Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois-Chicago
Wildcats Drop 9-8 Heartbreaker to UIC in 10 Innings
3/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 13, 2008
CHICAGO -
Northwestern took a one-run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but wasn't able to hold on and eventually dropped a 9-8 decision at UIC in 10 innings Thursday afternoon.
Mike Kalina and Nate Roberts each went 3-for-5 for the Wildcats (3-4), while Jake Gobbert and Chad Noble both notched home runs.
NU held an 8-7 advantage heading into the ninth, but freshman Jason Ganek hit a one-out solo home run to tie the game.
The Flames would eventually get the game-winner on a run-scoring double by Chris Rutta with one out in the 10th.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage, scoring twice in the first and once in the second. Goebbert's two-run shot in the first held Northwestern get on the board first.
UIC would rally back with one run in the bottom of the second to put up five runs behind two homers and two walks that also brought home runners.
The teams traded runs in the fourth with the Wildcats' tally coming on an RBI double by Aaron Newman. NU got back to within 7-6 in the fifth as Chris Lashmet had a run-scoring groundout and Roberts had an RBI single.
Northwestern knotted the score in the top of the seventh as Noble connected for his second longball of the season. It appeared as though the Wildcats might complete the comeback win in the top of the ninth as Roberts continued his late-game heroics this season by singling home Tommy Finn from second to give NU the 8-7 advantage.
However, UIC rallied back in its half of the ninth before winning it in the 10th.
The Flames finished with a 17-16 advantage in the hit column, paced by three hits by Ganek. Bo Schultz (2-2) took the loss for the Wildcats, while Don Phillis worked four innings of relief to get the win for UIC.
The teams have made an adjustment to the remainder of the series' schedule. They will play a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and then will not play Saturday as originally scheduled.
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