May 22, 2003

Box Score

Indiana Box Score in PDF Format

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Northwestern ended its 2003 season with an 8-1 loss to Indiana in the second-round of the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. IU scored five runs in the fourth inning, holding the Wildcats to five hits in the game. NU ends its season with a 25-25 record.

Just like in the first round of the tournament, NU squandered early scoring opportunities leaving runners on second-and-third in the second inning. Shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) led off the inning with a double to left-centerfield, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. First baseman Travis Tharp (Boulder, Colo./Boulder) followed with a walk, and stole second after the Indiana pitcher struck out the first out. Two more strikeouts ended the inning.

As Northwestern struggled offensively, Indiana took advantage of its scoring opportunities. The Hoosiers scored five runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. After loading the bases with no outs, starting pitcher J.A. Happ (Peru, Ill./St. Bede Academy) recorded two outs on a groundball and a strikeout. The next Indiana hitter hit a seeing-eye single through the left side to score the first two runs. An RBI single and a two RBI double later, NU found itself in the hole, 5-0.

Happ went four and one-third innings, before giving way to freshman Mark Ori (Niles, Ill./Maine South).

The Wildcats answered with a run of their own in the top of the fifth, as freshman Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) doubled down the right field line to leadoff the inning. Classmate Dan Brauer (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South), who pinch-hit for catcher Ken Padgett (Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe), singled up the middle to score Wycklendt from second.

Indiana tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff single through the left side, another single through third and short scored the Indiana runner. A fly out to left field was sandwiched between the two hits.

The Hoosiers were not done there. Two runs scored in the bottom of the eighth, when a one-out single scored on a two-run home run to left field.

NU left seven runners on base, as they totaled 21 in the two games of the tournament. Sixteen of those 21 runners were left in scoring position.

Offensively, Mikrut hit his team-leading 14th double of the season as Wycklendt and Ori each doubled in the game.

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