Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
UW-Milwaukee
Wildcats Fall in 12 Innings 5-4 to UW-Milwaukee
4/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 25, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. - Wisconsin-Milwaukee scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th-inning to down Northwestern 5-4 Tuesday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park in Evanston, Ill. First baseman Pat McMahon hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give NU a 4-2 lead, but UWM scored two runs in the ninth for the tie sending the game into extra-innings. The loss drops NU to 14-23 overall.
UWM got on the board first, plating a single run in the top of the first inning. A two-out single off the glove of first baseman Pat McMahon's (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) scored the first run of the game. Wildcat starter Ryan Myers (Lake Villa, Ill./Carmel) hit the leadoff hitter, who stole second and came around to score on the single.
The Panthers moved ahead 2-0 in the top of the third inning, as another two-out single plated a run. Reliever Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) gave up a leadoff single, but that runner was hit by a groundball towards second base and was called out on the play. A slow grounder advanced the runner at first base 90-feet. The third single of the inning scored the run.
Northwestern broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning when left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) doubled to the right centerfield wall. McMahon, who reached first on a swinging bunt single scored on Wycklendt's fifth double of the season.
Freshman Matt Havey (Wilmette, Ill./Loyola) pitched the fifth in relief of Smith. He gave up no runs on one hit and struck out one.
Senior Chris Davidson (Huntington Woods, Mich./Berkley) pitched the sixth inning. He gave up two hits and did not give up a run.
Making sure the Wildcat bullpen stays sharp, head coach Paul Stevens called on another reliever in the seventh inning. This time it was freshman Eric Binder (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale Central). Binder went 1-2-3, which included a strikeout in his eighth appearance of the season.
Classmate Mike Folan (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) took over the pitching reigns in the top of the eighth inning. After a leadoff walk, Folan induced a fly ball to left field and struck out a batter for the first two outs of the inning. The walk was then cut down trying to steal by catcher Keenan Long (Park Ridge, Ill./Notre Dame).
Northwestern took the lead for the first time in the game in the bottom of the eighth inning when McMahon launched his fifth home run of the season over the right field wall. Third baseman Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) led off the inning with his third single of the game and Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) reached on a fielder's choice. Both runners scored on McMahon's bomb and gave NU a 4-2 lead.
Five Wildcat relievers gave up one run in six innings until the ninth inning.
In the ninth, junior Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) came in and with the help of an infield error gave up two unearned runs. A leadoff walk and the runner who reached on a one-out error scored the two Panther runs.
The Wildcats went quietly in the bottom of the ninth.
Neither team threatened until the top of the 12th inning when a two-out single made the score 5-4 in favor of UW-Milwaukee. A one-out triple scored on the game-winning hit.
The Wildcats are next in action when they travel to Iowa for a four-game series with the ninth-place Hawkeyes. Iowa is 17-23 overall and 6-10 in the Big Ten. Game one of the series begins at 6 p.m. Friday night in Iowa City.
