Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
11-15-1, 4-7
Michigan State
10-18, 5-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 15 | 1 |
| Northwestern | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 0 |
McElfatrick's Walk Off Propels 'Cats to 10-9 Win, Evens Series
4/4/2026 8:34:00 PM | Baseball
Seven Wildcats posted a multi-hit game, NU's most players with 2+ hits since March 27, 2022, at Southern Illinois, as Northwestern eclipsed the double-digit run mark for the sixth time this season.
Michigan State (10-18, 5-9 Big Ten) got on the board first with three runs in the top of the second and added to its lead with another in the top of the fourth.OWEN MCELFATRICK WALKS IT OFF! 'CATS WIN! pic.twitter.com/U7h9GbFjJm
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 4, 2026
OF Jackson Freeman's sixth homer of the season, a three-run dinger, put Northwestern (11-15-1, 4-7 Big Ten) on the scoreboard, and INF Noah Ruiz evened the game at four with an RBI single to score INF Ryan Kucherak.
Michigan State went back ahead, scratching across one run in the fourth and plating two more in the fifth, extending its lead to 7-4.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ruiz tallied his second RBI of the day with an RBI double to score OF Jack Lausch, and Barron brought Ruiz home to cut the deficit to one.
MSU stretched its lead back to three on a two-run homer in the top of the eighth.
Trailing by three runs, NU hit a pair of home runs over a three-batter stretch to tie the game at nine. McElfatrick went yard for a two-run blast, scoring de Groot, and Kucherak equalized with a solo shot to send the game to the ninth tied at nine.
McElfatrick delivered the game-winning RBI, walking off the Spartans with a single up the middle to score INF Jack Counsell for a 10-9 victory.
RHP Garrett Shearer is credited with the win, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks, striking out five in 5.0 innings.
Sunday's rubber game is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shearer, Garrett (1-2)
L: Szczepanski,Tommy (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Seymour,Randy 1
HR: Seymour,Randy 1 ; Deckinga,CJ 1
RBI: Thomas,Khamaree 1 ; Murphy,Dayton 1 ; Sturgess,Isaac 1 ; Seymour,Randy 1 ; McKay,Ryan 1 ; Deckinga,CJ 3 ; Broski,Adam 1
SF: Thomas,Khamaree 1 ; Sturgess,Isaac 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rice,Trent 1 ; Sturgess,Isaac 1 ; Seymour,Randy 2 ; McKay,Ryan 2 ; Deckinga,CJ 1 ; Williams,Nick 1 ; Broski,Adam 1
HBP: Murphy,Dayton 1 ; Broski,Adam 1
Batting:
2B: Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 1 ; Barron, Nick 1
HR: McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 1
RBI: McElfatrick, Owen 3 ; Freeman, Jackson 3 ; Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 2 ; Barron, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 2 ; Lausch, Jack 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 1 ; Counsell, Jack 1 ; Slater, Jay 1 ; de Groot, Logan 2
HBP: de Groot, Logan 1
