Northwestern
8-5, 8-5
Illinois
7-7, 7-7
Wildcats Blast 9 HRs in 16-14 Win Over Illinois
3/27/2021 7:45:00 PM | Baseball
It was an offensive outburst for the Wildcats, scoring a season-high 16 runs on 21 hits and nine home runs. Anthony Calarco, Shawn Goosenberg, Stephen Hrustich, Michael Trautwein, Vince Bianchina and Ethan O'Donnell all blasted long-balls for the 'Cats. 16 runs is the Wildcats' most since they posted 18 against Kansas on Feb. 23, 2018.
Junior Anthony Calarco had a day to remember, setting new career-highs with four hits, three home runs, five RBI and four runs scored.
Sophomore Stephen Hrustich reached base four times, launching a career-high two home runs and a double.
The Wildcats got out to a 6-0 lead early in the game. Calarco led off the game with his first homer of the day, followed by an RBI single from Vince Bianchina. In the second inning, Calarco sent a RBI-double down the right field line, followed up by a two-run homer from Goosenberg to make it a 5-0 game. Hrustich doubled with two outs in the fourth inning to score Goosenberg and push the Wildcats' lead to six.
The Illini stormed back, posting six runs in the fourth inning to tie the game. They took a 8-6 lead in the fifth inning with a two-run home run.
Northwestern responded with five home runs between the sixth and seventh innings.
Ethan O'Donnell started things off in the sixth inning with a lead-off homer. With two outs in the inning, Hrustich and Michael Trautwein went back-to-back to take a 9-8 lead. Trautwein has now homered in four consecutive games.
In the seventh, Calarco and Hrustich each blasted their second round-trippers of the day to extend the lead to 12-8.
Once again, Illinois came right back with a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to cut the 'Cats lead to one. The Illini crushed back-to-back home runs in the eight to retake the lead, 13-12.
The 'Cats would not be denied, with Calarco blasting his third home-run of the day to lead off the ninth, tying the game. After Goosenberg scored on an error to take the lead, first-year Vince Bianchina crushed his second-career homer to extend Northwestern's advantage to 16-13.
Dingers. Dingers. More Dingers. @NUCatsBaseball hits NINE HOME RUNS in a 16-14 win, including this last one from Vincent Bianchina!
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 27, 2021
No quit in these 'Cats ??#GoCats pic.twitter.com/xHAMnqInJC
Illinois had the winning run at the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Sam Lawrence struck out the final batter to lock down the win.
Northwestern looks to win the series as they face Illinois tomorrow at 1:05 CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dyke, Jack (1-0)
L: Kutt,Ryan (0-1)
S: Lawrence, Sam (2)
Batting:
2B: Calarco, Anthony 1 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 1 ; Hrustich, Stephen 1
HR: Calarco, Anthony 3 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 1 ; Hrustich, Stephen 2 ; Trautwein, Michael 1 ; Bianchina, Vince 1 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 1
RBI: Calarco, Anthony 5 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 2 ; Hrustich, Stephen 3 ; Trautwein, Michael 1 ; Bianchina, Vince 3 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Calarco, Anthony 4 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 3 ; Hrustich, Stephen 2 ; Trautwein, Michael 2 ; Tanner, Luke 1 ; Bianchina, Vince 1 ; Kaplan, Leo 1 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 2
SB: Goosenberg, Shawn 1
HBP: Bianchina, Vince 1 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 1
Batting:
HR: Comia,Branden 1 ; Hampe,Ryan 1 ; Raper,Jackson 2 ; Campbell,Jacob 1
RBI: Jackson,Taylor 1 ; Comia,Branden 2 ; Hampe,Ryan 1 ; Raper,Jackson 6 ; Campbell,Jacob 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson,Taylor 1 ; Comia,Branden 2 ; Hampe,Ryan 1 ; Janas,Justin 3 ; McDonald,Cam 2 ; Raper,Jackson 3 ; Campbell,Jacob 2
HBP: Raper,Jackson 1
