Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota
Northwestern Evens Series With 6-5 Win Over Minnesota
4/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 17, 2010
Site: Evanston, Ill. (Rocky Miller Park)
Score: Northwestern 6, Minnesota 5
Records: NU (11-22, 4-4 Big Ten), Minnesota (14-21, 4-4 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Sunday, April 18 -- vs. Minnesota (Rocky Miller Park), 1 p.m.
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. - One day after Minnesota won a nip-and-tuck battle, the Northwestern baseball team returned the favor. Hamilton Wise scored the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Wildcats evened their series with the Golden Gophers thanks to a 6-5 victory at Rocky Miller Park Saturday afternoon.
Making his first start since March 22, Wise came through when his team needed him. The sophomore right fielder led off the home half of the eighth with a single off Allen Bechstein. After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Geoff Rowan and to third on a groundout, Wise scooted home with the go-ahead run when Bechstein's pitch to Chad Noble was in the dirt, got past catcher Kyle Knudson and went all the way to the backstop.
Sophomore closer Paul Snieder moved from first base to the mound for the top of the ninth and allowed a single to leadoff pinch hitter Andy Henkemeyer. A sac bunt moved Henkemeyer to second and when AJ Pettersen was hit by a pitch, the Golden Gophers had two on with one out. But Michael Kvasnicka hit a line shot to Chris Lashmet at third for the second out and Snieder got Knudson to ground into a forceout at second base to help NU get back to .500 in conference play.
"I continue to be impressed with how hard our guys keep battling," Northwestern head coach Paul Stevens said. "Despite dropping a close game yesterday and falling behind today, they continue to persevere. Hats off to Hamilton Wise. He really stepped up and got things started in the eighth inning."
Eric Jokisch got the start on the mound for Northwestern and was stellar aside from a rough fourth inning. Minnesota got on the board first in the second when Kyle Geason dumped a check-swing single into right field to plate Knudson.
However, the Wildcats answered by putting up four runs against TJ Oakes in their half of the second. Chris Lashmet just missed a home run as he doubled off the top of the fence in right to start the frame. Three batters later, Colby Everett followed Friday's four-hit performance by singling home Lashmet to tie the game. After a walk to Wise, Geoff Rowan doubled home a pair to make it 3-1. NU tacked on one final run in the frame when Chad Noble singled to shortstop to give the 'Cats a three-run advantage.
Jokisch shut down Minnesota in order in the third, but ran into trouble in the fourth as the visitors collected four hits in the inning and scored four runs to jump back in front, 5-4. The junior southpaw settled into a groove following the rough inning and gave his team the chance to get the win.
A two-out error allowed the Wildcats to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth. After Arby Fields reached on a miscue by first baseman Nick O'Shea, Noble made the Gophers pay by bringing home Fields with a double off the base of the fence in right.
Jokisch had allowed a leadoff single to start the top of the sixth, but managed to retire the next eight batters in order. Geason recorded a two-out single in the eight, but Jokisch fanned Brooks Albrecht for his sixth strikeout of the game to help set up Northwestern's winning rally.
Both teams finished with 10 hits, with Lashmet and Noble recording two apiece for NU. Jokisch scattered nine hits in his eight solid innings of work to pick up his third victory of the season.
The teams conclude their three-game series at 1 p.m. Sunday.
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