Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan *
Wildcats Win Series Over Michigan; Take Finale 5-4
4/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 2, 2006
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Northwestern's first five hitters to go to the plate in the top of the first inning all scored. Nine innings later the Wildcats walked away with a 5-4 win and a series win over Michigan. NU went 3-1 in its four games, upping its season record to 6-16. Senior Julio Siberio pitched five-plus innings for the win, while junior Dan Schwartz pitched four innings of two-hit, no-run baseball.
For the fourth time in four games NU jumped out to an early first-inning lead. In fact, the Wildcats scored five runs in the first frame for the second time in three games. In all, Northwestern sent 10 hitters to the plate, scoring five runs on four hits. They took advantage of two walks, a Wolverine error and a sacrifice fly.
In the first, center fielder Dan Brauer (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) got things started with a bases-loaded, two-RBI single to centerfield. After an Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) single reloaded the bases, right fielder Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) looped a single into right field, scoring Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) from third. After Michigan changed pitchers and a Wildcat strikeout, catcher Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) earned a free pass and the easy RBI as Brauer crossed the plate. Wycklendt crossed the plate for NU's fifth run when Michigan's first baseman made a spectacular catch of Tommy Finn's (Valparaiso, Ind./Andrean) foul out. As the Wolverine infielder made the catch, he crashed into the wall, falling to the ground and giving Wycklendt enough time to tag from third.
Wildcat starter Julio Siberio (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) gave up just one hit in the first two innings, but ran into trouble in the bottom of the third. A one-out, two-run double and a two-out RBI single plated three Michigan runs in the inning.
Neither team threatened until Michigan put up a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning. After the leadoff hitter reached on an error and went to third on a single, head coach Paul Stevens called on junior lefty Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) to close the door. Schwartz induced a double-play ground ball, which allowed the runner from third to score, and struck out the final out of the inning.
After six complete innings NU led 5-4.
Northwestern squandered a chance to add to their lead in the top of the seventh. After Owens led off the inning with a triple, he was tagged out in a run down after pinch hitter Tony Vercelli (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) grounded the ball back to the pitcher. A fly out to centerfield ended the inning with runners on first and second.
As it turned out, Schwartz did not need the extra run. The New York native picked up his third save of the season, throwing four complete innings of shutout baseball. He struck out two and gave up a pair of hits.
Northwestern is back in action next Friday when they play there first home game of the 2006 season. The Wildcats host Indiana at Rocky Miller Park with game one beginning at 3 p.m., on April 7.
