Northwestern
23-25, 12-15
Ohio State
12-35, 4-23
Wildcats Rout Buckeyes to Secure Series Victory
5/11/2025 10:32:00 PM | Baseball
Northwestern (23-25, 12-15 Big Ten) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead when C Bennett Markinson cleared the bases with a triple to center field, scoring 3B Owen McElfatrick, RF Jackson Freeman, and CF Jack Lausch.RUN-RULE ?? SERIES DUB ?? pic.twitter.com/bpiBCUhWi7
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 11, 2025
The Wildcats added on with seven runs on three hits in the bottom of the second. Owen McElfatrick scored DH Trent Liolios with a base hit. Jackson Freeman drove in a pair with a two-run double to extend the lead with a double down the right-field line. Bennett Markinson and 1B Tyler Ganus each worked bases-loaded walks to drive in a run. In his second plate appearance of the inning, Liolios doubled down the left-field line to score Markinson and Lausch and extend NU's lead to 10-0.
Ohio State (12-35, 4-23 Big Ten) scored a pair in the top of the third. RF Trey Lipsey notched an RBI double down the right-field line to score 3B Will Carpenter and LF Matthew Graveline grounded out to shortstop, pushing CF Sal Mineo across.
In the bottom of the third, SS Ryan Kucherak hit a solo shot down the left-field line, and CF Jack Lausch homered to center field to score three runs and stretch the Wildcat lead to 13-2.
Pinch-hitting in the bottom of the fifth, graduate student Pirmin Brechbuhl hit his first-career homer, a three-run blast to left field to score Markinson and Ganus and extend NU's lead to 16-2.
Kucherak hit his second homer of the game in the bottom of the sixth, notching his third multi-homer game of the season and recording his 15th homer of the season to move into a tie for second-place in Northwestern single-season history.
LHP Blake MacMillan (5-2) earned the win in 6.2 innings pitched, surrendering two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out three.
Game NotesSenior Day Quality Start ?? pic.twitter.com/c3VnLNftxu
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 11, 2025
- The Wildcats claimed a series victory against Ohio State for the first time since 2019.
- Northwestern's 17 runs mark its 11th time scoring double-digit runs this season and eighth time in conference play.
- SS Ryan Kucherak has recorded an RBI in 13 of his last 15 games.
- CF Jack Lausch has logged an RBI in eight of his last nine games.
- LF Preston Knott has scored a run in six straight games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: MacMillan, Blake (5-2)
L: Michalak, Jake (1-6)
Batting:
2B: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Carpenter, Will 1
RBI: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carpenter, Will 1 ; Mineo, Sal 1
Batting:
2B: Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Liolios, Trent 1
3B: Markinson, Bennett 1
HR: Kucherak, Ryan 2 ; Lausch, Jack 1 ; Brechbuhl, Pirmin 1
RBI: McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 2 ; Freeman, Jackson 2 ; Lausch, Jack 2 ; Markinson, Bennett 4 ; Ganus, Tyler 1 ; Liolios, Trent 2 ; Brechbuhl, Pirmin 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Knott, Preston 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 2 ; Kucherak, Ryan 3 ; Freeman, Jackson 3 ; Lausch, Jack 3 ; Markinson, Bennett 2 ; Ganus, Tyler 1 ; Liolios, Trent 1 ; Brechbuhl, Pirmin 1
HBP: Kucherak, Ryan 1
