Pete Sparacino struck out ten batters while allowing only one earned run as North Park completed a doubleheader sweep of Millikin, taking game two by a score of 9-2.
Millkin got on the board first when leadoff batter Stefan Edwards was awarded first on catcher's interference and later scored on a single. North Park countered with a run in the bottom of the stanza on singles by Trevor Popp, Wade Yunker, and Andy Athans. A Zach Deustcher solo home run to left put the Vikings on top 2-1 after two innings were in the books. The home team tacked on two more in the third as Mike Domenick and Athans each singled, and both came home when Brian Staatz tripled to left center.
The Big Blue had their biggest threat of the game in the fifth as the first three batters singled to load the bases. Sparacino got Sean Ryan to ground to third, and Ryan Javech forced the lead runner at home. Sparacino then struck out Kevin Campbell and induced Lance Bolton to hit a one-hopper back to the mound for a scoreless inning.
The two teams traded single runs in the sixth. Millikin used three consecutive singles to cut the deficit to 4-2, but the Vikings responded when Popp doubled and scored on a single by Domenick. They blew the game open in the seventh with three runs: Devin Melecio drew a one-out walk, Staatz reached on an error, Deutscher cracked a two-run double, and Sommerfield singled for an 8-2 lead. The Vikes wrapped up the scoring in the eight on singles by Yunker and Domenick and a sacrifice fly to deep center by Athans. Nick Soldano worked a scoreless ninth to close out the game.
With the victory, North Park (19-9, 8-3) matches its best season win total since 1999. They look to stay in the hunt for a CCIW berth as they host Millikin for the third and final game of the season series on Sunday. |
