Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Baseball Delivers Clutch Hits in 7-3 Win Over Iowa
5/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2002
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Northwestern opened up its four-game conference series with the Iowa Hawkeyes, winning game one, 7-3. The win improves NU's record to 18-21 overall and 9-10 in the Big Ten. Iowa falls to 19-21-1 overall, 8-12 in the conference.
The Wildcats threatened early, loading the bases in the top of the second. Two popouts, however, by shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) and second baseman Eric Roeder (Onsted, Mich./Onsted) ended the threat.
NU took advantage of Iowa starter Reed Pawelk's first season error as he overthrew the first baseman on a pickoff attempt, allowing Ken Padgett (Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe) to advance to second. Padgett hustled home on Mikrut's seeing-eye single through the left side, making the score 1-0.
NU scored again in the top of the sixth as left fielder Dan Pohlman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) singled through the left side and stole second two pitches later. The catcher, Padgett, was up when Pohlman stole, hit a two-out single through the left side, allowing Pohlman to score and making the score 2-0 Northwestern.
Iowa answered in the inning's bottom half, scoring two runs on two hits. Leadoff hitter Ian Mattiace scored the first run, hitting his seventh home run (a solo shot) of the season. The Hawkeyes tied the score at 2-2 when first baseman Brad Carlson hit his fourth sacrifice fly of the year on a shot deep to right field.
The Wildcats took advantage of Pawelk's third leadoff walk of the game as Roeder earned the free pass. Roeder crossed the plate on a botched third-to-first move that the third base umpire ruled a balk. Ackley, who also reached on a free pass advanced to second on the balk call and came around to score on first baseman Travis Tharp's (Boulder, Colo./Boulder) single to center.
Iowa got a run back in the bottom half of seventh as designated hitter Brian Bucklin hit his third home run of the year, making the score 4-3 Northwestern.
In the ninth, leadoff hitter Steve Haake (Belleville, Ill./Gibault) and center fielder David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) each singled and advanced 90-feet on Ackley's perfectly executed sacrifice bunt. With one out, Tharp was intentionally walked, bringing up designated hitter Jason Krynski (Niles, Ill./Niles West). Krynski made the intentional walk pay, lining a double down the left field line and clearing the bases for a 7-3 NU lead.
Freshman left-hander James Happ (Peru, Ill./St. Bede Academy) relieved senior right-hander Zach Schara (Madison, Wis./West) in the ninth, giving up one hit and a walk. Schara pitched eight strong innings, giving up five hits, which included two solo home runs. He picked up his fourth win of the season. Schara struck out four Hawkeyes bringing him six strikeouts shy of NU's career record (273).
Offensively, NU managed nine hits as Pohlman and Padgett each had two. Krynski drove in three runs in his only hit (in the ninth) bringing his season RBI total to 17. Padgett improved his batting average nine points, bringing it up to .345.
For more information on the Big Ten baseball standings, log on to www.bigten.org.
