Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Penn State *
Three-Run Eighth Inning Defeats Penn State, 7-4
4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 9, 2004
Penn State Box Score in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Northwestern used two eighth-inning home runs to beat Penn State 7-4 in Friday afternoon's Big Ten contest at Beaver Field in State College, Pa. Jon Mikrut and Anthony Wycklendt provided the long balls, as NU improves to 13-11-1 overall, 3-2 in the Big Ten. In all, Northwestern had 15 hits, including three home runs in the game.
The Nittany Lions (13-12, 2-3 Big Ten) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Wildcat starter J.A. Happ struggled early. The big blow came when Lion catcher Matt Harter hit a two-out two-run home run over the left center field fence.
Northwestern answered with a single run in the top of the second inning, as the PSU left fielder made a diving catch with the bases loaded to end the inning. Wildcat left fielder Doug Beatty drove in NU's run with a single to right center field. Mikrut led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on Mark Ori's bunt single. Mikrut scored on Beatty's hit.
Penn State extended its lead to 4-1, scoring a single run in the bottom of the third inning. Lion first baseman Scott Gummo hit a solo home run to left center field.
In the top of the fifth inning, right fielder Jason Krynski annihilated the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for his fifth home run of the season. Krynski's two-out long ball went over the center field backdrop (approximately 30 feet tall), listed at 405 feet. Krynski's long ball made the score 4-2 in favor of Penn State.
As Lion starter Jim Farrell cruised through the first seven and two-third innings, striking out seven and walking none, the right-hander struggled to end the eighth inning.
After two groundball outs to the shortstop, Mikrut stepped up and hit a line-drive home run over the left center field wall fence, bringing NU to within one at 4-3. Following a Penn State conference on the mound, Farrell gave up a double down the left field line to Mark Ori, which was quickly followed by Wycklendt's home run. Wycklendt's round-tripper to centerfield put NU up for the first time in the game, 5-4.
After a shaky first inning, Happ settled down, giving up just three hits in the next five and two-third innings, coming out of the game with two outs in the sixth. Happ struck out nine and walked four, giving up six hits in six and two-third innings. On the season, Happ has struck out 65 in 52.0 innings pitched.
Junior Chris Hayes was called upon, throwing two pitches and getting a fly out to end the inning. Hayes earned the victory throwing just two pitches in the game, as Mikrut took the hill to start the eighth inning.
Mikrut struck out two and gave up two hits, earning his third save of the season and 14th of his career. He is just three shy of the NU career mark for saves.
In the top of the ninth, Krynski hit a one-out single to center and scored when a Mikrut two-out fly ball to deep center field was misplayed. Mikrut moved to second on the error and scored when Ori laced a single to right field. Ori and Mikrut both went 3-for-5 at the plate.
Offensively, eight of the nine starters reached safely in the game.
Krynski was 2-for-5, as catcher Dan Pohlman also went 2-for-5. Mikrut and Wycklendt hit their third and fourth home runs of the season, respectively. Doug Beatty was 2-for-4 with an RBI, as Matt Brimmer and Caleb Fields each recorded a hit.
NU and Penn State are back at it tomorrow, starting a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m. (EDT).
