St. Paul, MN -- Monday, North Central University (NCU) baseball headed on the road for their last game of the 2026 season, where they were set to face the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles. Today, NCU battled at Reynolds but ultimately fell just short in a tightly contested 6-5 nightcap. The Rams showcased resilience throughout, erasing an early deficit with a three-run fifth inning and out-hitting the Eagles 11-9 in a strong all-around offensive performance.
North Central wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard in the opening frame. Senior infielder
Dawson Barson reached to start the game and later scored on a RBI single from sophomore infielder
Abiram Terron De Jesus. Moments later, freshman utility
Jack Meckler delivered an RBI single to extend the early 2-0 advantage. The Rams continued to apply pressure early, collecting multiple baserunners in the first two innings, but a quick response allowed the home side to take a 5-2 lead through the second inning. Despite the early setback, North Central's offense remained active, consistently putting runners on base and forcing defensive plays. After a pair of scoreless innings, the Rams broke through in the fifth with one of their strongest sequences of the day. Senior infielder
Juan Rodriguez sparked the inning with a base hit before advancing into scoring position. A miscue in the field allowed freshman outfielder
Dante Wade to reach while plating two runs, cutting the deficit. Moments later, junior utility
Nolan Taylor came through with an RBI single to even the game at 5-5. On the mound, freshman right-hander
Justin Hostetler got the start, while graduate right-hander
Cardiff Smith delivered a steady outing in relief, tossing 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and limiting damage to just one run. Senior left-hander
Tim Yohan Dixon added a clean inning with two strikeouts to keep the Rams within striking distance late. The game remained tied into the later innings before a go-ahead run in the seventh created a narrow 6-5 margin. North Central continued to battle, putting runners on in both the eighth and ninth innings, including a late push sparked by Wade's single and Meckler reaching base, but the rally ultimately came up just short.
Top Performers:
- Abiram Terron De Jesus (So., 3B): 3-5, RBI, R
- Nolan Taylor (Jr., CF): 2-4, RBI, SB
- Dawson Barson (Sr., SS): 2-4, R, BB
- Jack Meckler (Fr., RF): 1-2, RBI, R, BB, 2 HBP
Looking Ahead:
With the conclusion of this game, the Rams will wrap up the 2026 season with sights set on the offseason and returning next spring for another year of Rams Baseball.
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