Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota *
Gophers Win Series Finale, 15-7
4/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 24, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota scored eight runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 15-7 victory over Northwestern in the series finale at Siebert Field in Minneapolis. Max Mann hit two home runs and tallied five RBI in the loss. The Wildcats fall to 17-17 overall, 7-9 in the Big Ten.
For the fourth-straight game, Northwestern jumped out to an early lead. Freshman right fielder Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) tattooed his second home run of the series in the top of the second inning. Mann's bomb was a three-run homer, scoring Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) and Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet). Both McMahon and Wycklendt singled.
Minnesota scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third, using two singles and a sacrifice fly to score the run. The error allowed the Gophers to load the bases.
After three complete innings, Northwestern led 3-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Gophers sent 13 hitters to the plate, scoring eight runs on five hits. Minnesota was helped by two Wildcat errors.
Starter Ryan Myers (Lake Villa, Ill./Carmel) pitched three-plus innings, before being relieved by sophomore Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional). Schwartz pitched five complete innings, giving up nine runs (eight earned) and striking out three.
The Wildcats starting to creep back in the game, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh. Center fielder Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) and first baseman Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South) scored in the inning. Newman single to start the inning and moved to third when Ori doubled down the left field line. Newman scored on a wild pitch and Ori crossed the plate on McMahon's sacrifice fly to right field.
The Gophers tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. A two-out bloop single to right and a wind-aided single to center plated the runs.
After seven complete innings, Minnesota led 11-5.
Mann hit an opposite field solo home run to start the eighth inning. It was his second home run of the day and third of the series. NU went on to load the bases with one out, pressuring the Gophers to call on their closer. The Minnesota closer did exactly what he was called on for. A groundball double play ended the Wildcat threat.
Any thought of a comeback was thwarted in the bottom of the eighth, when Minnesota tacked on four more runs to take a 15-6 lead. Five hits and two walks led to the runs.
Mann drove in his fifth run of the game, singling home Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) from second. Mikrut was hit by a pitch and moved to second on an error.
Northwestern is next in action when they host Wis-Milwaukee at Rocky Miller Park Tuesday afternoon. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
