Northwestern
4-1
Fordham (DH)
1-5
Wildcats Extend Winning Streak to Five with Doubleheader Sweep of Fordham
2/23/2025 4:44:00 PM | Baseball
CARY, N.C. – Northwestern swept both ends of a doubleheader over Fordham at USA Baseball National Training Complex to extend its winning streak to five on Sunday.
Northwestern jumped on Fordham immediately in game one (seven innings), plating two in the top of the first on C Bennett Markinson's two-run shot off the left field scoreboard, his first home run of the season.
The Rams quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning, halving the Wildcat lead on an RBI single, before RHP Garrett Shearer responded with a strikeout to strand a pair.
Both starting pitchers rebounded quickly, but Northwestern's 2-1 advantage held as Shearer (2-0) went the distance for the complete game win. In 7.0 innings of work, Shearer allowed just one run on four hits, a walk, and two hit batsmen, striking out six. RHP Mike Rabayda (0-2) is credited with the loss for the Rams, giving up two runs on five hits with four walks in 6.0 innings of action.
In game two, Fordham grabbed the early lead, plating a pair in the top of the second inning to claim a 2-0 edge. Northwestern responded in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game on Bennett Markinson's second home run of the day.Game One DUB?? pic.twitter.com/Ih4qVmqyY9
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 23, 2025
UTL Tyler Ganus broke the deadlock an inning later, driving home OF Preston Knott to give the Wildcats a 3-2 advantage. Later in that same inning, Markinson hit his second home run of the game and third of the day, a three-run blast to put the 'Cats up 6-2.
The Rams got one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to center field, trimming the deficit to three, but were unable to push any more across for the rest of the game.
NU tacked on to its advantage in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases for INF Trent Liolios who drew a 15-pitch walk to score Ganus. Next batter, INF Ryan Kucherak kept the line moving, scoring Markinson on an RBI single to center to extend the advantage to five runs.
Northwestern added another in the bottom of the eighth, scoring Knott on a wild pitch to bring its lead to 9-3 and cap off the scoring.
RHP Matthew Kouser earned the win in his second appearance as a Wildcat, surrendering three earned runs on eight hits, walking one and fanning three.
RHP Blake MacMillan earned his first career save, allowing just one baserunner on a walk and striking out five in three innings of work.
Doubleheader NotesDOUBLEHEADER SWEEP ?? #catswin pic.twitter.com/yEyiYIYZoV
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 23, 2025
- Northwestern's five-game winning streak is its longest since March 13-27, 2022 (seven).
- Northwestern's 5-1 start marks its best start since 2003.
- In two games on Sunday, Bennett Markinson went 3-for-7 with three homers, seven RBI, four runs, a walk, and a hit by pitch.
- Markinson is the first catcher with a multi-homer game since Michael Trautwein did so on May 23, 2021 against Iowa.
- Over his first two starts this season, Garrett Shearer totaled 13.0 innings pitched, nine strikeouts, and two wins, while allowing just seven hits, three earned runs, and two walks, and posting a 2.08 ERA.
- Blake MacMillan's five strikeouts are the most by a Wildcat reliever this season.
Northwestern closes out its long weekend in Cary, N.C. with a Monday morning matchup with Indiana, which will not count toward Big Ten standings. First pitch from the USA Baseball National Training Complex is set for 10 a.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shearer, Garrett (2-0)
L: RABAYDA, Mike (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Ganus, Tyler 1
HR: Markinson, Bennett 1
RBI: Markinson, Bennett 2
SH: Lausch, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ganus, Tyler 1 ; Markinson, Bennett 1
SB: Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Hand, Jacob 1 ; Counsell, Jack 1
HBP: Liolios, Trent 1
Batting:
RBI: OCKO, Madden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KIRK, Taylor 1
SB: BRENNAN, Jack 1
CS: KANELLIS, Andrew 1
HBP: BRENNAN, Jack 1 ; LAPEKAS, Reid 1
