Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Indiana *
J.A. Happ Humbles Hoosiers in 2-0 Shutout
4/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 2, 2004
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's baseball team opened up its home and Big Ten season in dominating fashion, shutting out Indiana 2-0 Friday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park in Evanston. Junior J.A. Happ pitched a complete game shutout, striking out 12 and allowing just two hits, while picking up his third win of the season. NU, which snapped Indiana's eight-game winning streak, improved to 10-9-1 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten.
In a game where scoring opportunities were hard to come by, Northwestern took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Center fielder Matt Brimmer crossed the plate when Indiana starter, Josh Lewis, threw his first wild pitch of the season. Brimmer reached on a sharp single up the middle and moved to second on Jason Krynski's single to center. Two pitches after Dan Pohlman hit a line drive putout to first base off Lewis's body, Brimmer scored on the errant pitch.
That's all Happ would need, pitching his first collegiate complete-game shutout. He faced just two batters over the minimum in a nine-inning contest (29), not allowing a Hoosier runner to reach second base. He gave up only two hits in the game and was helped by two double plays. The game ended on a double play when Happ struck the batter out at the plate and the catcher, Pohlman, picked off a Hoosier runner at first base.
Happ, who induced 10 ground ball outs in the contest, lowered his ERA to a minute 1.99 in 45.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 56 batters this season.
NU added an insurance run in the sixth inning as a two-out Jon Mikrut RBI single plated the run. Pohlman crossed the plate on Mikrut's hit after hitting a double down the left field line.
The Wildcats had eight hits in the game, led by center fielder Matt Brimmer, who went 2-for-4.
NU and Indiana play a doubleheader, beginning at noon, on Saturday, April 3. The game time has been changed from the original 1 p.m. start.
