Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota *
Geoff Dietz Homer Wins Game One, 7-6
4/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 23, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS - Geoff Dietz hit a game-winning solo home run in the top of the eighth inning, giving NU a game one 7-6 win against Minnesota. Playing the first of two games on Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats hit three home runs improving to 17-15 overall, 7-7 in the Big Ten.
Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) put the Wildcats up 2-0 in the top of the first inning, slapping a curveball through the right side of the infield for a single. Leadoff hitter Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) and No. 2 hitter Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) each singled and moved ahead on Jon Mikrut's (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) sacrifice bunt. Wycklendt's two-RBI single came with two outs.
NU extended their lead to 3-0 when Ori knocked a two-out single to right field, scoring Mike Phelps (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) from third. Phelps led off the inning with a single to centerfield and moved to third on two infield groundouts.
Wycklendt hit his seventh home run of the season in the top of the third inning, giving NU a 5-0 lead. Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) singled to lead off the inning, extending his hit streak to 17 games. He scored on Wycklendt's long ball.
Starting Wildcat pitcher Evan Blesoff (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) gave up a two-out single in the third inning for Minnesota's first run of the game. A one-out double scored on the hit.
After three complete innings, NU led 5-1.
The Gophers got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth when Tony Leseman knocked a two-run home run over the left field wall. Leseman's round-tripper made the score 5-3 in favor of Northwestern after four complete innings.
Minnesota hurler Cole DeVries retired 10 in a row after Wycklendt's home run in the third inning. That was his streak until freshman Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) stepped to the plate with one out in the top of the sixth inning. Mann launched his first collegiate home run over the left field wall, putting the Wildcats ahead 6-3.
In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Gopher center fielder Leseman, launched a towering fly ball to deep centerfield. NU's centerfielder, Newman, raced back to the wall, jumped, and robbed Leseman of his second home run of the game. Newman's defensive play of the game, kept the score 6-3 in favor of Northwestern. Another fly ball to Newman ended the inning.
The euphoria from Newman's catch was short-lived.
In the bottom of the seventh, Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) relieved Blesoff to start the inning. Minnesota touched Hayes for three runs on five hits to tie the score 6-6 at the end of regulation play. It was Hayes' first blown save in seven chances.
After the seventh, the momentum swung back in the Wildcats' favor.
P With one out, pinch-hitter Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) deposited a 1-1 offering over the left field wall, giving the Wildcats a 7-6 lead. Dietz's second collegiate home run proved to be the difference in the game, improving NU to 17-15 overall, 7-7 in the Big Ten.
In the bottom of the eighth, Hayes found the groove that had made him successful all season. The senior cut down the first two outs via the strikeout and induced a fly ball to end the game. Hayes improved to 3-0 on the season.
