Northwestern
1-5
Santa Clara
2-4
'Cats Break Through in Doubleheader Split with Santa Clara
2/26/2022 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
The story of NU's first victory of the season began with Sean Sullivan, as the first-year starter built on an encouraging debut against UAB with a masterpiece in California. The Andover, Mass. native twirled six innings of scoreless baseball against the Broncos, striking out nine without walking a batter and picking off a runner.
Sullivan would pitch with the lead all day thanks to an RBI single in the top of the first from Ethan O'Donnell. Vincent Bianchina and Stephen Hrustich helped stake Northwestern to a 4-0 lead with RBIs in the top of the first and the 'Cats would never look back against Santa Clara.
A two out, two-run triple from Jay Beshears in the top of the second helped juice the Northwestern lead and a Tommy D'Alise double made it 8-0 in the second. Sullivan was on cruise control throughout the afternoon, including a one-two-three bottom of the fifth before turning things over to the bullpen.
The victory is the first as a head coach for Reynolds in his first season at the helm in Evanston.
In the nightcap, Northwestern would once again play from in front after a leadoff home run from Ruben Fontes. But a three-run bottom of the first would give Santa Clara the lead for good.
O'Donnell and Bianchina came alive once again with a pair of RBIs to make it 5-3 in the fifth, but that's as close as the Wildcats would get on Saturday night.
Northwestern will look to split the series with Santa Clara on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sullivan, Sean (1-0)
L: HALES,Skylar (0-1)
S: Moe, Coby (1)
Batting:
2B: Fontes, Ruben 1 ; Beshears, Jay 1 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 1 ; D'Alise, Tommy 1
3B: Bianchina, Vince 1
RBI: Calarco, Anthony 1 ; Beshears, Jay 1 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 1 ; Bianchina, Vince 3 ; D'Alise, Tommy 1 ; Hrustich, Stephen 1 ; Livermore, Tony 1
SH: Beshears, Jay 1 ; Bianchina, Vince 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fontes, Ruben 2 ; Calarco, Anthony 2 ; Beshears, Jay 2 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 2 ; Bianchina, Vince 1 ; D'Alise, Tommy 1
SB: Bianchina, Vince 1 ; Livermore, Tony 1
Batting:
2B: JEW,Matt 1
Base Running:
CS: BRIGMAN,Dawson 1
HBP: BRIGMAN,Coleman 1 ; JEW,Matt 1 ; MANZO,Efrain 1 ; HENRIQUES,Connor 1
PO: BRIGMAN,Dawson 1
