April 21, 2001
EAST LANSING, MICH. - The Northwestern baseball team won Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against Michigan State after a 7-6 Game 1 loss. NU used a powerful offense, scoring nine runs in the first two innings.
In the first inning, the Wildcats scored six runs on six hits, highlighted by rightfielder Jason Krynski's (Niles, Ill./Niles West) grand slam. It was his second home run of the day and third of the year. Freshman David Gresky (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Ignatius) had an RBI double in the inning, his ninth two-bagger of the season.
The Wildcats went right back to work in the second, as Todd Morgan (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) hit a one-out double and catcher Joe Hietpas (Appleton, Wis./North) was hit by a pitch. Junior Travis Tharp (Boulder, Colo./Boulder) followed with a two-run triple to the rightfield corner. Krynski continued to stroke the ball, crushing an RBI double to the right center gap.
Down 9-0, the Spartans put together five runs in the third and fourth innings. The MSU hitters took advantage of two Wildcat miscues and a pair of walks by starting pitcher Michael Nall (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg). Three Spartan hits coupled with the errors made the score 9-5 after four complete innings.
The teams then went scoreless until the top of the seventh, when NU scored two runs on three hits including an RBI double by Frank Favia (Barrington, Ill./ Barrington) It was Favia's third double of the season. Junior Eric Roeder (Onsted, Mich./Onsted) also had an RBI single in the inning.
Overall, NU amassed 11 runs on 15 hits to take a 2-1 advantage in the four-game series. The 'Cats improved their overall record to 17-23, 6-9 in the Big Ten.
Individually, Krynski was 2-for-2 with five RBI and Morgan was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Tharp ended the game 1-for-2 driving in two while Gresky was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Nall improved his overall record to 5-6, throwing five complete innings and giving up five runs (three earned) while striking out four. Senior J.J. Standring (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) threw the final two innings, giving up three hits and striking out one.
The series finale begins tomorrow at 1 p.m.