Morris, MN -- Monday, North Central University (NCU) baseball returned to UMAC play in a rescheduled Game 3 of the series against Minnesota Morris, originally slated for April 3 and April 8 but pushed back due to weather. The Rams battled throughout and showed resilience at the plate, highlighted by a four-hit performance from senior infielder Dawson Barson, but ultimately fell 9-6 despite a late push to close the gap. 

After falling behind 1-0, the Rams answered in the third inning. Senior infielders Juan Rodriguez and Dawson Barson both reached safely, allowing sophomore infielder Abiram Terron De Jesus to lift a sacrifice fly to center, tying the game at 1-1 and continuing a trend of productive situational hitting. The Rams found their biggest breakthrough in the fifth inning, stringing together disciplined at-bats and capitalizing on defensive miscues. Freshman outfielder Dante Wade drew a walk and later stole third, setting the table for the rally. With the bases loaded, freshman infielder Jack Meckler was hit by a pitch to bring in a run, while junior outfielder Jacobi Woodfin followed with an RBI fielder's choice. North Central plated three runs in the frame to take a 4-3 lead, showcasing their ability to manufacture offense without relying on extra-base hits. On the mound, freshman right-handed pitcher Darrion Wesley delivered a solid start, striking out five over 4.0 innings while limiting damage and keeping the Rams within reach early. Freshman right-hander Ivan Demel (Fr., RHP/IF) provided a strong finish out of the bullpen, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to stabilize the game late. Trailing late, North Central continued to compete into the ninth inning. Barson reached once again to spark the rally, and Terron De Jesus delivered a base hit to load the bases. Meckler was hit by a pitch for his second RBI of the game, and Woodfin added another RBI on a fielder's choice to bring the Rams within three runs. The late push highlighted the team's persistence and ability to generate offense under pressure, finishing the game with six runs on six hits while drawing eight walks. Ultimately, NCU fell 9-6, losing the season series to MN-Morris. 

Top Performers:

• Dawson Barson (Sr., SS): 4-4, 2B, 3 R, HBP
• Abiram Terron De Jesus (So., 3B): 1-2, RBI, R, 2 BB, SF
• Darrion Wesley (Fr., RHP): 4.0 IP, 5 K

Looking Ahead:

Up next, the Rams travel to Northfield, Minnesota for a midweek non-conference doubleheader against Carleton College on Wednesday, April 22. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 2:30 PM, followed by Game 2 at 5:00 PM at Mel Taube Field.

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.