NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The fifth-seeded Carroll University baseball team lost to top-seeded regular-season conference champion and No. 15-ranked North Central College 10-0 in seven innings in the second round of the College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin Tournament at Zimmerman Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Carroll, which advanced to the prestigious six-team tournament for the second consecutive year and second time in program history, was officially eliminated with the season-ending loss.
The Pioneers finished the highly successful year 18-23 overall.
North Central, which improved to 31-11 overall, scored what became the winning runs on a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.
Mitchell Massino delivered a one-out double down the left-field line and Thomas Ward followed with a single to left field in the top of the second for the Pioneers, who managed only three hits in the pressure-packed contest and stranded five baserunners. Trevor Benz added a one-out double to left field in the third.
North Central generated 12 hits including four extra-base hits (one homer and three doubles). The Cardinals broke the game wide open with six runs on five hits in the fourth. 
The Pioneers utilized six pitchers in the showdown including Brett Buzzelli, Zach Tuss, Dawson Kiphart, Connor Kelly, Andrew Stekiel and Connor Nolen.
Buzzelli, a sophomore right-hander from Homer Glen, Ill., took the loss allowing five earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk through 3 2/3 innings.
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