Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Indiana
Lashmet's Homer Helps Wildcats Earn Twinbill Split
5/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 10, 2008
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Freshman Chris Lashmet's three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 7-7 tie and helped give Northwestern a 10-8 victory and a doubleheader split Saturday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park. Indiana won the first game of the day 2-1.
The Wildcats lead the weekend series two games to one after winning Friday's opener 8-5.
NU (20-24, 13-14 Big Ten) surged out to a 7-2 lead, but Indiana (22-28, 10-17) rallied back with two runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to tie the score.
However, the Wildcats answered back with their winning rally in the bottom of the sixth. Jake Goebbert started the rally with a walk. Mike Kalina then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away, allowing Goebbert to move up to third while Kalina was safe at first. Lashmet then crushed his fourth home run of the season, just to the left of straight-away center to give Northwestern a three-run cushion.
Indiana refused to go away, though. A one-out double and a walk put brought the tying run to the plate. Matt Havey got a strikeout for the second out, but another walk loaded the bases. A wild pitch would plate the Hoosiers' eight run and moved the tying run into scoring position, but Havey hot Jerrud Sabourin to fly out to center to secure the win.
After pitching dominated the first game of the day, both squads got their bats going right away in the nightcap. Indiana pushed across two run in the top of the first against NU starter Bo Schultz as Sabourin had an RBI single and Tyler Rogers had a sacrifice fly.
But Northwestern answered right back in its half of the first to tie the game. After Tyler Tufts retired the first two batters, Goebbert singled and Kalina walked before Lashmet plated Goebbert with a single to right. Nate Roberts then followed with a run-scoring double to make it 2-2.
The Wildcats started to pull away by putting up two runs in the second. Jake Owens had an RBI bunt single and he would later come around to score an unearned run on a two-out error.
NU's lead grew to 5-2 in the third as it plated another unearned run when Tommy Finn chased home Jim Grieco with a sac fly. The 'Cats tallied for the fourth straight inning in the fourth when Kalina and Lashmet each had run-scoring hits.
Schultz allowed just three hits through the first four innings, but Indiana got a run back in the fifth when Andrew Means hit a leadoff home run. With one down, the senior righty allowed two singles and a hit batter to load the bases. Havey entered in relief and walked in a run before getting a strikeout and a popout to keep NU's lead at 7-4.
The Hoosiers' rally continued in the top of the sixth as it strung together five hits to plate three runs and come all the way back to tie the score. Chris Hervey, Sabourin and Rogers each drove in runs in the inning.
However, Lashmet's blast saved Northwestern from what would have been a crushing loss. His five RBI in the game were a career high and raised his season total to 36, second best on the team.
The Wildcats go for the series win on Senior Day on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Big Ten Network is broadcasting the game and will televise it on a tape-delay basis at 4 p.m.
