ELMHURST, Ill. – The Bluejays would jump out to a big early lead on Wednesday night, but were unable to keep pace with the North Park Vikings in a shootout at Butterfield Park, falling at home 13-8.
North Park 13, Elmhurst 8
WP: Price • LP: Goergen (0-2) • Sv: Condit
Brett Vercruysse's double to right scored Evan Johnson for the first run of the game in the 1st inning, starting a six-run rally highlighted by a two-out, two-run triple from Marty Fraga that scored Timothy O'Connell and Rock Smith.
North Park would chip away at the deficit, scoring three runs in the 3rd inning, but the Jays would get one back after O'Connell scored on Adan Nieves' two-out single in the bottom half of the frame. In the top of the 4th, North Park would take advantage of three errors, scoring five runs and taking an 8-7 lead.
The Vikings tacked on two more in the 5th before O'Connell would score again in the bottom of the 5th to make it a 10-8 game. North Park would add three more in the 9th to put the game out of reach.
Fraga led the Bluejays at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI, and was a home run away from the cycle. Johnson went 2-for-6 with a double, run scored, and stolen base.
Robert Brenneman, Robert Drake, and Christopher Ludwig all had solid showings out of the bullpen, combining for four innings without allowing an earned run.
Elmhurst is back in action on Friday afternoon, when they begin a three-game series with North Central. First pitch from Butterfield Park is set for 3:00 p.m.
