April 8, 2005
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Great pitching and 11th-inning heroics capped a successful day for Northwestern's baseball team as it defeated Penn State, 3-2. Chris Hayes pitched two and two-third innings of near perfect relief and Jon Mikrut capped a 3-for-5 day with a game-winning walk-off single. The win improves the Wildcats to 13-9 overall, 4-1 in the Big Ten.
In what some would call a pitching duel, sophomore Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) pitched his best game of the season. Smith went eight and one-third innings, giving up two runs (one earned) and striking out five. The eight and one-third innings is the longest outing of his career.
Hayes' ninth relief appearance of the season came at a crucial point in the game.
Smith got the first out of the ninth, before giving up back-to-back singles and giving way to Hayes. With PSU runners at the corners, Hayes calmly struck out the final two outs of the inning, ending the Lion threat.
Hayes gave up only one hit, earning his second win in as many appearances. Hayes threw five complete innings in NU's 12-9 extra-inning win at Indiana last Sunday.
Shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) broke out against the Nittany Lions, driving in all three Wildcat runs. He ended the day 3-for-5 with a walk.
In the fifth, Mikrut stroked a two-out double down the left-field line, plating Mike Phelps (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) from third. Phelps reached base via the walk and moved to third on two groundball outs.
In the seventh, Mikrut tied the game 2-2 with a two-out single to left field. Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) scored on the hit. Mann was hit by a pitch, moved to second on Phelps' second walk of the game, and went to third on Aaron Newman's (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) sacrifice bunt.
NU had a chance in the bottom of the ninth, leaving the bases loaded. Lion pitcher Clint Eury struck out two Wildcats to end the threat.
In the 11th, Newman hit a one-out single to left and quickly stole second. The Nittany Lion catcher sailed his throw into center field, putting Newman on third with one out. Mikrut followed with a fly ball that hit the warning track in right field, sealing the Wildcat victory.
Catcher Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) ended the day 2-for-5, while Mann was 2-for-3 with a walk.
NU and Penn State will play a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Both games are seven-inning contests.