Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Mount St. Mary's (Md.)
Wildcats Top Mountaineers, 30-2
2/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2005
Box Score
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Northwestern baseball team did not score runs in the first or ninth innings in its first game in Bradenton, Fla., Saturday afternoon. All they did in the seven other innings was score 30 runs on 29 hits, including eight for extra bases. The Wildcats defeated Mount St. Mary's (Md.) 30-2.
A pair of Wisconsin natives, freshman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Ill./Pacelli) and junior Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) were center stage, combining to go 9-for-12 with eight RBI and six runs scored.
Mount St. Mary's (Md.) found the scoring column first, as a leadoff walk came around to score on a two-out single.
The lead was short lived.
Aided by a Mountaineer error, NU exploded for four runs in the top of the second inning. Freshman Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) got things going, lining a one-out two-RBI double down the right field line. Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) and Wycklendt scored on Mann's double.
Following a strikeout, Owens laced a single back through the box, scoring Mann from second. Sophomore Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) followed suit, grounding a single to center, plating Owens who had advanced to second when the Mountaineers tried to throw Mann out at the plate.
NU kept right on rolling in the third. After third baseman Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) and Mule singled, McMahon forced his second walk of the game, loading the bases. Wycklendt then tattooed a double to the right centerfield gap, scoring Mikrut and Mule.
Still in the third inning, the Mountaineer's made a pitching change. Mann met the new hurler driving a ground ball to a drawn in shortstop. Mann's smash forced an error, which allowed two Wildcat runs to score. With no outs and Mann on first, NU had a commanding 8-1 lead.
The `Cats didn't quit there.
Loading the bases for the second time in the fourth inning, Fields scored Mann from third on a fielder's choice and first baseman Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) hit an RBI single to end the scoring. A strikeout ended the inning.
In all, Northwestern scored six run on five hits to take a 10-1 lead after three and one-half innings.
After McMahon induced his third walk of the game to lead off the top of the fourth, Wycklendt hammered a first pitch fastball over the right field fence for Northwestern's first home run of the season.
The offensive onslaught continued.
Following the homer, Mann tripled and scored on Owens' single through the left side, Finch was hit by a pitch prior to Owens' single and moved to third when a pitch also hit Fields. Fields' hit batsman loaded the bases. Mule, also hit by a pitch, forced the fourth and final run of the inning home.
Starting Wildcat hurler Ryan Myers (Lake Villa, Ill./Carmel) worked a perfect bottom of the fourth, striking out two. Myers ended the game, throwing seven complete innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out a career high 11.
NU scored one unearned run in the top of the fifth, as Wycklendt's leadoff double came around to score on a throwing error by the Mount St. Mary third baseman. It was Wycklendt's second double of the game.
The Mountaineers plated a single run in the bottom of the fifth, as a leadoff double came around to score. A two-out single to right scored the run. Myers did strike out the side in the inning.
NU answered that run with seven of its own in the sixth. Four Mountaineer walks and three Wildcat hits plated the runs. Finch hit his first double of the season, scoring two, while freshman Mark Bennett (Palos Park, Ill./Providence Catholic) had an RBI single.
Northwestern would go on to score four runs in each the seventh and eighth innings. NU combined for 10 hits in the two innings.
Sophomore Bobby Ferla (Waldwick, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) pitched the eighth inning, giving up one hit.
Right-hander Julio Siberio (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) pitched a perfect ninth, striking out one.
NU's 30 runs is highest run total since beating Chicago State 36-10 in 2003.
Nine different Wildcats recorded multiple RBI with Owens, Wycklendt and Ori each tallying four.
Eight different Wildcats recorded multiple hits in the game, led by Owens, who went 6-for-8 from the plate.
McMahon scored six runs in the game, and was walked four times.
Northwestern did not make an error in the game.
