Ashland, WI -- This evening, the North Central University (NCU) baseball team made their way to Ashland, Wisconsin to begin their final road series against the Northland College (NC) Lumberjacks. When NCU faced NC last season, the Rams swept the Lumberjacks in all three games of the series. Today, North Central would begin the series with a loss after a walk-off run in the bottom of the ninth. 

North Central wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first inning. Junior shortstop Dawson Barson led off with a single and later scored when freshman third baseman Abiram Terron De Jesus ripped an RBI double to left field, giving the Rams a quick 1-0 advantage. Northland answered in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 1-1 following a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. NCU starting pitcher Cardiff Smith worked out of further trouble to keep the game tied. In the top of the third, the Rams regained momentum. Sophomore second baseman Nolan Taylor opened the inning with a perfectly placed bunt single and also stole second. Sophomore outfielder Caleb Alfaro delivered a clutch RBI single to bring Taylor home. After stealing second himself, Alfaro advanced to third on a single from senior catcher Teagan Burch. Terron De Jesus then drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to center field, pushing North Central ahead 3-1. The Rams continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning. After Jacobi Woodfin reached on a single and stole second, N. Taylor came through again, lining an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-1. Northland battled back in the bottom of the fourth, capitalizing on a pair of NCU defensive miscues to trim the Rams' lead to 4-3. They later tied the game in the fifth on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff single and stolen base. Both teams traded zeros across the middle innings, with reliever Tim Yohan Dixon entering in the sixth and tossing strong innings to keep things even. North Central threatened again in the eighth when junior center fielder Jonah Taylor doubled down the left-field line, but the Rams were unable to cash him in. Unfortunately, in the bottom of the ninth, North Central's defense faltered again. After a leadoff error allowed the go-ahead run to move into scoring position, Northland managed to push across the winning run on another miscue, handing the Rams a 5-4 loss.

Top Performers:

• Abiram Terron De Jesus (Fr., 3B): 2-3, 2 RBI, double, sacrifice fly
• Nolan Taylor (So., 2B): 2-4, RBI, stolen base
• Caleb Alfaro (So., LF): 1-4, RBI, run scored, stolen base

Looking Ahead:

The Rams conclude the series against the Lumberjacks tomorrow in a doubleheader, scheduled for 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

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