Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Indiana *
Bullpen Powers Wildcats Over Hoosiers in Extra Frames, 12-9
4/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 3, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Mike Phelps' two-run single in extra-innings secured Northwestern's 12-9 game one victory over Indiana Sunday afternoon. In a game that saw both teams hold and lose leads, NU scored three runs in the ninth for the win. IU and Northwestern combined for 33 hits, remarkably 29 of them singles.
Unlike the first game of the series, NU jumped all over Indiana pitching, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Junior Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) hit a powerful three-run home run into the teeth of a stiff wind, going over the left field fence. It was his third round-tripper of the season.
Indiana came right back, plating a single run in the bottom half of the first. A leadoff single crossed the plate when a Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) relay throw got away after an Indiana double.
The Wildcats took a commanding 7-1 lead after two innings, plating four runs in the second. Fields led off the inning with a single and went to second when catcher Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) was walked. Freshman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) followed with an RBI single up the middle. Center fielder Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) executed a perfect bunt-for-hit for his first single of the game. After Newman beat the throw to first for the single, the throw got away from the IU third baseman, allowing Dietz and Owens to score. Newman went to third on the error and scored on Mark Ori's (Niles, Ill./Maine South) infield single. A diving catch by the IU right fielder and a strikeout ended the inning.
A walk and two singles plated a single run for IU in the bottom of the second inning. After two complete innings NU led 7-2.
Newman drove in NU's eighth run of the game, beating out a bases-loaded double play in the top of the third. Mann scored on Newman's fielder's choice after leading off the inning with a line single to left. Mann moved to third on a Fields walk and Owens single.
Indiana broke out in the bottom of the third, scoring six runs and tying the game at eight each. The Hoosiers sent 10 men to the plate in the inning, five of which reached via base hit. Three of the five IU singles were two-RBI hits.
Sophomore Bobby Ferla (Waldwick, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) relieved Smith with two outs in the bottom of the third. Ferla struck out the only hitter he faced in the inning.
NU went 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. It was the first three-up, three-down half-inning for either team.
Ferla held IU to zero runs in the fourth inning despite a walk and single to start the inning. Ferla worked a nine-pitch full count strikeout to end the inning.
Ferla ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth, allowing two singles before senior Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) came on in relief. Following a sacrifice bunt that put runners on second and third with one out, head coach Paul Stevens called for the intentional pass to the IU clean-up hitter. The free pass paid off when Hayes got a bases-loaded, inning-ending double play.
NU took a 9-8 lead in the top of the sixth inning, taking advantage of two Hoosier miscues. An Ori single through the right side got away from the IU right fielder allowing Newman to score from second. Newman reached on a fielder's choice after Owens' leadoff groundball was misplayed. Newman then stole second to get in scoring position.
Hayes gave up two hits in the bottom of the sixth, but a strikeout and fly out preserved NU's 9-8 lead heading into the seventh inning.
In the seventh, Reggie Watson, Indiana's lead off hitter, tattooed a triple to the right field wall. After a groundout and a walk, Hayes induced what looked like a game-ending double play. After recording the first out at second, Mikrut's throw to first was in the dirt and Ori was unable to come up with it, allowing Indiana to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Hayes struck out the final out in the inning.
Both teams went quietly in the eighth, before NU tacked on three runs in the top of the ninth. After back-to-back singles started the inning, an Indiana throwing error helped NU. The errant throw came on Mann's sacrifice bunt. With one run across on the error and runners on second and third with no outs, Mike Phelps (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) lined a two-RBI single to left centerfield. Phelps' hit gave NU a 12-9 lead.
Ferla and Hayes combined to pitch six and one-third innings of one-run baseball.
