Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa *
Wildcats Win Series Opener 9-5 Over Iowa
4/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2006
Box Score
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Northwestern's baseball team opened its four-game series against Iowa with a 9-5 Friday night victory at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City. The Wildcats scored six runs in the final three innings to improve their league-leading record to 12-5. Junior Ryan Myers earned his second win of the season, while first baseman Pat McMahon was 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Playing just its fourth night game of the season, NU fell behind 3-0 after the first inning as a leadoff triple, a pair of singles and a double all came around to score.
But like first-place teams do, Northwestern answered with a single run in the top of the second inning. Third baseman Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) scored on a Tommy Finn (Valparaiso, Ind./Andrean) single through the right side of the infield.
But Iowa came right back off Wildcat starter Ryan Myers (Lake Ville, Ill./Carmel). The Hawkeyes scored a run on a hit batsman who stole second and scored on a double.
Myers settled down from there, not allowing a run in the next four innings and pitching six innings in his eighth start of the season. Myers earned the win, improving to 2-3 on the season.
NU scored one unearned run in the top of the third inning when Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) tripled home Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) from first base. Owens reached on an error.
Owens got the offense started again in the seventh inning when he doubled to lead off the inning. He went to third on a passed ball and scored on a Mule sacrifice fly to left field. After a Hawkeye pitching change, first baseman Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) walked, a pitch hit Fields and Brauer coaxed a base-on-balls to load the bases. Left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) them became the second hit batsmen of the inning, tallying an RBI. After another Iowa pitching chance, catcher Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) hit a sacrifice fly for NU's third run on the inning.
The Wildcats added to their lead with another run in the eighth on a McMahon RBI single. Replacement center fielder Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) scored on the play. He singled to lead off the inning.
Usually NU's Sunday starter, senior Julio Siberio (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) came in relief of Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Florida native shut the door on Iowa, allowing one run in the final two and two-third innings. It was Siberio's 11th appearance of the season and sixth in league contests. He now has two career saves, both this season in conference play.
Just for good measure, NU added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning on a Wycklendt RBI triple and a Dietz RBI single. Pinch-hitter Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) scored on Wycklendt's triple after leading off the inning with a single. Wycklendt crossed the plate on Dietz's second RBI of the game.
Iowa did plate a run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little, too late as NU improved its overall record to 15-23.
The two teams are back in action Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
