Duluth, MN -- This evening, the North Central University (NCU) baseball team traveled to Duluth for a doubleheader against the College of St. Scholastica (CSS). In a return matchup from their 2024 season opener, the Rams faced tough outings in both contests, falling by identical scores of 14-2. Despite the losses, North Central saw bright spots at the plate from Caleb Alfaro, Teagan Burch, and Jonah Taylor. 

Game 1: NCU 2, CSS 14

The Rams showed early signs of offense when senior catcher Teagan Burch launched a solo home run in the second inning to spark North Central's scoring. An inning later, sophomore infielder Nolan Taylor reached base and later came around to score on a wild pitch to bring the Rams within four at the time. NCU's offense was led by junior infielder Dawson Barson and junior outfielder Jonah Taylor, who each tallied two hits. Barson opened the game with a double, while Taylor added a pair of singles and scored once. Freshman third baseman Abiram De Jesus also recorded a base hit, contributing to the Rams' seven-hit effort. On the mound, junior left-hander Tim Yohan Dixon got the start and was followed by freshman right-hander Tim Bullert, sophomore Jacob Garcia, and graduate outfielder/pitcher Nate Boyer, who provided an inning of relief to finish the game.

Game 2: NCU 2, CSS 14

In game two, the Rams once again struck in the third inning. After Jonah Taylor singled, sophomore outfielder Caleb Alfaro laced a triple to right field to drive him in. Jacob Garcia, shifting into the designated hitter role, followed up with a run-scoring single to plate Alfaro. The team captain, Alfaro, led the offense in the nightcap with a 3-4 performance, including a triple and an RBI. Freshman utility player Jayden Mersereau and senior infielder Chris Garza each added singles in the later innings, while J. Taylor and Abiram De Jesus each reached base again. Senior left-hander Michael Newsome started on the hill for the Rams, with relief efforts coming from sophomore Nolan Taylor, freshman Cameron Stout, senior Cameron Pittman, and junior Brett Letness, who closed out the final frame with a scoreless inning.

Top Performers:

• Caleb Alfaro (So., LF): combined 4-7, 3B, RBI, R
• Teagan Burch (Sr., C): 2-for-6, HR, RBI, R
• Jonah Taylor (Jr., CF): 3-for-7, 2 R

Looking Ahead:

North Central will continue on the road as they begin a series against the Northland College (NC) Lumberjacks. The first game will begin on Friday, April 25th at 3:00 PM.

All fans are encouraged to tune into the official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) pages for updates on baseball and all things NCU Athletics.