Pete Sparacino turned in his second straight complete-game performance and Andy Athans launched a dramatic game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as North Park took game two of Saturday’s doubleheader, 3-2, over UW Superior. It was the Vikings’ first win against a University of Wisconsin opponent since an 8-2 win over UW Parkside in 1991.
Game two looked to be a repeat performance of the first game’s tight contest, which the Vikings lost 4-1. North Park moundsman Pete Sparacino dueled with the Jackets’ Nick Bursik for eight innings, during which the two teams combined for seven hits. Superior took a 1-0 lead in the first on a pair of singles and a passed ball. The Vikings came back to tie the game in their half of the first after Ryan Javech doubled, moved up on a wild pitch, and came in on a groundout off the bat of Mike Domenick. The Jackets regained the lead in the third on a hit batsman and a double; a nice relay from Athans to Nick Marino to Trevor Popp cut the runner down trying to advance to third and end the threat.
After the second inning, both starters cruised along - Sparacino allowing just a single in the seventh while retiring eleven in a row, and Bursik allowing a single to Athans in the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, UW Superior brought in its closer, Dan Lindsey, in search of his third save, but Wade Yunker drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and was along for the ride as Athans smacked a two-run homer to right center to put the game in the win column for the Vikings.
North Park moves to 9-5 on the season. The Vikings travel to Milwaukee on Monday to play Wisconsin Lutheran, then face the University of Chicago for one more non-conference game on Wednesday before opening CCIW action with a three-game weekend series against North Central.
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