Box Score NOTE: FULL STATS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE

SAUGET, IL - Damen Castillo hit a go-ahead two-run homer as the Benedictine University baseball team opened the year with a win against North Park in the St. Louis area.

FINAL SCORE
Benedictine 6, North Park 1

THE DETAILS
- North Park tallied three consecutive hits in the bottom of the first to open an early 1-0 lead
- All-American Kevin Bushnell opened the fourth inning with a double in front of Castillo, who sent a 1-2 pitch high over the big wall in left to put Benedictine ahead
- Justin Sosa settled in on the hill and cruised through five innings, retiring the final five batters including the last two via strikeout
- Jack Carlson logged a one-out single in the seventh
- Following a two-out walk to Alex Cameron, Steven Salvino singled home a pair to move the lead to 4-1
- Another run scored in the eighth after Anthony Lenza opened the inning with a double
- Castillo singled sharply up the middle to knock home his third run of the game and make the score 5-1
- The final run crossed in the ninth on a double from Cameron to score Sam Tickel, who walked to open the frame

STAT LEADERS
- Benedictine finished with 10 hits in the contest, four of which went for extra bases
- All nine members of the starting lineup picked up a hit
- Castillo finished 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs
- Sosa allowed just the first inning run in his five innings to earn the win, walking two and striking out five
- Andrew Kurcz struck out seven in four scoreless innings to pick up the save

UP NEXT
Benedictine (1-0) has had another schedule change on the trip due to expected weather. The game against Transylvania will take place at 10:00 am instead of 1pm.