Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois Institute of Technology
Wildcats Defeat Illinois Tech 13-7
5/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 2, 2007
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern scored in all but one inning, exploding for 16 hits in a 13-7 Wednesday afternoon win over Illinois Tech. The Wildcats' Rocky Miller Park could not hold junior Antonio Mule as the left-handed hitter launched his team-leading seventh and eighth home runs of the season. NU is next in action when it travels to Minneapolis to take on the University of Minnesota in a four-game Big Ten series at Siebert Field on the Gopher campus. Game one is set for 6:35 p.m. (CT) Friday night.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, Northwestern's offense exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Mike Kalina (Munster, Ind./Munster) had the big hit, driving a fastball to the fence in left centerfield for a three-run triple. Juniors Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) and Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) each had RBI singles.
After Wildcat starter Matt Diedrich (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Carmel) went 1-2-3 in the top of the second inning, NU scored one run in the bottom of the inning. Centerfielder Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) hit a leadoff triple and scored on first baseman Jake Goebbert's (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) two-RBI double. It was Goebbert's 10th double of the year.
Three bases-loaded singles off Diedrich and a Wildcat fielding error (in the outfield) made the score 6-5 Northwestern after two and one-half innings.
The Wildcats loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning, but did not drive in any runs. However, an Illinois Tech wild pitch plated NU's seventh run of the game.
Diedrich was his own worst enemy in the fourth inning. After giving up a leadoff single, Diedrich threw a groundball into center field, putting runners on first and third and no outs. After two strikeouts, a double scored IIT's sixth run of the game.
Mule extended Northwestern's lead to 9-6 with a moon-shot over the center field batting eye. It was a two-run homer.
Sophomore Eric Binder (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale Central) started the fifth inning for Northwestern on the mound. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out the side. Binder pitched two complete innings.
Northwestern put together a mini two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to score two runs. Sophomore Jim Grieco (Glenview, Ill./Loyola) scored on a wild pitch and Goebbert recorded his second RBI of the game with a single to right field.
NU added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. A one-out walk came around to score when Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) doubled down the left-field line.
Freshman Jonathan Purcell (Oceanside, Calif./Vista) took over mound duty to start the seventh inning. Purcell pitched two complete innings. He did not give up a hit.
Mule was at it again in the bottom of the seventh inning, this time launching a solo home run over the scoreboard in right center field. It was his eighth home run of the year and second of the game.
Fields moved from his second base position to close out the game on the mound. It was his first appearance as a pitcher since March 4 against New Mexico State. Fields did give up two hits, but struck out two and did not give up any runs.
Northwestern's 16 hits are the most since the opening game of the season against Texas Tech. NU had 21 hits in the season opener. In their last nine games, the Wildcats are averaging 12 hits and 7.78 runs per game.
