March 25, 2005

Final Stats

BRADENTON, Fla. - Northwestern and Vermont played two seven-inning games today, the first beginning at 9:30 a.m. NU was originally scheduled to play Vermont and Cornell today, but tournament officials shuffled the schedule due to flight considerations for departing teams.

In game one at IMG Academy Park in Bradenton, Fla., NU opened the game with a run in the top of the first inning, but could not muster anymore, falling to the Catamounts 3-1.

The Wildcats manufactured their only run of the game, as freshman Jake Owens' (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) leadoff walk came around to score. Owens scored on Mark Ori's (Niles, Ill./Maine South) RBI-groundout to second base. Owens put himself in scoring position by stealing second and was moved to third on Jon Mikrut's (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) sacrifice bunt.

Vermont answered NU's run with one run of its own, taking advantage of an infield error. The run was unearned.

The difference in the game came in the third when Vermont plated two runs on one hit. A leadoff walk came around to score after a double and RBI-groundout. The second run scored on a passed ball.

The Wildcats managed just five hits in the game, falling to 7-8 on the season.

Despite the loss, starter Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) pitched NU's first complete game of the season. He gave up three runs (one earned), striking out five. He falls to 1-3 on the season, but has a team-leading 2.30 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched.

Ori was the only Wildcat with multiple hits, hitting safely in two of his three at-bats. He drove in NU's only run.