Northwestern
Minnesota
Northwestern Falls to Minnesota in Series Finale, 6-0
4/15/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 15, 2012
Box Score
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome)
Score: Minnesota 6, Northwestern 0
Records: NU (10-22, 3-9 Big Ten), Minnesota (20-17, 6-3 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Tuesday, April 17 -- vs. Milwaukee (Rocky Miller Park), 3 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota scored three runs apiece in the second and fourth innings as Northwestern dropped its series finale 6-0 Sunday afternoon at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
NU wasted an early scoring opportunity against Austin Lubinsky in the top of the first as it had two on with no one out, but a popup was followed by a strikeout and pick-off double play.
Minnesota threatened against Zach Morton in its half of the first as it also put its first two baserunners aboard, but the 'Cats squelched the threat as Nick Linne started an around-the-horn double play to end the inning.
The Golden Gophers made Morton's appearance on the mound a short one as five straight batters reached on four hits and a walk with one out in the second inning as the hosts got three runs to surge in front. Kyle Geason and Jake Bergren had RBI singles in the frame. Michael Jahns came on in relief of Morton and got a strikeout and a groundout to prevent any further damage.
Jahns pitched a scoreless 1 2/3 innings before giving way to Paul Snieder in the fourth. Three straight run-scoring hits with two outs in the frame helped Minnesota increase its lead to 6-0. Andy Henkemeyer brought home a run with a double before Dan Olinger and Matt Halloran each plated one with a single.
Northwestern got a pair of hits against Lubinsky in both the fifth and sixth innings but was unable to dent the run column in either frame.
Luke Farrell came on to pitch for NU in the fifth and put together three terrific innings on the bump. After allowing a triple to the first batter he faced, Farrell retired nine in a row, including six via strikeout, as he hurled three shutout frames.
Kyle Ruchim worked the eighth inning for the Wildcats, striking out the side in order. He and Farrell combined to sit down 12 batters in a row with nine strikeouts.
Tom Windle and Drew Ghelfi each worked a scoreless inning in relief of Lubinsky who got the win to improve to 2-3 on the season.
Northwestern returns to action at 3 p.m. Tuesday as it hosts Milwaukee in nonconference action at Rocky Miller Park.
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