Naperville, Ill. - Host North Central took a 2-0 lead in the first and never trailed on the way to a 5-1 victory over DePauw. The Tigers dropped to 7-7, while the Cardinals improved to 9-2.

Luke Lehnen led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Dom Listi's single. Jared Wojcik followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Rob Marinec who earlier walked.

Charlie Patrick's solo homer in the fourth cut the lead in half, but North Central go that run back in the sixth as Listi was hit by a pitch to start the frame ad later scored on Brent Swenson's single. Marinec's two-run homer in the seventh wrapped up the scoring.

Patrick had two of DePauw's six hits, while Swenson had two of the Cardinals' nine hits.

Joe Runnells dropped to 2-2 with the loss, while Jason Shanner improved to 2-0 and Ryan Behling collected his first save.

DePauw opens North Coast Athletic Conference play on Friday, April 2, with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Wabash at Walker Field.