CAROL STREAM, Ill - Carroll University (9-7, 0-5 CCIW) took an early lead but couldn't get the big hit late to put them over the top as they fell to North Park University on Saturday afternoon.

The Pioneers would get out of the gates quickly on the windy afternoon. Jake Langford would triple as the first batter of the game and score on a line-drive sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Hunter Frey to give Carroll the early 1-0 lead.

The Pios would add a run in the third as Ryan Hetherington would single with one out, advance on a ground ball and score on a wild throw into the first base dugout to push the Carroll lead to 2-0.

Carroll would maintain the lead until the bottom of the 5^th.  A North Park lead-off single followed by a perfectly executed push bunt to the right side would put runners at first and second with no out.  A two-strike sacrifice bunt would advance both runners with one out.  Lead-off hitter Seth Dvorak would single home the first run to cut the Pio lead to 2-1.  With one out, a ground ball out would score the second run to make it 2-2, and the final blow of the inning was a two-out base hit to score Dvorak and give the Vikings a 3-2 lead.

North Park would add and insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning and would silence the Pioneer bats to close out the hard fought 4-2 win.

Junior Logan Johnson was solid on the mound for the Pioneers working all eight innings in the loss for Carroll.

The Pios will return to the diamond after the Easter holiday, hosting former Midwest Conference rival St. Norbert at 3pm on Monday.