Centerfielder Andy Athans threw out the potential tying at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve a 5-4 victory over Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee on Mionday.
North Park scored an unearned run in the top of the first. Wade Yunker hit a one-out single, took third on an error, and scored on Athans’ sacrifice fly to right. The Warriors tied the score with a two-out single off Viking starter Travis Boyer.
Another unearned run gave the Vikings the lead in the third. Nick Marino and Ryan Javech reached on consecutive errors, and Yunker hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Marino. The Warriors once again knotted the game with a pair of singles sandwiched around a stolen base and a wild pitch.
In the seventh, North Park would regain the lead on Mike Domenick’s double to right-center to drive in Javech. The Warriors came back to tie the contest again in the eighth against reliever Jake Hollinsaid on a single, a stolen base, and an error.
North Park broke through with two runs in the ninth when Javech singled, moved up on Yunker’s third sacrifice of the game, and scored on Athans’ double. Brian Staats followed with a single to score Athans for a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Hollinsaid gave up back-to-back singles to start the inning. Tito Garza came in to pitch and recorded a strikeout, a walk, and a strikeout before yielding a single up the middle by Jake Thorsteins. The runner on second, Justin Barkhurst, raced to the plate to try and tie the score, but Athans pegged the ball to Javech, and the Viking catcher made the tag up the third-base line to end the game.
Hollinsaid worked three innings to pick up his fourth win. Garza was credited with the save for his efforts in the ninth. Boyer worked five innings in his first career start, allowing five hits and two runs, walking four and striking out three. On the offensive side of the ledger, Javech was the lone Viking with two hits; he also scored twice. Yunker was 1-for-1 with a walk and three sacrifices. Domenick, Athans, Staats, Edwin Loza, Trevor Popp, and Marino each chipped in a hit.
The Vikings (10-5) play a non-conference game against the University of Chicago on Wednesday.
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