Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Brigham Young
Northwestern Sweeps Opening Day Doubleheader
2/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2003
Missouri Box Score in PDF Format
PHOENIX, Ariz. -
Northwestern's baseball team finally got the 2003 season under way, defeating Missouri in the first of two games, 5-3, and ending the day with a 1-0 win over BYU. After waiting two days to start the season because of rain, pitching and defense proved to be the difference in both games.
In Game 1 against Missouri, sophomore J.A. Happ (Peru, Ill./St. Bede Academy) got the call to the mound and threw five complete innings, giving up one run on two hits. The Illinois native struck out five and walked four.
NU scored all five of its runs in the second inning as Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) relieved Happ to start the sixth inning. The freshman threw three complete innings, giving up four hits and striking out two. Sophomore Jon Mikrut (Waukonda, Ill./Carmel) threw the ninth for his first save.
Offensively, leadoff hitter Eric Roeder (Onsted, Mich./Onsted) went 2-for-2 with an RBI while Ori, David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius), Travis Tharp (Boulder, Colo./Boulder) and Josh Lieberman (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) all recorded hits.
In Game 2, junior Dan Konecny (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) was called to duty as the Wisconsin native threw seven complete innings, giving up four hits and striking out three. Freshman Dan Brauer (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) threw the final two innings for his first collegiate save, ending the game on a called third strike.
Offensively for the 'Cats, Roeder drove in the only run of the game after fouling off four pitches and driving a single between third and short in the third inning. Ori and Mikrut also had singles in the game.
The last time NU started the year 2-0 was back in 1986 when they swept a two-game series from Vermont (15-1, 9-3). They ended that year 39-14 under Coach Ron Wellman.
