Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota
Minnesota Tops Wildcats 9-3 to Earn Series Split
4/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Minnesota jumped out to an early lead and then was finally able to pull away late for a 9-3 victory over Northwestern in the second game of a doubleheader at Rocky Miller Park Monday afternoon. The teams split their four-game series with the Wildcats winning the the first game of the day 6-5.
The Golden Gophers (15-17, 5-7) got to NU starter David Jensen for a pair of runs in the first inning as Jeff DeSmidt and Derek McCallum each had two-out run-scoring hits.
The Wildcats (10-16, 5-7) answered back with a solo tally in its half of the first as Aaron Newman singled with one away, stole second and then scored on a basehit by Mike Kalina.
Minnesota increased its lead to 4-1 in the second with two more runs as Tom Steidl tripled and then scored on an RBI single by Jeremy Chlan. Following a double by Matt Nohelty that put two runners in scoring position, Matt Havey relieved Jensen on the mound and Aaron Larson drove home Chlan from third with a sacrifice fly.
The Golden Gophers totaled 11 hits through the first four innings, but Havey and Jonathan Purcell combined to keep Minnesota stuck on four runs until the top of the seventh.
However, the Wildcats were unable to do much against Minnesota starter Dustin Brabender who sat down 10 consecutive batters at one point.
The visitors finally tacked on some important insurance runs late, scoring once in the seventh and twice more in the eighth to go ahead 7-1. Northwestern got two runs back in its half of the eighth on an RBI single by Jake Goebbert and a sac fly by Kalina.
But that would be as close as the Wildcats would get as Minnesota tacked on two final runs to extend their lead in the ninth.
Brabender (3-3) went the distance on the bump for the Gophers, scattering 10 hits while allowing three earned runs and striking out five. Jensen (0-3) suffered the loss for NU after tossing the first 1.1 innings and giving up four runs.
Newman and Kalina had two hits apiece for Northwestern, while Nohelty, DeSmidt and Nate Hanson each had three hits for Minnesota.
The Wildcats scheduled contest Tuesday against Valparaiso has been canceled. NU returns to action Friday when it opens a four-game series at Iowa.
