Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Purdue *
Wildcats Sweep Doubleheader; Win Game Two 3-2
4/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 16, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Northwestern scored three runs in the final three innings to sweep Saturday's doubleheader over Purdue, winning game two 3-2. Jon Mikrut drove in NU's third run of the game in the top of the seventh, giving NU the insurance run they needed to win. Senior Chris Hayes earned his sixth save of the season, pitching the final out of the game.
Neither team could find the scoring column until the fifth inning. In that inning, first baseman Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) slapped a two-out single through the right side, scoring catcher Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) from third. Dietz was walked, moved to second on a Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) sacrifice bunt, and went to third on a groundball.
Purdue tied the game 1-1 in the bottom half of the fifth inning, taking advantage of a hit batsman. After a leadoff single, starting pitcher Evan Blesoff (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) struck out the next two Boiler hitters. But a hit batsman put the leadoff single in scoring position and a single scored the run. A fly ball to left ended the Purdue threat.
Northwestern loaded the bases in the sixth, as Mike Phelps (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) hit an RBI-sacrifice fly to centerfield. Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel), who extended his hitting streak to 14 games, singled to lead off the inning. Left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) also singled, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Right fielder Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) walked to load the bases, setting up Phelps. A strikeout and groundball ended the inning.
In the seventh, Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) was hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third on Mark Ori's (Niles, Ill./Maine South) groundball to the right side. Mikrut followed with the game-winning RBI with a single up the middle.
After Blesoff recorded the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, a Purdue batter singled. Head coach Paul Stevens called on senior Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) to close out the game. Hayes pitched three and one-third innings in game one for the save.
After giving up a triple that plated Purdue's second run, Hayes struck out the Boilermakers designated hitter to end the game. It was Hayes' sixth save of the season.
Blesoff improved to 3-4 on the season, pitching six and two-third innings.
Ori, McMahon and Wycklendt all ended the game 2-for-4.
The catcher, Dietz, threw out two runners attempting to steal second base.
NU and Purdue play the series finale, tomorrow, at 1 p.m.
