykes-Sadowski reached on an error and stole second before Tubbs singled to set the table. Joe Zuleger singled up the middle for an RBI, and Dylan Ston followed with a two-run single through the right side to push Carthage ahead.
North Park responded in the sixth with a three-run inning of its own. Junior left fielder Rylan Li walked and scored on Kawakami's RBI double down the left-field line. Senior center fielder Joe Perona singled and later stole second to put two in scoring position, setting up sophomore shortstop Taylor Joseph's two-run single up the middle that brought home both Perona and Kawakami.
Carthage moved back in front in the seventh with an unearned run, but North Park countered in the bottom half. With Akaka aboard, Kawakami delivered an RBI single to pull the Vikings within one, 9-8.
Down to their final two at-bats, North Park produced the decisive rally in the eighth, scoring four runs. Joseph walked and sophomore first baseman John Greenwood followed with a bunt single. Matsuzaki lined an RBI single down the left-field line, and Akaka added an RBI single up the middle. Li then broke the game open with a two-run double down the left-field line to extend the lead to 12-8.
Carthage added a run in the ninth when Christian Duarte singled and Ston tripled to center for an RBI, but North Park closed out the win to advance. Jason Schmierer, Jacob Titsworth, and Ethan Condit teamed up to allow just four earned runs. Condit secured his third win of the tournament, punching out four in three innings while allowing only three hits.
CCIW Tournament Championship
Millikin 6, North Park 5
The championship game was scoreless through three innings, as senior starter Jackson Nuese turned around on short rest to hold down one of the strongest offenses in the conference. Millikin broke through in the fourth when Pete Britton singled and advanced to third, then Carder Reich singled to right field to drive in the game's first run.
North Park answered in the fifth to take its first lead. Akaka was hit by a pitch and advanced during a rally that included a sacrifice bunt from Li. Johnson singled through the right side for an RBI, and Kawakami followed with an RBI groundout to put the Vikings ahead 2-1.
Millikin responded immediately in the bottom of the fifth. After Mick Niebrugge reached and moved into scoring position, Easton Steck singled to put two aboard. Britton delivered a two-run single to left field to score both Steck and Niebrugge, giving the Big Blue a 3-2 advantage.
North Park reclaimed the lead with a three-run sixth. Joseph and Greenwood opened the inning with singles, and Matsuzaki singled through the right side for an RBI. Greenwood then scored when a failed back pick from the catcher sailed into left field, and Marvucic added an RBI single through the left side to make it 5-3.
Millikin trimmed the deficit in the bottom of the sixth on a single and a couple errors, closing the gap to 5-4 on an infield error.
In the eighth, Millikin tied the game. Niebrugge led off with a double and moved to third following a groundout and flyout. With two outs, Anderson Decker singled through the left side before reliever Zach Price came in to secure the final out of the inning with a strikeout.
Millikin secured the championship in the ninth. Britton reached on an infield error before an intentional walk and bunt single loaded the bases. The Big Blue would scamper in on a wild pitch, securing a tournament championship.
Top Performers
Semifinal — North Park vs. Carthage
North Park
- Rylan Kawakami: 4-for-5, 2 doubles, 3 RBI, 1 run
- Vinnie Marvucic: 2-for-5, double, 2 RBI, 1 run
- Rylan Li: 1-for-3, double, 2 RBI, 2 walks, 1 run
- Taylor Joseph: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 walks, 1 run
- Reyn Matsuzaki: 2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI
- Ethan Condit: 3IP, 4 K's, 1 ER
Carthage
- Dylan Ston: 2-for-5, triple, 4 RBI
- Zander Tubbs: 3-for-5, double, 1 RBI, 1 run
- Caden Meyer: 1-for-5, double, 1 RBI, 2 runs
- Joe Zuleger: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 HBP, 1 run
- Aj Gaca: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 run
Championship — North Park vs. Millikin
North Park
Millikin
- Pete Britton: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 runs
- Carder Reich: 3-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
- Mick Niebrugge: 2-for-4, double, 2 runs
- Anderson Decker: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
- Easton Steck: 1-for-3, 1 walk, 1 run
