MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The North Central University (NCU) baseball team hosted their final home series at Stan Cyson Field on Saturday afternoon in a conference doubleheader matchup with the Crown College (CC) Storm. Despite three Rams clearing the fences with home runs out to different parts of the field, NCU fell to the Storm by final scores of 2 to 15 and 6 to 10.

Game One Recap

The Rams battled with what turned into a slugfest early on for the Storm. Crown managed to get six runs across early on in the top of the first inning, putting NCU in a deficit they were unable to overcome. It was not until the fourth inning when Jack Parker (Bordentown, NJ, Bordentown Regional High School) gave North Central their sole source of offensive production with a home run over the left field wall. This put the Rams up on the board with their two runs of the game. Crown responded back to the manufactured runs with two more of their own in the fifth inning, eventually leading to a 2 to 15 game in favor of the Storm as a result of their 15 hits recorded.

Game Two Recap

Game two is where the Rams found their offensive groove at the plate while the pitching and defense kept them within reach the entire way. The Storm got out to another early lead with three runs in the top of the first, but NCU responded with three of their own in the bottom of the second from back-to-back solo shots by Tyler Bloom (Montello, WI, Montello High School) and Rene Brockman (Tucson, AZ, Desert View High School), bringing the Rams to within two runs at a score of five to three. Crown managed to keep their distance on the scoreboard by putting together more timely hits in the sixth and seventh innings. With North Central down five heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Rams recorded two RBI singles and one RBI double from Bloom, Parker, and Brockman to bring three more across the plate. Even with the late-game effort, it was not enough as NCU fell by a final score of 10 to 6.

Key Performers

• Tyler Bloom went two-for-four in game two with a home run, a walk, and two RBIs.
• Rene Brockman recorded his sixth long ball of the season and a two-for-four showing in game two.
• True freshman Primeau Hill (Andover, MN, Legacy Christian Academy) recorded two hits for North Central at the plate.

Looking Ahead

Rams baseball will look to bounce back in their next matchup as they travel to Northland College on Wednesday to take on the Northland College Lumberjacks in another UMAC doubleheader showdown. First pitch is slated for 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. To view Northland's COVID-19 policy on fan attendance for the upcoming game, please click here. Fans are encouraged to stay posted to official Rams social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for all upcoming game information, such as live video and statistics.