Ashland, WI -- This afternoon, the baseball team from North Central University (NCU) concluded their series against the Northland College (NC) Lumberjacks in a doubleheader. Yesterday, the Rams took the loss from the Lumberjacks with a score of 5-4. Today, North Central would take the series with a pair of 14-3 and 12-11 wins. 

Game 1: NCU 14, NC 3

Northland jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after the first two innings, but North Central quickly seized control. In the third inning, the Rams' offense came alive when junior Jacobi Woodfin and sophomore Nolan Taylor set the table. Junior Dawson Barson singled to spark a rally, and after a walk and a hit-by-pitch, junior Jonah Taylor delivered a two-run single to tie the game. Junior Brett Letness then blasted a two-run double to center to give NCU a 5-2 lead. North Central extended their advantage in the sixth. After N. Taylor walked and stole second, Abiram Terron De Jesus ripped an RBI single, and J. Taylor and Letness once again came through, with Letness crushing a bases-clearing double to right field, making it 9-3. The Rams broke the game wide open in the seventh, capitalizing on several hit batters and wild pitches to plate five more runs. Jonah Taylor added an RBI single, Letness singled in another, and North Central scored twice more on wild pitches to push the score to 14-3. On the mound, freshman Brian Dahlstrand earned his first collegiate win, throwing six solid innings while allowing just three runs (two earned) with three strikeouts. Freshman Tim Bullert closed the door with a perfect seventh inning.

Game 2: NCU 12, NC 11

Game 2 proved to be a wild, back-and-forth affair. North Central again started fast with a two-run first inning after a two-RBI double from Abiram Terron De Jesus. In the second, senior Teagan Burch launched a towering three-run homer to left, stretching the Rams' lead to 5-0. After Northland scratched across runs in the second and third innings, North Central delivered a massive six-run fourth inning. Burch kicked it off with a leadoff double, and after several errors and walks by Northland, the Rams capitalized. Jacobi Woodfin singled in a run, Dawson Barson added an RBI single, and sophomore Caleb Alfaro smashed a bases-clearing double to left to put NCU up 12-2. The hosts refused to go quietly, rallying for three runs in the sixth and eventually cutting the lead to 12-5. Northland continued to battle in the ninth inning, scoring six more runs and loading the bases. But freshman closer, Tim Bullert came in from the bullpen and recorded the final outs to seal the narrow win and earn his first save of the season. Offensively, Barson, Alfaro, Burch, and Terron De Jesus all recorded multi-hit games. Alfaro finished 3-5 with three RBIs, while Burch added three RBIs and two runs scored. On the mound, senior Cameron Pittman picked up the win with 2.2 innings of relief, and Bullert closed out the nail-biting finish.

Top Performers:

• Brett Letness (Fr., 1B/P): combined 4-9, 7 RBIs, 2 R, 2 2B
• Caleb Alfaro (So., LF/P/DH): combined 5-8, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, R, 2B, SAC
• Abiram Terron De Jesus (Fr., 3B): combined 5-8, 4 RBIs, 3 R, 2 BB, 2B
• Teagan Burch (Sr., C): 2-for-6, home run, double, 6 RBIs
• Brian Dahlstrand (Fr., LHP): 6.0 IP, W, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
• Tim Bullert (Fr., RHP): 1.2 IP, S, 1 H, 0 R, 2 SO

Looking Ahead:

NCU will return to Minneapolis to face the Augsburg University Auggies in a doubleheader, scheduled for Wednesday, April 30th at 3:00 PM and 6:00 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.