Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota
Schara Dominates On Mound as Wildcats Down Minnesota 5-2
5/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 23, 2002
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - At the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn., sixth-seeded Northwestern continued its winning ways, taking down top-seeded Minnesota 5-2 on a cold night at Siebert Field. Winning its fourth game in a row, NU advanced to a semifinal match-up against second-seed Ohio State. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Friday.
Just as it did in its opening tourney game against Michigan State, the Wildcats fell behind early as the regular-season Big Ten champion Gophers took a 2-0 lead after the first two innings.
But, just like they have done all year long, the 'Cats did not quit, coming right back in the fourth when left fielder Dan Pohlman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) singled home two runs to even the score. Right fielder Brandon Ackley (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and first baseman Travis Tharp (Boulder, Colo./Boulder) each hit one-out singles to right field and advanced 90 feet when Minnesota native Todd Morgan (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) hit a slow roller to first, setting the table for Pohlman.
The Wildcats took the lead in the sixth when pinch-hitter Jason Krynski (Niles, Ill./Niles West) lined the first pitch he saw into center field, scoring two runs. Center fielder David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) started off the inning with a single through the right side and went to second on Ackley's single to left. Tharp was up next and was hit by a pitch on an attempted sacrifice bunt, loading the bases with no outs and bringing up Krynski.
The story of the game, however, was on the mound as senior right-hander Zach Schara (Madison, Wis./West) dominated the Minnesota hitters from the second inning on. After going 1-2-3 in the first, Schara surrendered two runs in the second and settled down from there. He threw eight complete innings, allowing just two hits after the second inning and striking out seven.
It was a repeat performance of classmate Gabe Ribas' (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) eight-inning outing against Michigan State the night before. Ribas went eight complete, striking out seven and allowing three hits after surrendering single runs in the first and second innings. NU won that game 4-2.
Interestingly, Schara was not the scheduled pitcher for Thursday's game. Senior Ryan Bos (Barrington, Ill./Lake Zurich), who earlier this week, was named a third-team All-Big Ten selection, was slated to go against the Gophers.
"Ryan came up tight, and instead of forcing the issue, we decided to go with Zach," said NU Head Coach Paul Stevens. "Zach did a great job. If anyone can get the job done, it's him."
"The whole day I felt great, I was very loose the whole day," said Schara. "In the middle innings I got ahead of the batters; I was happy with my performance. The cold weather doesn't matter when you have this much adrenaline."
NU added an insurance run in the ninth as shortstop/closer Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) hit an infield single and went to second, capitalizing on a Gopher fielding error. The error came when second baseman Eric Roeder's (Onsted, Mich./Onsted) groundball to short was mishandled. Gresky followed with a single to right, bringing Mikrut around from second and giving the 'Cats a 5-2 advantage.
In the ninth, Schara walked the leadoff hitter and was replaced by Mikrut. On Mikrut's third pitch to the plate, the ball dribbled away from catcher Ken Padgett (Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe) who quickly gathered the loose ball and fired a bullet to second base, cutting down the would-be base stealer for the first out of the inning. Padgett threw out both steal attempts in the game. Mikrut recorded his team leading sixth save of the season and second in as many games. Mikrut pitched the ninth inning against Michigan State the night before.
"Schara pitched a heck of a game," said Minnesota second baseman Luke Appert. "My hats off to him. His pitches hit the inside and outside of the plate, and he had a big curve. All three of his pitches were working which kept us off balance. We put two runs up and had a few calls not go our way. Schara got in a groove and stuck with it. He kept mowing us down; no one could come up with a big hit."
For more information on the 2002 Big Ten Tournament, visit Minnesota's tournament site at Big Ten Baseball Tournament.
