North Park dropped the first game of a home doubleheader against the University of Wisconsin Superior, 4-1. The Vikings failed to generate any offense throughout the contest to back the pitching efforts of Mike Giovenco and Alex Silverthorne.
North Park batters were held in check by Yellowjacket southpaw T.J. Wink (3-0), who scattered seven hits and struck out six Vikings. The home squad could not capitalize on walks to Brian Staatz and Mike Sommerfield in the second. The lone tally for the home team came in the sixth inning as Andy Athans singled, moved up on a groundout by Wade Yunker, and scored on a single by Sommerfield. Their only other threat came in the bottom of the eight as Yunker singled and Staatz was hit by a pitch, but a bang-bang double play ended the threat.
For their part, the Yellowjackets managed only six hits but garnered ten walks. Superior took a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo home run by Alex Lagadin off Giovenco. They added two more in the sixth and one in the ninth against reliever Alex Silverthorne, who worked the last five innings.
Yunker was the lone Viking with two hits, while Nick Marino, Mike Domenick, Athans, Sommerfield, and Trevor Popp each chipped in one. Giovenco (2-3) worked four innings, allowing two hits but walking five while striking out six. Silverthorne finished up on the mound with five innings of three-run, four-hit ball.
The Vikings (8-5) look to rebound in the nightcap.
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