Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota *
Gophers Defeat Wildcats in Slug Fest, 9-8
4/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 22, 2005
Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS - Playing on the coldest day of the season, Minnesota scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, to defeat Northwestern 9-8 Friday night. The Wildcats out-hit the Gophers 16-11, but an seventh inning Minnesota solo home run proved to difference. Pat McMahon was 5-for-5 and Mark Ori hit a three-run home run in the loss. NU falls to 16-15 overall, 6-7 in the Big Ten.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead. NU's first four hitters all reached base via hit, with shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) and left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) knocking in runs. Mikrut lined a double off the centerfield wall, scoring first baseman Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) from first base. Wycklendt's fielder's choice to the Gopher shortstop plated Mikrut.
The lead was short-lived, however.
Golden Gopher right fielder Mike Mee jumped on an Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) fastball, launching it over the right center field wall. Mee's round-tripper was a three-run homer.
Like they've done all season, Northwestern came right back. This time, following the bat of Ori. With one out and runners on first and second, Ori launched his first collegiate home run deep over the right field wall. Ori's three-run round-tripper made the score 5-3 in favor of Northwestern.
NU extended their lead to 6-3 in the top of the third as a bad-hop infield single scored a hustling Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) from second base. Second baseman Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) slapped a groundball to Minnesota's second baseman. As the ball reached the Gopher infielder, the ball took a bad hop straight at his head, bouncing off the infielder's glove. Mann never broke stride, scoring from second base.
The Golden Gophers got a run back in the bottom of the third, manufacturing the run.
Pitchers can be their own worst enemies.
In the bottom half of the fourth inning, two hit batsmen and a walk found their way to the plate, scoring on a bases-clearing triple.
After the triple and one out on the scoreboard, senior Chris Davidson (Huntington Woods, Mich./Berkley) relieved Smith and walked the first batter he faced. Ball four got away from McMahon behind the plate, scoring the fourth and final run of the inning.
NU pulled to within one, 8-7, after an Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) leadoff double scored. Third baseman Mike Phelps (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) lined a single to center after a pitch hit Mann. Mule scored on Phelps' single.
Northwestern tied the score 8-8 in the top of the sixth inning when McMahon's fourth hit of the game ricocheted off the left field wall. Ori scored on the double after leading off the inning with a single through the right side.
Minnesota took a 9-8 lead when Gopher first baseman Andy Hunter hit the first pitch he saw over the right center field wall.
NU made it interesting in the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out. McMahon had a career day, singling through the left side for his fifth hit of the game and went to second when pinch-hitter Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) was hit by a pitch. But two strikeouts ended the Wildcat threat and the game.
Davidson pitched a career high five innings, walking two and striking out two. He got the loss.
Eight of NU's nine starters had a hit in the game, led by McMahon's 5-for-5 day. Ori went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run. Second baseman Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) and center fielder Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) each had two hits.
NU and Minnesota play a doubleheader Saturday with game one beginning at 2 p.m.
