Wildcats Pound Out 20 Hits to Dump Wolverines, 11-6

5/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

May 14, 2011

Box Score

Site: Evanston, Ill. (Rocky Miller Park)
Score: Northwestern 11, Michigan 6
Records: NU (19-27, 9-11 Big Ten), Michigan (15-35, 6-14 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Sunday, May 15 -- vs. Michigan (Rocky Miller Park), 1 p.m.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Chris Lashmet, Jack Livingston and Paul Snieder had three hits apiece as Northwestern pounded out 20 hits as a team in defeating Michigan 11-6 Saturday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park.

Coupled with a 7-1 win Friday, the Wildcats assured themselves of a series victory in their final home series of the season.

It was Michigan that scored first in the contest, plating its first of five unearned runs in the contest in the top of the first. Michael O'Neill reached on an error as the leadoff batter of the game before stealing consecutive bases and then scoring on a double by Coley Crank.

NU starter Michael Jahns was in complete control over the next three innings, though, putting the Wolverines down in order in the second, third and fourth innings, retiring 10 straight batters at one point.

Northwestern took advantage of a Michigan error in scoring four times in the bottom of the second inning to surge in front. Kyle Ruchim opened the frame by reaching on a miscue by shortstop Derrick Dennis. With runners on second and third with one out, Geoff Rowan brought Ruchim home with a groundout to second to tie the game. Hamilton Wise followed with a bloop RBI single to right to put the Wildcats in front. Following a single by Trevor Stevens, Lashmet mashed a two-run double to the wall in left-center to put the hosts up 4-1.

Jack Havey chased Michigan starter Matt Broder from the game in the third as he led off the inning with a booming home run to left, his fourth round-tripper of the season.

Michigan got a run back in the top of the fifth on a run-scoring groundout by Patrick Biondi, but Jahns struck out Brett Winger looking with the bases loaded to maintain a two-run lead.

NU responded in its half of the frame as Ruchim started things once again with a single to left before eventually scoring from second on a single by Rowan to make it 6-2.

The scoring continued in the top of the sixth as the Wolverines loaded the bases against Jahns with one out. The Wildcats brought on Snieder to pitch and Hamilton Wise made a nice sliding catch in center field to rob Adam Robinson of a hit and limiting him to just a sacrifice fly.

Northwestern was finally able to give itself some breathing room in the home half of the sixth, scoring three times to go up 9-3. With Stevens on second, back-to-back ringing doubles by Lashmet and Snieder each plated runs. Ruchim would plate the final run of the inning on a squeeze bunt that brought home Snieder from third.

The Wildcats scored two final runs in the bottom of the eighth on RBI singles by Havey and Rowan. Michigan got three unearned runs in the ninth as a two-out error brought home a run before John Lorenz hit a two-run double. However, it wasn't enough as NU earned its first Big Ten home series win of the season.

Northwestern's 20 hits came up just one shy of its season high of 21 achieved April 3 at Ohio State. The Wildcats came to the plate nine times in that contest compared to eight times on Saturday.

In addition to Lashmet, Livingston and Snieder collecting three hits, Havey, Rowan, Ruchim, Stevens and Wise also had multi-hit games. Lashmet and Rowan drove in three runs apiece.

Jahns (2-4) picked up the victory, striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings of work while scattering five hits and three walks. Just one of the three runs he allowed was earned. Snieder worked the final 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts to pick up his fifth save of the season.

The teams are slated to conclude their weekend series beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday. Northwestern will hold Senior Day ceremonies following the contest.

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