Wildcats Tie Flames in Home Opener

Tuesday, March 10

Evanston, Ill.

3 p.m. CT

Northwestern

6-7-1

UIC

4-10-1

UIC

Northwestern

3/10/2026 7:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. – With Northwestern and UIC tied at three after nine innings, play was suspended due to darkness, and the game was ruled a tie.

Northwestern pitching struck out 10 batters in the contest, marking its second consecutive game with double-digit punchouts after striking out 10 batters against UNLV on Sunday. NU has recorded 10+ strikeouts in back-to-back games for the first time since April 30, 2023, against Michigan State (11) and May 2, 2023, vs. UIC (11).

OF Jack Lausch led off the bottom of the first with a triple to center and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by INF Ryan Kucherak to give NU an early 1-0 lead. NU's first-inning run marked its eighth game this season with a run in the first frame.

SEE YA! ??

Mills goes yard to tack on another run! pic.twitter.com/9Blr0XSOkj
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) March 10, 2026

The Wildcats (6-7-1) added on in the bottom of the fourth when INF Noah Ruiz collected his team-high 15th RBI of the season, doubling home INF Owen McElfatrick.

UIC (4-10-1) halved NU's lead in the fifth, pushing a run across on an RBI single by Jake Busson to make it 2-1 before RHP Sam Hliboki responded with a strikeout to strand the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the seventh, OF Griffin Mills slugged a solo homer, his first of the season, to right-center and third of his career to tack on to NU's lead.

In the top of the eighth, the Flames added a run on a wild pitch to cut the Wildcat lead to 3-2, but RHP Dominic DeLoreto left the bases loaded with a strikeout to preserve the lead.

UIC tied the game in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch and retired the first three Wildcats in the bottom of the ninth to force the tie.

The game is NU's first tie since a 0-0 tie against UChicago on May 6, 2009. After six scoreless innings, lightning forced the cancellation of the remainder of the contest, and the game was ruled a tie.

Northwestern opens up Big Ten play this weekend against No. 25 USC. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on B1G+.