Wildcat Offense Explodes in 13-5 Win Over Troy State

Saturday, March 6

Dothan, Ala.

6 p.m.

Northwestern

Troy State

Wildcat Offense Explodes in 13-5 Win Over Troy State

3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

March 6, 2004

Box Score

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DOTHAN, Ala. - The Northwestern baseball team exploded for nine runs in the final three innings after falling behind 5-4, winning 13-5 over Troy State in the second round of the Wiregrass Classic in Dothan, Ala. NU handed the Trojans their first loss of the season (7-1), upping its season total to 4-6-1. The Wildcats wrap up the tournament with a 9 a.m. tilt with Nichols State. The Colonels are 1-1 in the Classic.

The Wildcats opened the scoring with a single run in the top of the second, as Dan Brauer came around to score after reaching with a two-out single. With Brauer on first base, Doug Beatty hit an infield single to third base, putting runners on first and second. Freshman Caleb Fields laced the first pitch he saw down the left field line for his third double of the season. Fields ended the game with a career-high five RBI in the game.

Troy State answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two unearned runs on two Wildcat errors and three stolen bases. The first run scored on a one-out sacrifice fly and the Trojans pulled off the double steal for the second.

Josh Lieberman hit an infield single in the top of the fourth inning, tying the game at 2-2. Brauer was the catalyst for NU, milking a full-count walk, and moving to second on a groundout. A Trojan infield error allowed Brauer to reach third base. Lieberman followed with another infield single, which he legged out, as the TSU shortstop had to move deep in the hole to make the throw.

Northwestern regained the lead in the top of the fifth as catcher Dan Pohlman tattooed a monstrous home run over the left field wall. Right fielder Jason Krynski led off the inning with a walk, giving Pohlman his third and fourth RBI of the season.

In a back and forth battle, TSU went back on top, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and taking a 5-4 lead after six complete innings.

In the bottom of the sixth, Trojan hitters chased Wildcat starter J.A. Happ after five and two-third innings. Happ struck out seven in the no decision. Junior Chris Hayes relieved Happ, but didn't last long, allowing both inherited runners to score. Freshman Andrew Smith, who was making his sixth appearance of the season, ended the inning with a groundout.

Smith went on to pitch two and one-third innings, earning his first collegiate win. He struck out two in the process.

Following a rough sixth inning, NU took control of the game in the seventh.

Down 5-4, Ori led off with a single and moved to second on Jon Mikrut's sacrifice bunt. Brauer followed with a walk, one of three times he received a free pass, and moved to third on Beatty's double down the right field line. Ori scored on Beatty's hit to tie the game. Fields reached base on a fielder's choice, plating Brauer and moving Beatty to third. Lieberman then hit a bunt single, loading the bases. Center fielder Matt Brimmer then doubled down the left field line, scoring Beatty and Fields. Following a force out at the plate, Pohlman laced a single up the middle for his third RBI of the game and giving NU a 9-5 lead.

In the eighth, the first four hitters of the inning all singled, three coming around to score. Fields drove in his third and fourth RBI of the game, with a two-RBI bases loaded single, advancing to second on the throw to the plate. Krynski then hit a fielder's choice, plating Beatty to end the Wildcat scoring.

NU tacked on another run in the ninth, as NU took advantage on two Trojan errors. Fields' infield single scored Wycklendt from third to end the Wildcat scoring.

Offensively, NU had 17 hits in the game, eclipsing yesterday's 16-hit on-slaught. In the first two games of the tournament, NU has scored 19 runs on 33 hits.

In today's game, Fields and Beatty each had three hits as Lieberman, Krynski, Pohlman and Brauer all had two. Pohlman had three RBI in the game.