St. Paul, MN -- Saturday, North Central University (NCU) Baseball continued their series against the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles today in a doubleheader. After falling 11-6 in Friday's series opener, the Rams returned with determination in Saturday's twin bill. Game one became a dramatic extra-innings shootout that NCU narrowly dropped 13-12 in 10 innings, and game two saw NCU fall 13-3 in eight innings despite some bright individual performances.

Game 1: NCU 12, UNW 13 (10 inn.)

Game one was a rollercoaster from start to finish, with NCU putting together their most complete offensive performance of the season. The Rams opened with a two-run first inning, sparked by aggressive base running from Jacobi Woodfin and RBI production from Teagan Burch and Brett Letness. After building a 4-0 lead through three innings, thanks in part to a double from Dawson Barson and a run-scoring double from Burch, NCU looked firmly in control. UNW responded with three runs in the bottom of the third, cutting the Rams' lead to one. NCU answered with two more in the fifth, fueled by back-to-back doubles from Letness and Jonah Taylor. Despite that, the Eagles kept the pressure on and tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth before both teams exchanged momentum swings over the next two innings. In the seventh, NCU plated two more on a sacrifice fly from Chris Garza and a double by Jacob Garcia. The Rams then erupted for four runs in the eighth to push ahead 12-8, highlighted by a go-ahead RBI single from J. Taylor and a towering three-run home run by Abiram Terron De Jesus that electrified the NCU dugout. But the Eagles didn't go quietly. After cutting the lead in the seventh, they rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, then scored the walk-off run on a sac fly in the bottom of the tenth. Despite the heartbreaking finish, the Rams showcased their offensive potential in a game that featured 16 hits, including six extra-base knocks.

Game 2: NCU 3, UNW 13 (8 inn.)

Game two started off promising for North Central, as Jonah Taylor once again sparked the offense with a two-out triple in the second inning before scoring on a wild pitch to give the Rams a 1-0 lead. In the third, Jordan Trevino launched his first home run of the season, a bomb to left field, to extend the Rams' early advantage to 2-0. However, UNW quickly responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third to take the lead. The Rams had a chance to answer in the fourth when Taylor drew a walk and reached second, but the opportunity was cut short by a double play. The fifth and sixth innings proved to be the turning point, as the Eagles broke the game open with nine combined runs, capitalizing on a mix of walks, hit batters, and extra-base hits. NCU tried to mount a response in the seventh, with Nicholas Vieau and Eagan Monahan stringing together base hits to set up a scoring opportunity. Dawson Barson followed with a clutch RBI double to bring in a run, but the rally was cut short by a deep flyout. Jayden Mersereau gave the Rams a lift at the plate with a double and single in his first appearance of the series behind the plate, and Nate Boyer chipped in with a single and scored a run. On the mound, Brian Dahlstrand held UNW scoreless through two innings before their offense found rhythm, and Garcia, Cameron Stout, and Tim Bullert worked in relief. Despite the loss, the Rams continued to show flashes of their offensive depth and grit, particularly in the early innings.

Top Performers:

• Jonah Taylor (Jr., CF): combined 4-6, 2 RBI, 3 R, 3B, 2 2B, SB, BB
• Brett Letness (Jr., 1B): 3-6, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2B (game one)
• Teagan Burch (Sr., C): 2-4, 4 R, RBI, 2B, 2 BB (game one)
• Abiram Terron De Jesus (Fr., 3B): HR, 3 RBI, R, BB (game one)
• Jordan Trevino (So., DH): 1-2, HR, RBI, R (game two)

Looking Ahead:

NCU will continue UMAC play as they travel to St. Bonifacius to face the Crown College (CC) Polars. The game is scheduled for Friday, March 28th at 3:00 PM.

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