NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Elmhurst University baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader at 13th-ranked North Central College. The Bluejays fell 9-3 in game one before dropping game two 8-3.
 
Elmhurst fell to 11-10 overall and 7-8 in the CCIW while North Central upped its record to 14-5 overall and 9-3 in the CCIW.
 
NORTH CENTRAL 9, ELMHURST 3 (Game One) – Elmhurst erased an early two-run deficit, but North Central pulled away in the late innings for a 9-3 win in game one.
 
North Central jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after two innings. Dom Listi cracked a solo homer in the first and Michael Stoltz singled home a run in the second to put the Cardinals in front.
 
The Bluejays broke through on the scoreboard in the sixth. Tyler Kledzik was hit by a pitch and came around to score on a Trey Romay RBI double. Lorenzo Farino added an RBI single to knock in Romay and tie the score at 2-2.
 
North Central reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a pair of runs with two outs. Paul Beverly and Joe Rizzo both singled home runs to put the Cardinals up 4-2.
 
The Bluejays cashed in on a North Central error in the top of the seventh to cut the deficit in half after Kledzik singled home a run. North Central answered back in the bottom of the frame, using a sacrifice fly to go back in front by two at 5-3. The Cardinals tacked on four insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for the 9-3 win.
 
Jaysn Miller made the start and took the loss for the Bluejays. He allowed 10 hits and five runs over 6.1 innings of work. He walked one and struck out two. Jason Shaner earned the win for the Cardinals after working 6.1 innings and allowing three hits and two earned runs. He walked one and fanned six.
 
NORTH CENTRAL 8, ELMHURST 3 (Game Two) – Elmhurst outhit North Central 11-7 but the Cardinals came away the 8-3 victory and completed the doubleheader sweep.
 
North Central jumped out in front 2-0 on a Luke Lehnen two-run homer in the bottom of the third.
 
Elmhurst answered back in the top of the sixth. Carter Truong and Kledzik started the inning with back-to-back singles. Romay followed with a run-scoring double to plate Truong. Paul Fomby's groundout brought home Keldzik to the score at 2-2.
 
The Cardinals reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning after pushing home four runs. Luke Gregorio delivered the big blow, smacking a three-run homer. The Cardinals tacked on two runs in the seventh to open up an 8-2 cushion.
 
Troy Taller blasted a solo homer in the ninth to make the score 9-3. Elmhurst was able to load the bases in the ninth put a pop-up ended the threat and the game.
 
Truong, Zachary Mietzner, Taller and Kevin Johlie all collected two hits apiece for the Bluejays.
 
Joseph Kalish made the start and took the loss for Elmhurst. Kalish worked 5.2 innings, allowing six hits and six runs. He walked three and fanned three.
 
Elmhurst hosts North Central College tomorrow (April 12) at 3:00 p.m.