NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Carroll baseball concluded the final weekend series of the 2025 regular season on Sunday evening, falling to North Central College by a score of 7-3. North Central (20-16, 11-5 CCIW) clinched a spot in the 2025 CCIW Postseason Tournament with the victory. Carroll (20-16, 11-5 CCIW) managed five hits but committed four errors that proved critical in the defeat.

No Pioneer had a multi-hit afternoon in game three of the series, but Joey Appino, Jimmy Williams, Lane Scott, Andres Gonzalez, and Leo Matuga made their way on base with one hit apiece. A 2 RBI double from Appino in the fourth inning gave him his 16th double of the season, moving him into second place in the Carroll record books for doubles in a single season, just four short of the single season record. He is also five shy of the career doubles record in a Pioneer uniform.

After two quiet innings from both sides to start, Carroll was the first to strike, as Appino crossed the plate off a Dalen Lamberson ground out. The Appino double to the left center grass tacked on insurance runs for the Pioneers, as they held a 3-0 lead through three and a half. North Central plated one in the bottom half of the inning to remain within striking distance, but Carroll minimized damage to retain the lead. Two more quiet innings ensued, as Carroll had no hits and North Central three but no runs, keeping the game at a 3-1 Pioneer lead entering the seventh inning. North Central's bats came alive in the seventh and eighth, plating three runs in both frames with six hits combined in the two innings. The lead was too much to overcome as Carroll could not maintain their early rhythm and the Pioneers left Naperville suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals.

Three Pioneers dealt in the Sunday contest, with Tyler Fredrick pitching another efficient outing, allowing eight hits and two earned runs through six complete innings. Chayce Schultz was next in line in relief, suffering the defeat in the pivotal seventh inning. Connor Nolen tossed the eighth inning, allowing three runs while striking out the side.

Carroll returns home for the final CCIW game of the regular season, as they face Illinois Wesleyan in what will likely be a must-win scenario in order to remain in contention for a postseason seed. First pitch from Frame Park will be at 5 p.m.