May 21, 2005

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. - The Wildcats scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to complete the comeback and defeat Michigan State 7-5 in game one of a Saturday doubleheader at Rocky Miller Park. Jon Mikrut drove in the games go-ahead run while Mike Phelps went 3-for-3 with three RBI.

Michigan State took an early 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. MSU used six hits, one of which was a solo home run, and took advantage of a Wildcat throwing error. Two of the runs were unearned.

Northwestern responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Third baseman Mike Phelps (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) just missed a home run, which ended up an RBI triple. Left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) led off the inning with a double to left and scored on Phelps' hit. Right fielder Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) scored Phelps on a sacrifice fly to right field.

The Wildcats pulled to within one, 4-3, in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) launched an RBI double to the left field wall. Phelps, who singled to lead off the inning, scored from first on Dietz's hit.

Wildcat starter Ryan Myers (Lake Villa, Ill./Carmel) was lifted with runners on first and second and two outs in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Chris Davidson (Huntington Woods, Mich./Berkley) came out of the bullpen and after a walk, induced a ground ball to end the inning. Myers pitched four and two-third innings.

Davidson got the first two outs in the sixth inning, but a hit batsman and a single put runners on first and third. Head coach Paul Stevens called on Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) out of the bullpen. Schwartz needed just one pitch to end the inning. A groundball to Phelps curbed the Spartan threat.

Northwestern manufactured two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-4 lead. Second baseman Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) led off the inning with an infield single and went to second on a Dietz sacrifice bunt. A pair of walks loaded the bases for designated hitter Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel). McMahon delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, which tied the game 4-4. Shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) delivered the go-ahead hit when he knocked a single to left field which, scored pinch runner Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine). Wycklendt was h it by a pitch to reload the bases. Phelps delivered again, this time he beat out an infield single to the Michigan State first baseman. Two runs scored on the hit.

After six complete innings, NU led 7-4.

Senior Chris Hayes (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) came on to pitch the seventh inning. He gave up one run on two hits to earn his ninth save of the season. Hayes' nine saves is the most by a Wildcat hurler since Greg Ziesemer recorded 10 saves in 1996. Hayes also appeared in his 24th game this season. That is the most appearances since John Seaman appeared in 27 in 1997.

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