Saturday, May 21

Piscataway, N.J.

10 a.m.

Northwestern

15-39, 7-17

Rutgers

27-28, 9-15

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Northwestern	3	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	7	9	1
Rutgers	4	0	0	1	2	0	0	3	X	10	11	2

'Cats Close Out 2016 Campaign with 10-7 Loss at Rutgers

5/21/2016 1:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Northwestern surrendered three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to drop its 2016 season finale to Rutgers, 10-7, on Saturday afternoon.

Northwestern (15-39, 7-17 B1G) took the series from Rutgers (27-28, 9-15 B1G) by winning the first two games, before losing today's contest. The Wildcats finished the year with a pair of Big Ten series victories by sweeping Purdue (May 6-8) and winning a pair at Rutgers (May 19-21).

Northwestern started the first two games of the series by scoring at least a run in the first inning and the finale proved to be no different. Zach Jones and Matt Hopfner both singled with one away and Joe Hoscheit was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Connor Lind, who singled through the left side to score the game's first run.

Two batters later, freshman Ben Dickey drove a pitch back up the middle to score a pair of runs and give Northwestern an early 3-0 lead.

Rutgers answered the bell in its half of the inning by scoring four runs on four hits and taking a 4-3 lead into the second.

The Scarlet Knights' lead would not last long as Hopfner recorded a two-out, RBI single in the top of the second to tie the game at 4-4. A Hoscheit walk in the next at-bat put runners on second and first for Lind. The #B1GCats third baseman swung at the first pitch he saw and drove a double down the left field line to score Hopfner and Hoscheit for his second and third RBIs of the day, giving NU a 6-4 lead.

Lind finished the series with six runs driven in.

Following a scoreless third inning, the Wildcats added to their lead in the fourth when Rutgers committed back-to-back errors that allowed Hoscheit to score a run to put Northwestern in front, 7-4.

Rutgers scored three runs over in their next two at-bats to knot the contest at 7-7.

Zeros populated the scoreboard over the sixth and seventh innings until Rutgers broke the game open with three unearned runs in the eighth to go ahead 10-7.

Jake Stolley started the game for Northwestern and went 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on five hits and striking out one. Pete Hofman (1-6) earned the loss for Northwestern after giving up three unearned runs in the eighth.

Dan Kubiuk, Richard Fordon, Cooper Wetherbee and Tyler Lass all made relief appearances.

On the offensive end, Hopfner, Lind and Dickey led the way, each recording to hits. Dickey had two RBIs, while Hopfner batted in one.