Vikings Defeat Milikin in Extra-Inning Battle
 
Mike Giovenco was nearly unhittable through seven innings -- three hits, 13 K's -- but came away with a no-decision.
 
Wade Yunker finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored, including a dramatic second-to-home dash in the eleventh for the winning tally.
 
Mike Domenick's two-run single in the bottom of the ninth sent the game into extra innings.
 
Tito Garza moved to 3-0 on the season after logging 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief.
After letting a two-run lead slip away late, North Park stared into the eyes of a 5-2 deficit as they started the bottom of the ninth, but the Vikings put together a three-run rally to tie the game and later scored the winning run on some daring base running in the eleventh to upend Millikin, 6-5, in game one at Holmgren Field.

Viking righty Mike Giovenco was cruising along with a no-hitter through 4 2/3 and carried the shutout into the top of the eighth with a 2-0 lead.  Ryan Javech led off the third with a triple to right and scored on a sacrifice fly by Devin Melecio for a 1-0 lead.  In the seventh, Mike Sommerfield and Trevor Popp hit consecutive singles and Wade Yunker's groundout to second put the Vikings up 2-0.

Giovenco struck out a season-high 13 batters, but walked two hitters with one out in the eighth.  Coach Luke Johnson went to the bullpen, summoning Alex Silverthorne to try and quell the rally.  He unleashed a wild pitch to allow the runners to move up a base, and the next batter singled up the middle to tie the game.  After a second wild pitch, Millikin DH Josh Schultz lifted a fly ball to center, which Andy Athans inexplicably dropped to allow the lead run to score.  Millikin added two more in the ninth.  Silverthorne allowed a single and a sacrifice bunt; reliever Tito Garza gave up a single to Stefan Edwards to put runners at the corner with one out. Edwards stole second, and catcher Zach Deutscher's throw got past Trevor Popp to allow a run to score.  Edwards stole then third.  Theo Facer lifted a fly ball to medium right fieild, which Yunker caught and fired to Deutscher.  The throw beat Edwards to the plate, but he apparently eluded the tag to give Millikin a 5-2 lead.

North Park rallied with one out in the ninth to send the game to extra innings.  Sommerfield singled, Popp walked, and Yunker doubled to drive in Sommerfield and cut the lead to two.  Mike Domenick promptly singled in both runners to knot the score at 5-5.  Athans walked to extend the rally, but Javech lined a shot which was caught by the third baseman and turned into a double play to end the threat.

In the eleventh, Millikin put two on with to two out against Garza with a pair of walks, and the runners moved up on a balk.  Facer hit a soft line drive to Brian Staatz and second, who appeared to make the catch, but the ball deflected away from him toward second base.  Shortstop Popp alertly raced over, picked up the ball, and fired a strike to Berryman at first to get Facer by half a step.

With momentum now on their side, the Vikings had one more dramatic play to seal the win.  Yunker hit a one-out single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Berryman.  Athans hit  agrounder to short, and it looked like Millikin might get out of the inning unscathed, but the shortstop's throw pulled the first baseman well off the bag and allowed Athans to arrive safely.  In the meantime, Yunker was rounding third and being waved home by third base coach Steve Hardman.  Yunker beat the throw from first for te game-winning score.

Giovenco (4-4) worked seven strong innings, allowin two runs on three hits, walking six but fanning 13 -- including his 200th career strikeout.  Garza (3-0) picked up the win with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief, striking out four,  With Silverthorne's two strikeouts, Viking pitchers recorded 19 K's in the game.

The Vikings also collected a dozen hits, with Popp, Yunker, Domenick, Javech, and Sommerfield each chipping in two.

North Park (18-9, 7-3) looks to match its highest win total since 1999 in game two of Saturday's twin bill.  
NORTH PARK 6, MILLIKIN 5 (11 innings)
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