Northwestern Knocks Off No. 23 Texas in Series Lidlifter, 6-2

3/2/2018 11:10:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

AUSTIN, Texas – Northwestern knocked off the No. 23 Texas Longhorns, 6-2, in game one of a four-game series on Friday night at Disch-Falk Field.

Head coach Spencer Allen recaps the #B1GCats win over No. 23 Texas. #B1GCats | #SaddleUp pic.twitter.com/IvT9ntYzw1
— #B1GCats Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) March 3, 2018

First year David Dunn continued his stellar campaign with a perfect day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two RBI, a triple and a stolen base.

His junior brother Jack Dunn launched a solo shot to the Northwestern bullpen in the sixth inning. First year Jack Kelly also chipped with a two-RBI double for the first hit of his career.

Senior Tommy Bordignon earned a three-inning save in a spotless outing, striking out five batters while allowing no hits, walks or runs. His classmate Rich Fordon was credited with the win for throwing an impressive 1.2 scoreless innings of relief out of the bullpen with two strikeouts.

First year Quinn Lavelle earned the start on the bump and threw 4.1 innings, allowing one earned run and tallying two strikeouts.

The Wildcats broke the deadlock in the second inning. Willie Bourbon walked and Jack Claeys advanced him to second with a single. D. Dunn brought Bourbon home with his first hit and RBI of the day to make it 1-0.

Texas loaded the bases the next inning, but Lavelle escaped the inning with just one run allowed, keeping the game knotted at 1-1.

D. Dunn singled again to start the fifth and after Leo Kaplan was hit by a pitch, Dunn stole third for his 2nd stolen base of the season. Kelly stepped up and knocked a double to clear the bases and the Wildcats retook a 3-1 lead.

After Texas got one back in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one run game, Northwestern responded once more. Jack Dunn led off the sixth with a home run to the left field bullpen. The long ball was Dunn's 2nd of his career. Alex Erro singled in the next at bat but was retired on a fielder's choice that put Bourbon on base. The slugger stole second and took third on a wild pitch before a Connor Lind sac fly brought him home to give the 'Cats a commanding 5-2 lead.

Fordon showed off his best stuff in the bottom of the inning with two strikeouts. Bordignon took over in the middle of the seventh and got to work quickly with two Ks of his own. He struck out two more in the bottom of the eighth to silence the Longhorn bats.

Claeys reached on an error to start the ninth and was replaced by Charlie Maxwell on first as pinch runner. It did not matter who was rounding the bases, as D. Dunn finished his evening with a triple for his second RBI that tacked on a run to make it 6-2.

Bordignon finished off his save and the ballgame in the ninth with his fifth strikeout. Bordignon faced nine batters in his appearance, and retired them all.

Chicago's Big Ten Team is back in action tomorrow with a double-header at Disch-Falk Field, with the lidlifter set for 1:30 p.m. CT. Hank Christie and Ryan Bader are the scheduled starters for the #B1GCats.