April 14, 2006
Stats
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Northwestern senior Pat McMahon did what only a handful of baseball players have ever done in a single game, hit for the cycle. The Wildcats needed every bit of McMahon's incredible night, defeating Illinois 19-18 in a classic baseball slugfest. The two teams combined for 37 runs on 46 hits. McMahon was 5-for-6 with six RBI, which included a pair of home runs. The win improved NU to 10-18 overall, but more importantly they took sole control of first place in the Big Ten with a 7-2 record.
Similar to three games against Indiana last weekend in Evanston, NU jumped out to the early lead when senior first baseman Pat McMahon (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel) launched his third home run of the season. It was a solo shot to left center field.
Unlike the Indiana series, Illinois came storming right back. Wildcat starter Ryan Myers (Lake Ville, Ill./Carmel) did not make it out of the first inning; lasting only two outs before head coach Paul Stevens had to make a change. Myers gave up seven runs on seven hits before junior Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood) took over. Smith induced a ground ball to end the inning.
Smith did not fare much better.
After a 1-2-3 Wildcat second, Illinois' leadoff hitter hit a solo home run. Two more runs followed on four hits, all singles.
The score after two complete innings was Illinois 10, Northwestern 1.
That's when NU began chipping away. Wildcat catcher Geoff Dietz (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) got things started in the third inning when he launched his first home run of 2006 over the left field wall. After second baseman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Nicolet) singled up the middle, McMahon's encore to his first at-bat was just as impressive. This time he ignited a 0-2 offering from the Illinois pitcher over the left center field wall. His fourth round-tripper of the season made the score 10-4 Illinois.
After holding Illinois scoreless in the bottom of the third inning, Northwestern exploded for seven runs on seven hits to take an 11-10 lead. In the inning, McMahon continued his good day at the plate with a two-RBI triple. Right fielder Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) followed with a two-run bomb to left centerfield. Mule's third round-tripper of the season tied the game 10-10. Four hitters later, center fielder Stanley Finch's (Lubbock, Texas/Cooper) sacrifice fly, which scored Brauer from third, gave NU the 11-10 lead. Shortstop Tommy Finn (Valparaiso, Ind./Andrean) and Owens also had RBI singles in the inning.
The lead was short-lived.
After a leadoff double and a 29-minute lightning delay in the bottom of the fourth inning, a second Illinois double tied the game at 11 apiece. After a bunt single put runners on first and third with no outs, Smith recorded his first strikeout of the game. The very next batter lined a single down the left field line, which brought in two runs and gave the Illini a 13-11 lead at the end of four innings.
In the top of the fifth inning, Mule decided McMahon wasn't going to be the only Wildcat with more than one home run in the game. So, after McMahon singled with one out, Mule tattooed a 1-2 offering over the left field wall for his second home run of the game and fourth of the season. His two-run bomb tied the game 13-13.
After tying the game in the fifth, freshman Mike Folan (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) came on to pitch. Folan pitched a career high three innings. He gave up five runs on six hits to earn his first collegiate win.
Northwestern recaptured the lead in the top of the sixth when Finch hit an opposite field solo home run. It was his first collegiate home run and it gave NU a 14-13 lead.
Once again Illinois answered, this time they scored three runs aided by a pair of Wildcat walks and two RBI singles.
Illinois extended its lead to 18-14 in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-run home run.
With the aid of two Illinois errors, Northwestern scored five runs on three hits in the top of the eighth inning. The five runs put NU ahead, again, 19-18. Designated hitter Dan Brauer (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) delivered the go-ahead hit when he singled down the right field line with the bases loaded.
Also in the eighth inning, McMahon doubled home a run to give him six RBI and even more remarkably, he hit for the cycle. Home runs in the first and third innings, a triple in the fourth, a single in the fifth and his double in the eighth equals Northwestern's first player to hit for the cycle since Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) did it in 2003 versus Chicago State.
In the bottom of the eighth, junior Dan Schwartz (New York, N.Y./Northern Valley Regional) came on in relief of Folan. Schwartz did exactly what Coach Stevens called on him for. He pitched two innings, gave up only two hits and struck out two to earn his fourth save of the season. Schwartz shut down the Illini offense, which had a total of 26 hits in the game.
The two teams combined for 17 extra-base hits, 10 by Northwestern. Six of NU's 10 extra-base hits were home runs.
The two teams are back in action tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.