Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
West Virginia
West Virginia Pulls Away Late to Top Wildcats, 10-5
2/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2009
Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. -
Jake Goebbert homered and drove in three runs and Kenneth Avila went 4-for-5, but it wasn't enough as West Virginia distanced itself from Northwestern late in topping the Wildcats 10-5 Monday.
The Mountaineers (2-2) collected 14 hits in the contest to 13 for NU (1-3).
Joe Muraski got the start for the Wildcats and shut down West Virginia over the first two innings before Austin Markel hit a solo home run in the top of third. Northwestern answered right back in its half of the third as a sacrifice fly by Goebbert plated Quentin Williams who had led off the inning with a walk.
The Mountaineers regained the lead in the top of the fourth by notching a pair of two-out, run-scoring singles. A sac fly in the fifth and another two-out hit in the sixth helped West Virginia extend its advantage to 5-1.
However, the Wildcats got right back into the game by posting a three spot in the bottom of the sixth. Tommy Finn started the frame with a walk and was able to trot home when Goebbert connected for his first round-tripper of the season.
Starting pitcher Jonathan Jones was chased from the game in the process and Tony Vercelli greeted reliever Andy Altemus with a double. Vercelli would later tag from third and score on a sac fly by Chad Noble.
West Virginia didn't have anyone on with two outs in its half of the seventh, but a pair of singles and a passed ball allowed the Mountaineers to get an insurance run to make it 6-4.
The Mountaineers padded their lead in the ninth as Markel connected for his second homer of the game and another big two-out hit, a bases-clearing double by Dan DiBartolomeo, put West Virginia up six.
Northwestern got one final run in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn't enough. Avila capped his career day by starting things off with his fourth hit of the game. He advanced to second when Goebbert walked and scored on a two-out hit by Vercelli.
Muraski (0-1) suffered the loss for NU, hurling five innings, allowing four runs, five hits and three walks while striking out four. With his four-hit effort, Avila completed Northwestern's season-opening four game trip by collecting eight hits in 11 at-bats (.727) with three runs scored.
The Wildcats return to action Friday when they open play against Massachusetts at the RussMatt Central Florida Invite in Winter Haven, Fla.
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