Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Defeat Alumni, 9-3
9/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 25, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Northwestern baseball program participated in its annual alumni game Sunday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park. The current Wildcat team defeated the alumni Wildcats 9-3 in the nine-inning affair.
Junior George Kontos started on the mound for the 2006 Wildcats and pitched the first two innings. Kontos struck out five of the six batters he faced.
Sophomore Aaron Newman singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning and came around to score when Anthony Wycklendt lifted a sacrifice fly to deep left field. Alumnus Steve Haake (graduated in 2002) made a running over-the-shoulder catch on Wycklendt's out. After the catch, Antonio Mule was doubled off second base when he did not go back over the base when he returned to first base.
Sophomore Jake Owens put the 2006 squad up 2-0 when he lined an RBI single in the second inning.
Haake made the score 2-1 when he launched a solo home run over the right center field wall in the top of the fifth inning. It was the alumni's first hit of the game.
Junior Ryan Myers pitched the third and fourth innings of the game and struck out four of the six hitters he faced.
Junior Dan Schwartz started the fifth, gave up the Haake round-tripper before retiring three outs.
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Wycklendt hit a two-out two-RBI single and came around to score on sophomore Max Mann's RBI double to center field. Mann scored from second on a passed ball when the pitcher failed to cover home after the pitch reached the backstop. All four runs were unearned as a throwing error kept the inning alive.
Wycklendt finished the game with 1-for-2 at the plate with three RBI.
The score after five complete innings was current 6-1 in favor of the 2006 Wildcats.
The current Wildcats tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after a run crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
After a quick seventh inning by both teams, Dan Konecny (2004 graduate) singled in the top of the eighth. Jon Mikrut (2005) reached base on a throwing error by the pitcher, which allowed Konecny to score. Mikrut went to second on the errant throw. David Gresky (2004) followed with a double off the left center field wall, which scored Mikrut from second.
Still in the eighth inning, after a Joe Hietpas (2001) single and stolen base, a walk loaded the bases, but an inning-ending double play by Ken Padgett (2003) killed the rally.
Newman sparked the offense again in the bottom half of the eighth, this time using a hit-by-pitch to reach base. Sophomore Rob Campbell doubled to score Newman and end the scoring.
Andy Adams (2002) pitched the first two outs of the eighth inning for the alumni before Matt Thompson (2002), a self-proclaimed knuckle-ball specialist, pitched the final out. Thompson's proclamation became true when it took him just one pitch to end the eighth inning.
The alumni went quietly in the ninth, with only Mike Phelps (2005) reaching base via single.
Besides ending the game with his pitching prowess, Thompson was crowned the 2006 home run derby champion, defeating Mikrut in a playoff.
The Northwestern baseball program would like to thank everyone who participated in NU's alumni weekend. With such a great turnout at all of this year's festivities, the Wildcat baseball team looks forward to a prosperous season.
A more detailed recap of the golf outing and dinner will follow soon.
