Wildcats Battle Indiana to the End in Doubleheader

3/24/2017 7:03:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Wildcats offense exploded for 13 total runs in Friday's doubleheader against Indiana, but dropped the first game 13-9, before using a ninth-inning rally in game two that came up just short, handing the Wildcats their send loss of the day, 6-5.

Northwestern (5-16, 0-2 B1G) outhit Indiana (12-8-1, 2-0) in both games, a combined 24-21. Joe Hoscheit had a career-high five hits in the first game, with seven hits and five RBI in all for the day, while Matt Hopfner had four hits, including a double in both games.

The first game opened brightly for Northwestern, putting up eight runs in the first three innings. Hoscheit led the offense, going 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Hopfner and Jake Schieber each added triples, and recorded two and three RBI, respectively.

Freshman Nick Paciorek recorded his first career double, also adding a career-high two RBI. The Wildcats touched up the Hoosier starter for eight runs off nine hits in 2.2 innings, taking an 8-3 lead after the third.

Indiana would come back to tie the game at 8-8 in the sixth, but only for an inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Hoscheit singled to left, bringing in Alex Erro and giving Northwestern a 9-8 lead.
However, Indiana's comeback still had momentum. The Hoosiers homered five times on the day en route to winning 13-9.

Indiana came out of the gates fast in game two, jumping out to a 4-0 lead

After Indiana scored four in the top of the first, the Wildcats looked to claw back. Maxwell and Hopfner each singled, before Hoscheit came to the plate with two outs. Continuing his hot day, the senior turned on a pitch and launched it over the left field fence for a three-run bomb, cutting the deficit to one at 4-3.

Hank Christie started the game, and recovered from the first inning to put up a solid performance. After Indiana put their first two runners on in the second, Christie got a sac bunt, lineout, and strikeout to escape the frame unscathed. Christie finished with a pair of strikeouts in four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.

As the clouds rolled in turning the Evanston weather cold, the bats froze as well. While the Wildcats put a runner on base in all but two innings, the teams combined for just five total hits between the second and eighth innings.

Indiana was largely silenced by Matt Gannon, who replaced Christie. The tall lefty allowed just one hit and one run in 4.1 innings, while striking out a pair. Nick Cauley also pitched well out of the bullpen, coming in and recording two quick outs in the ninth.

With the Wildcats needing three runs in three outs, Hopfner hit the top of the left field wall to start the bottom of the ninth. Hoscheit then had a high fly fall in for a double, giving Northwestern two runners on with the tying run at the plate. A Connor Lind groundout plated one, while Jack Claey's single would bring Northwestern within one. A passed ball moved the runner to second, but the Wildcats couldn't get the final hit, falling 6-5.

Alex Erro singled in game one of the doubleheader to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, but was held hitless in the nightcap bringing an end to the streak.

The Wildcats will finish off the three-game set against Indiana with a 2 p.m. start on Saturday, March 24.