Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Seton Hall
Wildcats Fall to Seton Hall, 6-1
2/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 28, 2005
BRADENTON, Fla. - Seton Hall scored five runs in the seventh inning, defeating the Northwestern baseball team 6-1 Monday afternoon in Bradenton, Fla. A pair of Wildcat errors and squandered scoring opportunities proved costly as NU falls to 3-4 on the season.
After exploding for 39 hits in their first two games in Florida, NU managed just six against Seton Hall. NU left 11 runners on base-seven in scoring position-including two on third with less than two outs.
Seton Hall got on the board first, as a sixth-inning leadoff walk by Wildcat hurler Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) came around to score. The free pass circled the bases when the Pirate designated hitter hit a double to right centerfield.
Senior Evan Blesoff (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) took over mound duties following the RBI double.
NU tied the score in the bottom half of the six, scoring an unearned run on an infield error. With two outs, left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) hit a groundball to second base, which was misplayed, allowing Wildcat designated hitter Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) to score from third. Mule dropped a one-out single over the Seton Hall first baseman and went to third on senior Mike Phelps' (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) single and a wild pitch.
Seton Hall broke the game open in the top of the next inning, plating five runs on three hits, taking advantage of two Wildcat errors. After two one-out singles and a catcher's interference* loaded the bases, the Seton Hall first baseman lined a two-run double to the right centerfield gap, leaving runners on second and third with one out. The next hitter laced a groundball to a drawn in shortstop, which misplayed the ball, allowing the third Pirate run of the inning to score.
Following the Wildcat miscue, senior Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) relieved Blesoff on the mound. Hayes got a groundball back to him for the second out of the inning, but the fourth run of the inning crossed the plate. With four runs in and Seton Hall holding a commanding 5-1 lead, the next Pirate hitter laced a groundball off Hayes' leg, forcing the right-hander from the game. Unfortunately for Hayes and the Wildcats, the ricocheted single plated the fifth and final run of the inning.
Sophomore Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) relieved Hayes, inducing a fly ball to end the inning. Schwartz pitched the rest of the game, not allowing a hit and striking out two.
Schwartz and Hayes lead the team with four appearances apiece.
Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) was the only Wildcat with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 in the game. McMahon is leading the team with a .429 (6-for-14) batting average and has been walked a team high seven times.
NU is next in action when they travel to Cal-State Northridge for a three-game series, beginning Friday.
* Catcher's interference is considered an error on the catcher in the scorebook.
