Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Penn State
Four-Run Nittany Lion Ninth Downs Wildcats 7-6
4/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 20, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Playing in front of a record crowd of 2,232 at Penn State's new Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, Northwestern gave up four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to fall to the Nittany Lions 7-6 Friday night in University Park, Pa. Third baseman Jake Owens drove in three runs on three hits while shortstop Tommy Finn was 4-for-4 in the game. Senior lefty Dan Schwartz pitched eight and one-third innings in the no decision.
Wildcat starter Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) got off to a rocky start, giving up a single run in the bottom of the first inning, but rebounded to pitch eight and one-third innings. He gave up five runs and struck out a career high nine batters. Schwartz left the game with two runners on base, one out in the ninth inning and Northwestern winning 6-3.
In the bottom of the first inning, Schwartz hit the Lion leadoff hitter who was sacrificed to second. The next pitch was grounded into right field to score the runner from second and give PSU a 1-0 lead. After a walk and an infield fielding error loaded the bases, Schwartz induced a groundball double play to end the inning.
After giving up the first-inning run, Schwartz retired the next eight Nittany Lion hitters, three by strikeout. But with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, a two-out double was followed by a full-count single, which scored PSU's second run of the game. After a pair of walks loaded the bases a backhanded groundball pickup and throw to second by shortstop Tommy Finn (Valparaiso, Ind./Andrean) ended the Penn State threat.
During that same four innings, Northwestern hitters were held to just one hit, a bloop single to centerfield by Finn in the third inning.
Penn State found the scoring column again in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff single stole second and went to third on a ground ball to second base. After Wildcat head coach Paul Stevens moved the infield inn, Lion catcher Joe Blackburn bounced a single over Caleb Fields' (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) head at second base. The single made the score 3-0 Penn State after five complete innings.
In the top of the sixth inning, Finn tallied his and the Wildcats second hit of the game with a leadoff double down the right field line. Finn advanced to third when Aaron Newman's (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) grounder to shortstop was misplayed, leaving runners on first and third and no outs. Third baseman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) added to his team-leading RBI total when he lined a single to centerfield. Finn scored and Newman advanced to second. Three straight fly ball outs ended the Wildcat threat.
Northwestern mounted another rally in the top of the seventh when they put runners on first and second with one out. After Penn State skipper Robbie Wine made a pitching change, Finn laced his third hit of the game into centerfield. His single scored Mike Kalina (Munster, Ind./Munster) from second base and it brought NU to within one run, 3-2. Kalina singled to lead off the inning. A PSU balk moved the runner's up 90-feet and a walk to Newman loaded the bases with one out. After Wine made his second pitching change of the inning, Owens singled to centerfield to score two runs and put NU ahead for the first time in the game 4-3. A fly out to center and a pop out to second base ended the inning.
After Schwartz put down Penn State in order in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Wildcats took advantage of a pair of two-out walks to score their fifth run of the game. Finn bounced his fourth hit of the game through the right side of the infield to score defensive replacement centerfield Jim Grieco (Glenview, Ill./Loyola) from second base. Grieco was the first recipient of the two base-on-balls.
In the ninth, Owens led off the inning with a double down the right field line and moved to third on a passed ball. Mule dumped a single into left field to score Owens and give the Wildcats a 6-3 lead. Freshman Jake Goebbert (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) executed a perfect sacrifice bunt, which allowed Mule to move to second base. A groundout and fly out ended the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Schwartz walked the first hitter he faced but quickly picked him off of first base for the first out of the inning. A single and a double prompted Stevens to call on junior Bo Schultz (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) out of the bullpen. Schultz walked the first hitter he faced before a pop up to third was recorded for the second out of the inning. An infield single moved everyone ahead 90-feet and made the score 6-4 NU. Schultz then threw a wild pitch to give PSU its fifth run of the game. After Schultz's second walk, Stevens called on sophomore Matt Havey (Wilmette, Ill./Loyola) out of the bullpen. Havey walked in the tying run.
Still in the ninth inning and using their third pitcher of the game, freshman David Jensen (Whittier, Calif./Mater Dei) entered the game with the bases loaded and score tied 6-6. He quickly gave up a single down the left field line to give Penn State the victory.
Offensively, Owens and Finn combined for seven of Northwestern's nine hits and drove in five of their six runs.
The Nittany Lions and Wildcats are back in action Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 4:35 p.m. (ET)
