Winter Haven, FL -- The North Central University (NCU) baseball team continued its Florida slate Monday with a doubleheader matchup against the Marymount University (MU) Saints. After splitting the opening day of their Florida trip, the Rams looked to build momentum in day two action as several hitters produced strong performances at the plate throughout the afternoon. Despite this, NCU fell 18-6 and 10-0 to Marymount.

Game 1: NCU 6, MU 18

North Central jumped out to an early lead in the opening inning with a disciplined approach at the plate. Freshman infielder Anthony Barajas worked a leadoff walk before senior infielder Dawson Barson and senior infielder Juan Rodriguez followed with walks to load the bases. With the pressure mounting, sophomore infielder Abiram Terron De Jesus drew another walk to push across the Rams' first run. Moments later, freshman infielder/outfielder Jack Meckler earned a bases-loaded walk to trim the deficit to one. The biggest swing of the inning came from freshman catcher Aaron Alvarado, who lined a two-run single to right field to give North Central a quick 4-3 advantage after the first inning. Barson continued to lead the Rams offensively as the senior shortstop delivered two doubles in the contest, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Alvarado also produced a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Meckler added a double and an RBI as North Central tallied seven hits as a team. On the mound, graduate right-handed pitcher Cardiff Smith started for the Rams and recorded four strikeouts across three innings of work. North Central utilized multiple arms in relief, including sophomore outfielder/left-handed pitcher John Patty, freshman infielder/right-handed pitcher Luca Villano, and junior outfielder/right-handed pitcher Jacob Garcia, who closed the final three innings. Despite the early four-run rally and several quality offensive performances, the Rams were unable to maintain the lead and fell 18-6.

Game 2: NCU 0, MU 10

North Central returned to the field in the second game of the doubleheader, looking to bounce back behind a new pitching combination and a strong defensive start. Freshman right-handed pitcher Justin Hostetler drew the start and delivered four innings on the mound, working through early traffic while keeping the game within reach. Hostetler scattered seven hits and battled through several high-pressure moments before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Offensively, the Rams found it difficult to generate sustained rallies, but several hitters still produced quality at-bats. Rodriguez led the offense with a single, while Meckler added another base hit as the Rams recorded two hits in the contest. North Central's bullpen featured sophomore right-handed pitcher Jayden Mersereau and junior utility player Nolan Taylor, who combined to finish the final two innings on the mound. Taylor provided the Rams with the longest relief appearance of the afternoon, working the final 1.2 innings to close the game. While the Rams battled throughout the contest, they were unable to break through offensively against a strong pitching performance on the opposing side.

Top Performers: 

• Dawson Barson (Sr., SS): Game 1: 2-3, 2 2B, 2 R, BB
• Aaron Alvarado (Fr., C): Game 1: 2-3, 2 RBI
• Jack Meckler (Fr., LF/RF): combined 2-5, RBI, R, 2B, BB

Looking Ahead: 

Up next, North Central continues its Florida trip with a doubleheader versus Blackburn College (IL) on Tuesday, March 10th in Winter Haven, FL. Game times for both games are scheduled for 8:00 AM CT and 10:30 AM CT.

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