May 5, 2005
GENEVA, Ill. - Northern Illinois scored eight runs in the first inning and never looked back, defeating Northwestern 10-5 Wednesday night at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, Ill. NU out-hit the Huskies 14-12, but timely NIU hitting and a pair of costly first-innings errors proved too much to overcome. NU falls to 21-19 on the season.
NIU jumped all over Northwestern starter Stanley Finch (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) in the bottom of the first inning, scoring eight runs on five hits. The Huskies were helped by two Wildcat errors. The eight runs ties the most runs scored by an opponent in one inning this season.
NU started to claw their way back, plating three runs in the top of the fifth. Playing first base instead of his usual catcher's position Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) laced his 14th double of the season, scoring Finch from second base for NU's first run of the game. Shortstop Jon Mikrut (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) lined a single to scoring McMahon. Center fielder Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) who singled to reach base, went to third on McMahon's double and scored on a wild pitch.
The Wildcats kept chipping away at the Husky lead, plating two more runs in the top of the seventh inning. McMahon drove home his second run of the game on an excuse-me single down the third base line. Left fielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) plated the Wildcats' second run of the inning when he hit a towering in-between fly ball down the right field line. The NIU first baseman nearly made a remarkable over-the-shoulder catch, but the ball glanced off his glove, allowing McMahon to score from second.
After seven complete innings, NIU led 8-5.
The Huskies put the game away in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring two runs on three hits. NIU led 10-5 after eight complete innings
Junior Julio Siberio (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) relieved Finch to start the third inning. The Florida native pitched five-plus innings, giving up two runs, both in the eighth inning. Senior Chris Davidson (Huntington Woods, Mich./Berkley) relieved Siberio on the mound with no outs in the eighth. Davidson struck out the first batter he faced before a fielder's choice plated an NIU run. A groundout ended the inning.
NU is next in action when they travel to Champaign, Ill., to take on the first-place Illini in a four-game Big Ten series at Illinois Field. Game one is set for 6:35 p.m. Friday night.