PICTURED ABOVE: Jacob Zeller was 4-for-5 at the plate on Friday night, scoring a pair of runs.

Chicago, Ill. – The Wheaton baseball team dropped the opening game of its three-game series with North Park on Friday night as the Vikings won a 7-5 decision. The two teams will wrap up the series on Monday, May 2 with a doubleheader that is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream. Monday's doubleheader was moved from its original date of Saturday, April 30 because of a forecast on Saturday that calls for 100-percent chance of soaking rain throughout the day.

North Park won tonight's matchup 7-5 as the Vikings scored seven runs, on 11 hits, with three errors and Wheaton registered five runs, on 13 hits, with three errors. Thunder starting pitcher Daniel Bayer worked four innings (2-3) in the loss. He allowed six runs, with only one earned run, on six hits and two walks. John Schmitz pitched four innings of relief as he allowed one earned run, on five hits, with one strikeout and no walks allowed.

Thunder right fielder Jacob Zeller was 4-for-5 at the plate, with a stolen base and two runs scored. Freshman Ben Brittain was 2-for-5 with a RBI. Center fielder Nick Mailman (PICTURED LEFT) had a 2-for-5 effort with a run scored and first baseman Kyle Mellinger was 2-for-5 with a RBI.

North Park starter Jason Meger (5-3) earned the win in nine innings. He allowed 13 Thunder hits, with five earned runs, struck out seven and walked one. North Park first baseman Anthony Bragg was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Catcher Cam Adams was 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Wheaton took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Zeller hit a one-out single through the middle of the infield and he scored two batters later on a RBI-single by Mellinger to give the guests a 1-0 advantage. North Park responded with four unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning to give the Vikings a 4-1 lead. A pair of Wheaton errors in the inning loomed large for the guests.

The Thunder responded with three runs in the top of the third inning to tie the contest at 4-4. Zeller hit a leadoff single to open the top of the third and Andrew Laucella followed with a walk. The duo scored three batters later on a two-run double down the left field line by JD Carpenter. Carpenter tied the game at 4-4 when he scored on a RBI-single by Brittain. North Park quickly regained the lead on a passed ball with the bases loaded to score the runner from third base in the bottom of the third inning.

The Vikings added a run in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. The Thunder cut the Vikings' lead to 6-5 on a RBI-single by Laucella in the top of the sixth as Mailman scored the Wheaton run. North Park added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning to account for the 7-5 final score.