North Park relied on clutch hitting to back a strong pitching performance by Joel Bonnett as the Vikings topped Elmhurst 6-4 on Thursday at Holmgren Field.
The Bluejays scored a pair of runs in the second on a three consecutive hits off Bonnett, who then settled down and held Elmhurst scoreless though the seventh inning, scattering three hits while walking five. Bonnett was the beneficiary of some excellent infield defense, which featured two sharp double plays turned by second baseman Brian Staatz.
The Vikings threatened in the first, loading the bases against Bluejays righty Cody Boals, but Staatz hit a line drive that was grabbed by Elmhurst’s second baseman and turned for a double play. North Park stranded two runners in the third and fourth innings before finally breaking though in the fifth. Trevor Popp lined a triple to the right field corner, Wade Yunker walked, and a single by Andy Athans cut the Bluejay lead in half. Ryan Javech singled to load the bases, and Devin Melecio coaxed a walk to tie the score. North Park took its first lead of the evening on Melecio’s long home run to the top of the bleachers in right field.
Bonnett was lifted for reliever Tito Garza in the eighth. Elmhurst put the first two runners on before Garza recorded back-to-back strikeouts; however, consecutive singles knotted the game at 4-4. The Bluejays could have retaken the lead, but Athans’ perfect throw to catcher Zach Deutscher nailed Vince Mathe at the plate for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Vikings scored a pair of runs with two outs for the winning margin. Popp walked and moved up on Yunker’s sacrifice bunt. Mike Domenick walked, and Athans and Javech connected on run-scoring singles for a 6-4 lead. Garza (2-0) worked a scoreless ninth, striking out two, to preserve the victory and pick up his second win of the season. Popp, Athans, Javech, and Melecio each had a pair of hits to pace the offense.
The Vikings (13-7, 2-2) travel to Augustana for a weekend CCIW series.
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