Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ELMHURST, Ill. - After dropping the first game of a doubleheader 8-0 to North Park University, the Elmhurst baseball team salvaged a split with the Vikings buy winning game two 7-5.

The Bluejays moved to 19-16 overall and 10-8 in the CCIW. North Park is now 26-11 overall and holds a one-game lead at the top of the CCIW standings with an 11-7 league record.

NORTH PARK 8, ELMHURST 0 (Game One) - North Park scored in five of the first six innings while pulling away for an 8-0 shutout win of the Bluejays in game one.

After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Bluejays loaded the bases with no outs, but a pop out, strikeout, and ground out ended the scoring threat.

The Vikings added a run in the third to go up 3-0. The Bluejays loaded the bases with no outs for the second straight inning, but a double play and a strikeout brought an end to Elmhurst's scoring chances.

North Park continued to tack on runs, while Elmhurst struggled to come up with a big hit. The Bluejays stranded 11 runners in the contest and finished 0-for-7 with runners at third base.

Elmhurst finished with 10 its in the loss, with Brian Evans, Dave Wolak, an Zach Tsiodras collecting two hits apiece.

Dave Parr (4-3) took the loss for the Bluejays after surrendering eight hits, three walks, and five earned runs over six innings of work.

Nick Soldano picked up the shutout win for North Park, improving to 7-1. He scattered 10 hits and two walks while striking out 10.

ELMHURST 7, NORTH PARK 5 - The Bluejays salvaged the final game of the three-game series with a 7-5 victory.

The Bluejays jumped out in front 2-0 in the first inning on RBI singles from Wolak and Marc Shield.

The Vikings evened the score with a pair of runs in the fifth, but Elmhurst respond with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Zach Hofer and Wolak singled home runs in the frame to put Elmhurst back o top 4-2.

North Park plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to knot the score at 4-4, but the Bluejays cashed in on a North Park error to score three times in the bottom of the eighth. Hofer led off the inning and reached base on a Vikings' error. He moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third when Wolak bunted his way on base with a single. Eric Stevenson's sacrifice fly scored Hofer to put the Bluejays on top 5-4. Tim Nolan singled home Wolak and Nolan later scored on the second North Park error of the inning.

The Vikings scored  a run in the top of the ninth and put the tying runs on base, but Hofer retired the final two batters to nail down the victory for Elmhurst.

Wolak finished 4-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Elmhurst offense. Hofer collected two hits and scored twice while also driving in a run. Shield added two hits for the Bluejays while Nolan drove in a team-leading two runs.

Hofer pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief and scored the win for Elmhurst. He scattered three hits and one unearned run while striking out one. Joe Luft made the start for Elmhurst and took a no-decision. Luft worked six innings, allowing thee hits, seven walks, and two runs. He also fanned five Vikings in the contest.

Elmhurst hosts Concordia University (Wis.) on Tuesday, May 1. The Bluejays close out CCIW play next weekend with a three-game series against Illinois Wesleyan. The CCIW Tournament race remains wide open with six teams being separated by only two games. The Bluejays are one of four teams with a 10-8 CCIW record, sitting just one game behind North Park for the top spot in the league. The top four teams in the CCIW qualify for the conference tournament.