Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, March 16
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
2:05 p.m.
Northwestern
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Central Michigan
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Northwestern
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Central Michigan
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Photo by: Carolyn Katz - CKatz Photography
Balanced Attack Lifts 'Cats By Central Michigan, 4-2
3/16/2018 6:30:00 PM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Northwestern used a balance pitching and offensive attack to top Central Michigan, 4-2, in the series opener Friday afternoon.
Quinn Lavelle (2-1) made his fourth start of the season and picked up the second victory of his career after tossing 5.0 innings, allowing just four hits and one run with a pair of strikeouts. After walking a pair of batters to begin the fifth, Tommy Bordignon entered the game and shut the door. Bordignon got out of the jam and proceeded to go 4.0 innings, surrendering just two hits and one run to earn his second save of the season.
At the dish, Jack Claeys went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Alex Erro posted a 2-for-5 performance with a RBI and a double. Leo Kaplan launched his first home run of the season and fifth of his career on a solo shot in the top of the second inning.
Michael Brettell started for CMU and tossed 5.2 innings, allowing three runs and three hits in the losing effort.
Northwestern started fast when Claeys poked a two-out, two-RBI double down the line in the first inning to give NU a 2-0 lead after one.
Kaplan's solo shot in the second put the Wildcats up 3-0, before Central Michigan tallied a run in the bottom half of the frame.
Zeroes populated the scoreboard until Erro's single in the top of the seventh brought home Kyle Burnett, Jr. for an insurance run.
The Chippewas added a run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough as the Wildcats held on for the win.
Northwestern and Central Michigan will meet tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
Quinn Lavelle (2-1) made his fourth start of the season and picked up the second victory of his career after tossing 5.0 innings, allowing just four hits and one run with a pair of strikeouts. After walking a pair of batters to begin the fifth, Tommy Bordignon entered the game and shut the door. Bordignon got out of the jam and proceeded to go 4.0 innings, surrendering just two hits and one run to earn his second save of the season.
At the dish, Jack Claeys went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Alex Erro posted a 2-for-5 performance with a RBI and a double. Leo Kaplan launched his first home run of the season and fifth of his career on a solo shot in the top of the second inning.
Michael Brettell started for CMU and tossed 5.2 innings, allowing three runs and three hits in the losing effort.
Northwestern started fast when Claeys poked a two-out, two-RBI double down the line in the first inning to give NU a 2-0 lead after one.
Kaplan's solo shot in the second put the Wildcats up 3-0, before Central Michigan tallied a run in the bottom half of the frame.
Zeroes populated the scoreboard until Erro's single in the top of the seventh brought home Kyle Burnett, Jr. for an insurance run.
The Chippewas added a run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was not enough as the Wildcats held on for the win.
Northwestern and Central Michigan will meet tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
••••••
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lavelle, Quinn (2-1)
L: BRETTELL, Michael (1-3)
S: Bordignon, Tommy (3)
Batting:
2B: Erro, Alex 1 ; Claeys, Jack 1
HR: Kaplan, Leo 1
RBI: Erro, Alex 1 ; Claeys, Jack 2 ; Kaplan, Leo 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dunn, Jack 1 ; Bourbon, Willie 1 ; Kaplan, Leo 1 ; Burnett, Jr., Kyle 1
SB: Claeys, Jack 1
CS: Dunn, Jack 1 ; Claeys, Jack 1
Batting:
RBI: GILLES, Zach 1
SH: WARREN, Zavier 1
SF: GILLES, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KRATT, Evan 1 ; WARREN, Zavier 1
HBP: GILLES, Zach 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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OF
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LHP
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