Northwestern Splits Twinbill With No. 14 Iowa

Saturday, April 18

Iowa City, Iowa

4:30 PM

Northwestern

11-26, 4-8

Iowa

26-11, 10-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Northwestern	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	4	6	1
Iowa	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	7	0

Northwestern Splits Twinbill With No. 14 Iowa

4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 18, 2015

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	Game 1: Iowa 13, Northwestern 4 Game 2: Northwestern 4, Iowa 1 Duane Banks Field \| Iowa City, Iowa Game 1: Box Score (PDF) \|Box Score (HTML) Game 2: Box Score (PDF) \| Box Score (HTML)

Game One Recap
The Wildcats strung together a four-run rally in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough to stop No. 14 Iowa from claiming game one of Saturday's doubleheader, 13-4, at Duane Banks Field.

Fifth-year senior Kyle Ruchim went 2-for-4 with one run and just as many RBI. Redshirt-frosh Grant Peikert also added two hits in the Wildcats' effort.

Junior Matt Portland took the loss for Northwestern after allowing seven runs on nine hits in the first four innings. The `Cats used four pitchers in the contest as freshman Pete Hofman, redshirt-sophomore Evan Schreiber and freshman Richard Fordon saw time on the bump.

Early in the game, junior Zach Jones drew a one-out walk before Scott Heelan found the gap in center field for a double to put runners in scoring position for cleanup hitter Joe Hoscheit. The junior struck out swinging, but the Wildcats loaded the bases for an opportunity to jump on the board. Northwestern was unable to capitalize on the occasion as Iowa forced a 6-4 putout to escape the first frame unharmed.

Iowa opened scoring in the home-team's side of the second frame when Kris Goodman sent a two-run blast over the left field wall to take control of the game. The Hawkeyes followed up with a pair of base hits and drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. Mangler -- who roped Friday night's walk off single -- launched another base hit to right field to drive home two more runs for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa's momentum carried over into the fourth and fifth innings as the Hawkeyes added three runs in that span. In the fourth frame, Iowa connected on back-to-back base hits before plating a run on a sacrifice fly to left field. A single and a double bagger in the bottom of the fifth, crossed Iowa's sixth run of the game and forced the Wildcats to make a pitching change. Hofman entered in relief and the Hawkeyes plated one more run to shut the door on the inning with a 7-0 advantage.

The Wildcats' had a chance to score in top of the seventh when Peikert entered the game and drew a leadoff single before junior Antonio Freschet reached on a fielder's choice. Both runners advanced on an error by Hawkeye short stop Nick Roscetti -- his second error of the game -- and Ruchim drew a walk to load the bases. Jones flew out to left field and Jack Claeys struck out looking as Iowa held the `Cats without a run.

Iowa added six more runs over the final three frames and never looked back.

Peikert sparked a Wildcat rally with a lead off home run to left field to put Northwestern on the board. Libman reached on a fielding error and Reimer was walked to push a runner into scoring position. Ruchim hit a ground-rule double to drive home senior Cody Libman. Chicago's Big Ten Team plated two more runs, but its rally fell short as Iowa claimed game one of Saturday's twin bill.

Game Two Recap
Northwestern starter Reed Mason turned in a terrific performance on the mound in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader and the Wildcats claimed a 4-1 victory over No. 14 Iowa in the series finale.

Mason toed the rubber for a season-best seven 1/3 innings for the Wildcats. He scattered only six hits and surrendered one run in the bottom of the sixth, while striking out three.

Fifth-year senior Kyle Ruchim went yard to kick off the nightcap and mark his sixth home run of the season. It marked the third time this year that Ruchim led off the game with a long ball.

Northwestern was able to keep the Hawkeyes off the board and post three more runs to take a 4-0 lead. In the top of the fourth, sophomore Joe Hoscheit drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a base hit from fifth-year senior Cody Stevens. The Wildcats loaded the bases thanks to a single to short stop from freshman Grant Peikert, and Hoscheit scored on a wild pitch. Scoring did not stop there for Chicago's Big Ten Team as Peikert and Stevens plated two more runs for the `Cats on a single from freshman Connor Lind.

Iowa manufactured its first run in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of a pair of two-out doubles, but that is the closest the Hawkeyes would get for the remainder of the game.

Iowa threatened again in the bottom of eighth and loaded the bases with just one out thanks to two singles on either side of a walk. Freschet made an incredible leaping snag and the `Cats executed a 4-6 inning-ending double play to escape the frame.

After nearly a three-hour lightening delay, Peikert took the mound and tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win for the `Cats and record his first-career save.

The Wildcats return home to the newly renovated Rocky Miller Park to host Milwaukee and UIC for a pair of midweek games, beginning Tuesday, April 21.

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