Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Baseball Team Swept by Iowa, 4-0 and 6-3
4/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 30, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern University baseball team got off to a slow start Saturday, and it was all downhill from there as the Wildcats dropped a pair of games to Iowa. The Hawkeyes took the first game, 4-0, and then came from behind to down NU, 6-3, in the nightcap.
The losses put the Wildcats at 24-21 (8-11 Big Ten), while Iowa improved to 15-30 (8-15 Big Ten).
Gabe Ribas was on the hill for Northwestern, and though he had another strong outing, there was nothing he could do afterward but accept the loss. That's because his counterpart, Iowa's Chad Blackwell, hurled a perfect game against the Wildcats. Blackwell was in total command throughout the game, throwing just 69 pitches in the 7-inning gem. It marked the first Hawkeye no-hitter since 1979, and the first ever tossed against a Big Ten opponent.
Northwestern got off to a better start in Game 2. After being set down 1-2-3 in the first and Joe Hietpas (Appleton, Wis.) grounded out to lead off the second -- extending Iowa's mastery of NU hitters to 31 dating back to Friday -- Pat Thompson (Libertyville, Ill.) roped a single to left field. Two batters later, Brandon Ackley (Carmel, Ind.) looked like he struck out to end the inning, but the ball got away from Iowa catcher Brad Husz and Ackley reached first safely. Kris Musselman (Indian Springs, Ohio) then singled to score Thompson. On the play, Ackley tried to score from first but was gunned down at the plate.
Iowa got to NU starter Dan Padgett (Littleton, Colo.) in the third inning, as Alex Dvorsky singled in Brian Burks.
Northwestern regained control in the fifth inning, scoring a run when Jeremy Kurella (Dunedin, Fla.) scored Ackley with a double to right-center. The speedy Kurella was thrown out at third on the play, though, trying to stretch it into a triple. One inning later, the Wildcats constructed another run when J.P. Williamson (Oak Park, Ill.) singled to lead off, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bob Dainton (Mokena, Ill.) and scored on a pinch single by J.J. Standring (Chicago, Ill.).
The Hawkeyes rallied in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, singles by Andy Jansen, Brian Bucklin and Jim Reid loaded the bases. Jason Edgecombe pinch hit for Husz, and sent a grounder to second base that Williamson misplayed. Two runs scored on the play, tying the contest, and Reid went to third. Burks gave UI the lead with a single, and Edgecombe came home one batter later when Kurt Vitense lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. The Hawkeyes tacked on another run before the Wildcats could close the floodgates.
That was more than enough for Iowa closer Reed Pawelk, who set the 'Cats down 1-2-3 in the seventh to record the save.
NU and Iowa will conclude their four-game set Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
