Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
USF
Northwestern Drops Tight Contest at USF
3/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2014
TAMPA, Fla.--The Wildcats led into the sixth inning of Saturday night's contest in Tampa, but USF overcame four errors and mounted a late rally to take a 2-0 series lead.
Northwestern's two true freshman put them on the board first, as Joe Hoscheit laced a double down the left field line to open the second inning, was sacrificed to third, and scored on Matt Hopfner's single up the middle.
USF mounted threats against `Cats starter Reed Mason in almost every inning, but stellar defense kept the Bulls at bay. In the fourth, first baseman Zach Jones helped Northwestern evade a bases-loaded jam by making a diving scoop of a Reid Hunter throw to complete a 6-4-3 double play.
In the following frame, the `Cats turned yet another double play to stifle a Bulls rally, this time on a phenomenal throw by Jake Schieber in centerfield to gun down USF's Kyle Teaf at the plate as he attempted to score on a sacrifice fly.
Schieber then gave Northwestern some insurance with his bat. To open the sixth, the sophomore singled, stole second, advanced to third on an overthrow, and scored on Scott Heelan's sacrifice fly.
The Bulls finally chased Mason in the bottom of the sixth by loading the bases with one out. The Wildcat's bullpen allowed four runs in the frame, which proved to be the difference.
Northwestern loaded the bases to stage one final threat in the eighth, but USF's Tommy Peterson induced an inning-ending groudout.
Freshman righthander Joe Schindler will get the call in the series finale tomorrow, which begins at 12:05 p.m.
