CAROL STREAM, Ill. - With a victory on the line, the battle-tested Carroll University baseball team simply saved its best for last.
The fourth-seeded Pioneers upset top-seeded three-time defending league champion and No. 9-ranked North Central College 11-6 in a hard-fought three-hour 10-inning showdown to wrap up the second round of the CCIW Tournament at Wheaton College's Lee Pfund Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Carroll, which won its second consecutive game to improve to 22-20 overall, is scheduled to face third-seeded Millikin in a CCIW semifinal matchup at Lee Pfund Stadium on Friday at 3 p.m.
Millikin defeated second-seeded Augustana 5-3 in another second-round game Thursday.
As the game remained tied 6-6 after nine innings, Carroll answered the pressure-packed challenge by responding with five runs on five hits in what proved to be a decisive top of the 10th inning, highlighted by what became a game-winning one-out RBI single by Benton Holly, a two-run single to right field by Nick Angus and a gritty two-run single to center field by Alec Honickel (who was fighting through severe leg cramps during the at-bat).
Carroll scored four runs on four hits in the momentum-building top of the first inning, including a one-out RBI triple to right field by Dylan Callahan, a run-scoring groundout by Mitchell Massino and a two-run home run to left-center field by Justin Baker.
Callahan followed with a solo home run to left-center field in the third to extend the lead to 5-0.
North Central trimmed the deficit to 5-2 on a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the fifth and tied the game with three-runs in the sixth, fueled by a one-out RBI triple, two-out run-scoring single and a game-tying RBI single.
Carroll, which amassed 15 hits (including three homers, a triple and a double), reclaimed a 6-5 lead in the seventh on a solo homer over the fence in left-center field by Honickel.
North Central, which dropped to 34-8 overall, tied the game on a two-out run-scoring double in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, setting the stage for the Pioneers.
Honickel went 3-for-5 with a homer, three RBIs and a run scored to lead an aggressive offensive attack for Carroll, which claimed its third victory over the nationally ranked Cardinals this season. Callahan and Holly each contributed three hits with Baker and Angus following with two hits apiece.
The Pioneers utilized five pitchers and showcased their depth in the second-round battle.
Ben Ellifson was the starter, yielding five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk through 5 2/3 innings.
Josh Streu came in relief of Ellifson in the sixth and Dawson Kiphart followed in the seventh, combining to allow no runs on two hits.
Jake Nitch, who pitched the ninth and earned the victory, yielded one run on two hits with one strikeout and one walk. Josh Nitch picked up a save, working a scoreless 10th forcing a game-ending groundout.
Rob Marinec went 5-for-6 and drove in three runs for North Central, which finished with 12 hits, stranded 13 baserunners and committed two errors.
Tyler Jones took the loss for the Cardinals, allowing three runs on three hits with one strikeout and one walk in working three complete innings.
Stay up to date on Carroll baseball by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics)