Baseball Earns Trip to NCCAA National Tournament; Beilke Throws Complete Game Shutout

ELLENDALE, ND-- The North Central Baseball team earned a second consecutive trip to the NCCAA Division II National Championship Tournament with a weekend sweep of Trinity Bible College. The Rams claimed three strong wins over the host Lions and senior Tom Beilke pitched a complete game shutout win in game one of the series.

The three game weekend series in Ellendale was orginally scheduled as a single 9 inning game on Friday and a 7 inning double-header on Saturday. When NCU was caught in a blizzard during travel on Friday morning that evening's game was moved to Saturday. The three game baseball marathon was controlled by NCU who never trailed in any of the games.

Game one was highlighted by senior slinger Tom Beilke (Elk Mound, Wis.) throwing seven innings of shutout baseball. Beilke scattered five hits over the seven innings while striking out 12 Lion batters and walking only one in the 6-0 Ram's win. He also helped his own cause at the plate going two for three with a walk, two hits, an RBI, and a run scored in his four plate appearances.

Game two was all about the NCU bats exploding for a 19-3 win. The Rams came into the top of the third already up 4-0 and put the game away with a huge nine-run barage. Every spot on the NCU line-up card batted in the third and put the game away for junior hurler Josiah Urlaub (Rockford, Mich.) to pitch a complete game win, his third win of the year. Urlaub scattered five hits over the five innings while striking out six and walking only one. Sophomore third baseman Adam Zvanovec (Farmington, Minn.) had a solid day at the plate going three for four with three hits including two doubles. He also recorded 3 RBI and scored two runs.

The 8-4 game three win was also earned at the plate where NCU went 10 for 24 on the day. Using a line-up of reserves and throwing three different arms, Coach Beasley got the most from his team to claim the series sweep. Zvanovec started the game and threw two innings before giving way to sophomore Scott Franks who also pitched two innings. Sophomore Cory Orman got the save and Franks recorded his first win of the year. Urlaub went three for three at the plate with a double and four runs batted in.

The Rams will travel to Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minn.) on Monday for a weather make-up double-header before traveling to Superior, Wisconsin to face UW-Superior at 3:30pm on Tuesday. There is a possibility of a weather make up double-header with Northwestern College (St. Paul, Minn.) on Wednesday before NCU traveling to Makato to face Bethany Lutheran College, wrapping up the regular season.

On May 6 NCU will travel to Lakeland, Florida for the NCCAA Division II National Baseball Championship Tournament hosted by three-time defending champion Southeastern University. This marks the second consecutive trip to the national tournament for the Rams who finished fourth last season after losing to eventual champ SEU in the first round and narrowly missed a championship rematch losing on a last at bat home run to Hillsdale Freewill Baptist College (Moore, Okla.)

National pairings will announced at the end of the week.