WATERTOWN, Wis. – North Central University (NCU) was was back at it from across the border on Saturday afternoon as they completed the final games of their weekend series with the Sabercats of Maranatha Baptist. NCU won game one in dominant fashion pulling away fro a 11-1 victory, but could not find the same offensive momentum in game number two as they fell 5-1 in the afternoon split.

GAME ONE RECAP
NCU was the first to strike in game number one as a miscue from the Sabercats on a throw to first resulted in two runs and the lead for the Rams. NCU continued the scoring with a big five run inning in the top half of the 3rd to push the lead to 7-0. After the Sabercats answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the third frame, starter, Bryce Riege (W, 1-1), settled in on the mound. The right hander from Marshall, Wisconsin, was dominant on the bump in front of his "home" crowd as Marshall is a mere thirty minutes from Watertown. Riege finished his 6.0 innings pitched with five total strikeouts and just the one earned run. NCU added four more runs in the final three innings to take game one by a score of 11-1. Cory Kukkola led the Rams with three total hits and three runs batted in. 

GAME TWO RECAP
Each team was quick to make noise on the scoreboard in game number two, but it was the Cats who held the 2-1 lead after the first frame thanks to a two RBI single. Both offenses went silent through the next few innings as neither club could find much of a spark. The Sabercats found some momentum in the fourth inning however as they brought home three in the inning to lead the Rams 5-1. Maranatha rode their pitcher, Kyle Cummins, for most of the way as he continued to send down Ram's batters. Cummins finished with just two strikeouts in his 6.1 innings pitched, but allowed nothing across the plate after the lone run in the first inning as he earned the victory as the Cats defeated the Rams by a score of 5-1. Freshman, Caiden Gelowicz suffered the loss as he finished his outing with five earned runs and three strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched. 

Next Up
North Central will head back to Minnesota as they prepare for their first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) action of the 2019 campagin. The Rams will open their conference portion of their schedule on Wednesday afternoon in New Ulm, Minnesota, against the Knights of Martin Luther College. The first pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1:30 p.m.


MEDIA: If you need further information, please feel free to contact Justin Brown at 612-343-3539 or email Jdbrown@northcentral.edu.