Feb. 23, 2007
BEAUMONT, Texas - Northwestern's baseball team dropped its first game of the Cardinal Classic to host Lamar 16-2 Friday night in Beaumont, Texas. The Cardinals jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings and never looked back. The Wildcats did manage eight hits, but stranded nine runners on base. NU is back in action tomorrow at 3 p.m. against Arkansas State.
Freshman Matt Diedrich (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Carmel) started on the mound for the Wildcats and lasted just two and one-third innings. He gave up 10 runs (six earned) on eight hits to take the loss.
NU got on the board in the top of the third inning when Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) singled to plate sophomore Tommy Finn (Valparaiso, Ind./Andrean). Finn led off the inning with a single up the middle. After a fly out, junior Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) singled to third base to score freshman Kenneth Avila (Corpus Christi, Texas/W.B. Ray). Avila reached on an error and advanced to third on Owens RBI single.
With one out in the bottom of the third inning, junior Matt Havey (Wilmette, Ill./Loyola) relieved Diedrich, quickly disposing of the Cardinals. With four runs already in and a runner on second, Havey struck out the first batter he faced and induced an infield pop out to end the inning.
After three complete innings, Lamar led 10-2.
Sophomore Eric Binder (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale Central) started the fourth inning on the mound for the Wildcats and lasted just one-third of an inning. The Illinois native gave up six runs (all earned) on three hits.
Junior Bo Schultz (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) took over on the mound and pitched the final two and two-third innings of the game. He did not give up a run on three hits and struck out four.
The game was called after Northwestern (1-3) batted in the seventh inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Offensively, Mule and Finn were the only Wildcats with multiple hits, each recording two. Mule drove in his team-leading fifth run of the season.
Saturday's 3 p.m. contest against Arkansas State was originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m., but the threat of inclement weather pushed up the start time.