Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio State
Wildcats Rally Past Ohio State 6-4
4/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 26, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern scored three times in the fifth and three more in the sixth to rally back from a three-run deficit and defeat Ohio State 6-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 3-0 entering the last half of the fifth, the Wildcats (15-18, 9-9) finally got their offense going against Buckeye starter Dan DeLucia. With a stiff breeze blowing out to left field, Chad Noble got NU on the board with a solo home run. Following a bunt single by Tommy Finn, Jake Owens delivered a lazer beam to left that cleared the fence and tied the game.
Ohio State (21-17, 9-8) got its lead back with an unearned run in the top of the sixth. Michael Arp reached on an error to start the inning, stole second and scored a on one-out single by Chris Macke.
Northwestern came right back and answered with its winning rally in the bottom of the sixth. After the leadoff batter was retired, Nate Roberts singled and Max Mann walked forcing the Buckeyes to turn to reliever Rory Meister. A single by Noble loaded the bases before Finn brought home Roberts with a hit to right that tied the game.
A third-straight single to right by Owens gave the Wildcats the lead before Aaron Newman brought home an insurance run with a fielder's choice groundout to put NU up two.
Starter Eric Jokisch surrendered Tony Kennedy's fourth hit of the game to open the top of the seventh as Northwestern then turned to Matt Havey to try to slam the door. The senior right-hander did just that, including recording a pair of strikeouts to earn his third save of the season.
Jokisch improved to 5-2 with the win, scattering 10 hits while striking out five and allowing four runs (three earned) in six innings pitched. Noble went 3-for-3, while Owens added two hits and three runs batted in.
The second game was scheduled to begin at approximately 2:30 p.m.
