March 3, 2007
Box Score
DALLAS, Texas - Max Mann tied the game 8-8 in the ninth inning with a two-run home run, only to have Dallas Baptist load the bases in the final stanza and win 9-8. NU relinquished a 6-2 lead when the Patriots scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth, setting up Mann's potential heroics. But two walks and a hit batsman in the ninth set up the DBU win. The loss drops Northwestern to 2-6 on the year. The Wildcats are next in action when they take on New Mexico State at Texas-Arlington's Clay Gould Ballpark at noon Sunday.
Catcher Chad Noble (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) started the Wildcat scoring when a line-drive single to right field took a fortuitous hop over the Patriot right fielder and rolled to the wall. His single turned triple scored junior Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) from first base. Mann singled in his at-bat. Noble scored on a Tommy Finn (Valparaiso, Ind./Andrean) groundout.
DBU got a run back in the bottom of the second inning off Wildcat starter Ryan Myers (Lake Villa, Ill./Carmel) when a one-out hit batsman came around to score on a single.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 3-1 when third baseman Tony Vercelli's (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) bases loaded fielder's choice groundout scored Jake Goebbert (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) from third. Goebbert reached on a walk, moved to second on an infield single by designated hitter Antonio Mule's (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) infield single. After a Caleb Field (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) bloop single to center loaded the bases, Vercelli's fielder's choice to short scored Goebbert.
In the top of the fourth inning, Goebbert launched his first home run of the season deep over the right centerfield wall. The two-run blast put NU ahead 5-1 after three and one-half innings. Second baseman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) singled and scored on the home run.
NU continued to score runs. This time the Wildcats took advantage of a Patriot miscue in the field. The fielding error allowed Mann to score from third. Mann hit a one-out double, went to third on a fly ball and scored on the error.
The Patriots scored two runs and left the bases loaded off Myers in the bottom of the fifth inning. A leadoff walk scored on a double, which eventually came around to score on a one-out single.
In the sixth, freshman Joe Muraski (Rothschild, Wis./D.C. Everest) came on relief of Myers on the mound. Myers pitched five complete innings, gave up three runs (two earned), struck out three and walked three.
In the sixth off Muraski, a one-out double went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single up the middle. The score after six complete innings was 6-4 Northwestern.
With the Wildcats bats now silent, the Patriots battled back and took the lead for the first time in the eighth inning. DBU scored four runs to take an 8-6 lead. Muraski was responsible for two, while reliever Matt Havey (Wilmette, Ill./Loyola)-who took over in the eighth with one out-was responsible for the final two. Freshman David Jensen (Whittier, Calif./Vista) gave up a two-run triple. Those runs were charged to Havey.
That lead was short-lived.
In the ninth, Mule chopped a single through the right side for his third hit of the game and went to second on a slow roller to third base. Mann then launched a towering two-run home run over the scoreboard in right center field to tie the game 8-8. It was Mann's first home run of the season. Noble singled before a groundout ended the inning.
In the ninth, two walks and hit batsman followed by a Patriot single ended the game.