Box Score CHICAGO, Ill. - The Elmhurst baseball team dropped its CCIW opener, falling 6-4 at North Park University.

North Park (10-6, 1-0 CCIW) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first after an RBI single from Eric Sousanes and a run-scoring groundout from Joe Belmonte.

Elmhurst (4-7, 0-1 CCIW) cut the lead in half with an RBI triple in the bottom of the first. The Bluejays tied the game in the second on a Chris Fisher run-scoring single.

Elmhurst surged in front in the fourth when Ben Havel belted a solo homer to center field.

North Park plated three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-3 lead. The Vikings tacked on a run in the top of the ninth on an RBI double from Belmonte.

Elmhurst brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth and pulled to within a run on Tyler Wargo's RBI groundout, but North Park's Kenny Blanchard struck out Dave Wolak to end the contest.

Belmonte led North Park at the plate with three hits and three RBI.

Jordan Hanlon took the loss for Elmhurst, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs in 6.2 innings of work. He walked three and struck out six. Alex Silverthorne picked up the win for North Park, tossing 8.1 innings and allowing six hits and five walks while fanning three.

Elmhurst and North Park will play a doubleheader tomorrow (March 30) at 1:00 p.m.