Northwestern University Athletics
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Western Michigan
Broncos Down Wildcats, 3-1
5/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 13, 2003
Western Michigan Box Score in PDF Format
EVANSTON, Ill. - In its final home game of the season, Northwestern lost to Western Michigan 3-1 Tuesday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park. Bronco pitching held NU to just three hits in the game as the Wildcats fell to 24-21 on the season.
Western Michigan tagged reliever Dan Konecny (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) for three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning. Konecny replaced Wildcat starter Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South), who pitched three innings of no-hit baseball.
NU sent its third pitcher to the mound in the fifth, as sophomore Evan Blesoff (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) replaced Konecny.
Blesoff ran into trouble in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with one out. But the Illinois native induced two fly ball outs to end the Bronco threat, keeping the 'Cats in striking distance. Blesoff gave up two hits in three innings of work.
Sophomore Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), who started the game at third base, relieved Blesoff in the eighth. Hayes pitched one inning, giving up no hits and struck out one.
Hayes switched positions with shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) for the final inning of the game. Mikrut pitched a perfect ninth in his 14th appearance of the year.
NU threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as pinch hitter Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) singled to left and was followed by a Mikrut walk. Following a balk by Western Michigan reliever, Zach Straayer, David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) hit his second single of the game into right field. Wycklendt scored on the hit, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Gresky then stole second but was left stranded as Straayer set down the next three Wildcats for the save.
Northwestern is next in action when they travel to Bloomington, Ind., to take on Indiana in a four-game conference series. The first game begins Friday at 1 p.m. CST.
Having already qualified for the Big Ten Tournament, NU's weekend outcome at Indiana will determine which seeding the Wildcats will receive at the postseason event. The site has yet to be determined as Minnesota and Ohio State face each other for the regular season conference crown. The Big Ten regular season champion will host the postseason tournament.
