Wade Yunker’s grand slam highlighted a seven-run eighth inning and Jake Hollinsaid picked up his third win of the season as North Park completed a doubleheader sweep of Dominican, taking the nightcap 14-7.
The Vikings took a 2-0 lead in the second on a run-scoring double by Ryan Javech and a single by Brian Staatz. They widened the lead with three more in the third: a bases-loaded groundout by Staatz scored Trevor Popp, and walks to Yunker and Mike Sommerfield drove in Mike Domenick and Andy Athans.
The Stars cut the margin on the strength of a two-run homer by Perry Strickland, his second of the afternoon. In the top of the fifth Devin Melecio hit a two-run shot to right-center to put the Vikings back up by five. Hollinsaid, cruising along with a three-hitter through five innings, gave up three in the sixth on three hits and two hit batsmen. Alex Silverthorne worked a scoreless seventh in relief to set the stage for the Vikings’ big inning in the eighth.
Sommerfield led off with a single and stole second. After Nick Marino popped out, Trevor Popp tried to reach on a drag bunt. The throw beat him to the bag, but the ball was dropped by the Dominican first baseman. Popp stole second and came in on Domenick’s two-run single. Andy Athans singled and Staatz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Melecio’s single put North Park up 10-5, then Yunker deposited a pitch into the right-center field bleachers for his first home run as a Viking, a grand slam that iced the game.
Dominican managed a pair of runs in their half of the eighth off Silverthorne, but Sean Turnbull worked a perfect ninth to finish the game.
Athans finished the game with a 5-for-6 effort, while Domenick, Javech, Staatz, Melecio, Yunker, and Sommerfield each collected two hits. Hollinsaid worked six innings for his third win.
The Vikings (7-2) travel to St. Louis on Monday to take on Webster University for a pair of contests. |
