Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
13-28, 2-14
Iowa
26-18, 11-8
Wildcats Drop Heartbreaker, 4-3 at Iowa
5/3/2024 10:17:00 PM | Baseball
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Northwestern dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker on Friday night at Duane Banks Field.
The Wildcats (13-28, 2-14 Big Ten) got on the board first in the top of the first inning. Preston Knott reached on a walk and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Freeman. Griffin Arnone doubled the NU lead with an RBI single, scoring Bennett Markinson to make it a 2-0 game.
Iowa (26-18, 11-8 Big Ten) responded in the bottom half of the frame, cutting the lead in half on an RBI double by Reese Moore.Adding on! ??@griffinarnone brings @bmarkinson9 home with an RBI single to double the lead! pic.twitter.com/zlIvncELCN
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 3, 2024
Both pitching staffs settled in, carrying the 2-1 scoreline into the top of the eighth. Luke Benneche allowed one run, zero earned, on five hits through 4.0 innings pitched, striking out a pair and walking one. Anthony Watts surrendered two runs on four hits in 4.2 innings pitched, striking out seven.
In the top of the eighth, Northwestern added onto its lead with an RBI single by Trent Liolios, scoring Tony Livermore to give the Wildcats a 3-1 advantage into the bottom half.
In the bottom half of the frame, Iowa plated three runs on four hits, all singles, to take a 4-3 lead into the final frame..@LioliosTrent coming up ????????????! ?? pic.twitter.com/nyWwYQbMGn
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 4, 2024
Jack Young earned his third save of the season, striking out the side to finish off the 4-3 win.
Matt McClure (3-5) is credited with the loss, conceding three runs on five hits in 3.2 innings pitched. The Rancho Santa Margarita, California native struck out five Hawkeyes, allowing zero walks.
Aaron Savary (5-1) earned the win for Iowa, allowing one run on three hits in 3.1 innings pitched, striking out three and walking two.
Game two of the series is set for 2:05 p.m. CT on Saturday on B1G+. Jack Dyke is set to toe the rubber for the 'Cats, while Brody Brecht will take the mound for Iowa.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aaron Savary (5-1)
L: McClure, Matt (3-5)
S: Jack Young (3)
Batting:
2B: Markinson, Bennett 1
RBI: Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Liolios, Trent 1 ; Arnone, Griffin 1
SH: Livermore, Tony 1
SF: Freeman, Jackson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knott, Preston 1 ; Markinson, Bennett 1 ; Livermore, Tony 1
CS: Arnone, Griffin 2
Batting:
2B: Reese Moore 1
RBI: Reese Moore 1 ; Ben Wilmes 1 ; Cade Moss 2
SH: Ben Wilmes 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Davis Cop 1 ; Michael Seegers 1 ; Ben Swails 1 ; Ben Wilmes 1
HBP: Gable Mitchell 1
