Wildcats Hold Off Big Green, Win 3-2

Thursday, March 24

Bradenton, Fla.

2:00 PM

Northwestern

Dartmouth

3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

March 24, 2005

Box Score

BRADENTON, Fla. - Northwestern's baseball team scored two runs in the first inning and one more in the fifth to hold off a surging Dartmouth team and post a 3-2 win Thursday afternoon. Sophomore George Kontos (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) and senior Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) held the Big Green to two runs (only one earned) and helped NU improve to 7-7 on the season.

The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) got things going, knocking a leadoff single up the middle. After a groundout that moved Owens to second and a strikeout, senior Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) laced a line-drive single to right center field, scoring Owens and giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) followed with a sharp single to left, putting runners on first and third with two outs. Left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) hit NU's third-straight single, slapping a ground ball through the right side. That hit scored Mikrut and gave NU its 2-0 lead.

While Kontos put runners on base in each of the first five innings, the right-hander did not give up a run until the fifth. Dartmouth's first run reached base by error and scored on a one-out single up the middle.

Following the Big Green run in the top of the fifth inning, the Wildcats responded with what would turn out to be a much-needed insurance run in the bottom half.

Owens led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his second triple of the season, tattooing a 3-1 pitch over the right fielder's head. A slow groundball just past the Big Green pitcher off the bat of Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) allowed Owens to cross the plate and give NU a 3-1 edge.

Kontos cruised through the sixth and seventh innings before allowing a base hit and hitting a batter to start the eighth inning. Hayes relieved Kontos and immediately induced a groundball for out number one, with the runners advancing to second and third. A throwing error by Hayes allowed the next Big Green hitter to reach base and a run to cross the plate. Two more groundball outs ended the Dartmouth threat.

Hayes, who allowed just a hit in the ninth, picked up the save, his second of the season.

Kontos earned his third victory of the season, which upped his record to 3-1. He pitched seven-plus innings, striking out six and walking one.

Owens was the only Wildcat with multiple hits, ending the game 2-for-4 and scoring two runs. Ori, Mikrut and Wycklendt each tallied a RBI in the game. Wycklendt and Ori lead the team with 11 RBI each.

NU is next in action when it plays a doubleheader Friday, with game one beginning at 8:30 a.m. (CST) against Vermont.