Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Bradley
Wildcats Beat Braves, 8-6
4/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 13, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - Chris Hayes pitched the final inning and two-thirds for his fourth save, as Northwestern defeated Bradley 8-6 Wednesday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park. Anthony Wycklendt hit his team-leading fifth home run helping NU improve to 14-12 on the season.
In the top of the first inning, Bradley took advantage of a leadoff walk and a throwing error. That leadoff walk stole two bases before being driven home on a groundball giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.
BU manufactured a second run in the second inning. A leadoff single stole second and went to third on a groundball to first base. A looping single to centerfield plated the runner.
NU got one run back in the bottom of the second when Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) fisted a single into left field. Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet), who reached on an infield single, scored on the play.
In the top of the third inning, BU left fielder Ryan Kenny lifted a solo home run over the right field fence, putting Bradley back ahead by two, 3-1.
NU scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third, taking a 4-3 advantage in the scoring column. The big blow came on Wycklendt's fifth home run of the season. Prior to Wycklendt's long ball, NU plated a run when Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) scored on a double play groundout. Newman doubled to lead off the inning. With two outs, Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) hit his eighth double of the season, setting up Wycklendt's opposite field two-run homer.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 5-3 when Jake Owens ' (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) groundout scored Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) from third. Mule led off the inning with a double to right centerfield and moved to second on a ball back to the pitcher.
The lead was short-lived.
In the top of the fifth, Bradley plated three runs on four hits, which included two doubles. In that inning, junior Julio Siberio (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) relieved senior Chris Davidson (Huntington Woods, Mich./Berkley). Davidson was in relief of starter Bobby Ferla (Waldwick, N.J./St. Joseph Regional). Ferla was schedule to pitch the first two innings only.
After a three-up, three-down bottom of the fifth for the Wildcats, Bradley led 6-5 after five complete innings.
The Wildcats recaptured the lead, 7-6, plating two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Mule and pinch-hitter Luke Sundheim (Glencoe, Ill./New Trier) each singled to start the inning, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Owens tallied his second RBI of the game, beating out a double-play ball to the Bradley shortstop. Following a walk, Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) reached on an error, but recorded the RBI, scoring Owens who had moved to third on an error.
NU added an insurance run in the seventh, as first baseman, Sundheim, drove in Finch from second. Finch hit a two-out single to deep in the hole between third base and shortstop and went to second on a Mule walk.
Sundheim entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth and stayed in the game at first base. He was 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Lefty Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) started the eighth on the mound for the Wildcats but ran into trouble early. After recording the first out, Schwartz walked the next two hitters; prompting head coach Paul Stevens to make a change.
Stevens went with Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), who calmly threw three pitches for his first strikeout. Hayes went on to pitch one and two-third innings, striking out three of the five hitters he faced. He earned his fourth save of the season and lowered his ERA to 1.12 in 24.0 innings pitched. He is 2-0 and has 11 appearances on the season.
The Wildcats are next in action when they travel to West Lafayette, Ind., to take on Purdue in a four-game conference series. Game one is set for 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.
