Northwestern Topples Cal, 9-5

2/17/2019 6:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. — Northwestern baseball (2-2) picked up a commanding, 9-5 victory over Cal (0-3) on Sunday afternoon at the Tempe Diablo Stadium Complex.

Senior Willie Bourbon went 3-for-3 on the day, including a solo home run and two RBI. He reached base five times in the game, also drawing a pair of walks.

Sophomore Quinn Lavelle posted a strong start, though limited due to a pitch count. He tossed 3.1-scoreless frames, only allowing two hits and two walks while striking ot five. He was replaced in favor of senior Danny Katz — who earned the win — in the fourth inning, who induced a 4-6-3 double-play to get the 'Cats out of the frame. Katz finished by tossing 1.2-perfect innings.

Northwestern struck first, scrapping across a run in the first inning. First-year Shawn Goosenberg, making his first-career start, reached base on a strikeout and a wild pitch. Bourbon followed up by driving in the California native with an RBI single.

NU had bases-loaded situations in the second, third, and fourth innings, but the 'Cats were left empty-handed.

Chicago's Big Ten Team was finally able to break through in the fifth frame when Bourbon slugged a solo shot to double the NU advantage. The Wildcats strung together back-to-back-to-back singles to drive home two more runs to end the fifth inning with a 4-0 lead.

Cal scored their first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning thanks to an RBI single by 2018 Golden Spikes Award winner Andrew Vaughn. Sophomore Jack Pagliarini escaped a first-and-third situation with limited damage, however, only allowing the one inherited run to score.

NU's offense and baserunning all came together — in conjunction with some sloppy Cal defense — in the sixth inning to explode for four runs. The Golden Bears committed six errors in the contest, compared to NU's zero.

Both squads plated one run in the eighth inning, but Cal sent three home in the final frame. The Wildcats held on for the 9-5 victory.

OF NOTE:

Alex Erro went 1-for-5, extending his hitting streak to 18-straight games, dating back to last season … Jack Dunn went 3-for-5, lengthening his on-base streak to 30-straight.
Willie Bourbon reached base five times and tallied six total bases … He slugged his first home run of the season.
Shawn Goosenberg made his first-career start, scoring a run.
Charlie Maxwell went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored.
David Dunn went 2-for-3 with two walks and a career-high three runs scored.
Michael Trautwein went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.

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