March 14, 2008

Box Score

CHICAGO - A three-run eighth inning proved to be the difference as Northwestern evened its three-game series with UIC by posting a 6-3 victory in the opening game of a doubleheader Friday afternoon. Freshman southpaw Eric Jokisch tossed a complete game to earn his first collegiate win.

Aaron Newman led the Wildcats (4-4) with three hits, while Jake Owens drove in a pair of runs, including a two-run double in the decisive eighth inning.

NU struck first in the top of the second inning as it pushed a run across without a recording a hit while benefiting from a pair of errors by the Flames.

UIC answered right back in the bottom half the inning, pushing across a pair of runs to take a one-run lead. The Wildcats knotted the game in the ensuing half-inning as it tallied four hits, but settled for the solo run on a double by Jake Goebbert.

Jokisch and UIC starter Mike Kool were able to settle in, though, as neither team was able to score in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings.

Northwestern finally broke through for the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh as Goebbert and Mike Kalina recorded back-to-back two-out doubles to give the visitors the 3-2 lead.

However, the Flames were able to push across the tying run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Steve McGuiggan.

Chad Noble started the Wildcats' winning rally in the top of eighth with a one-out single. Pinch-hitter Max Mann followed with a single of his own to give NU two aboard, before Newman provided the third straight hit to bring home Noble with the lead run. Owens then ripped a two-run double to left-center to pad the Wildcats' advantage.

The three-run cushion proved to be more than enough for Jokisch, who sat down the Flames in order over the final two innings. The left-hander scattered nine hits in the contest while striking out five and walking only one.

Northwestern had 11 hits in the contest, with Goebbert, Kalina and Owens collecting two apiece to go along with the three by Newman.

The teams were scheduled to play the nightcap of the twinbill at approximately 6 p.m.