March 27, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Two of the top pitchers in the Big Ten locked horns in Friday afternoon's conference opener between Northwestern and Purdue at Rocky Miller Park and it was the Boilermakers' Matt Bischoff whose team got one more run than the Wildcats' Eric Jokisch to give the visitors a 4-3 victory.
The two most recent Big Ten Freshmen of the Year each battled through tough starts before settling into a groove.
Purdue got to Jokisch for three unearned runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead. A one-out error opened the door for the Boilermakers as David Blount had an RBI single and Nick Overmyer later added a two-out, two-run hit to put Purdue ahead.
Northwestern had runners on the corners with one away in the bottom half of the first but Bischoff got a double-play ball to squelch the Wildcats' threat.
Purdue added to its lead in the top of the second as a leadoff walk came back to haunt Jokisch. Tyler Spillner's fielder's choice groundout brought home Eric Nielsen from third to put the Boilers up 4-0.
NU then gradually began to chip away at the deficit, scoring once in each of the next three innings to get within 4-3. Chad Noble got the Wildcats on the board in the bottom of the second as he continued his torrid stretch at the plate with a homer to right, his first of the season.
In the third, Tommy Finn started the frame with a single and raced all the way around to score on a ringing double by Jake Goebbert. Northwestern got its leadoff man on for the third straight inning in the fourth as Paul Snieder started things with a basehit. A sac bunt and an error advanced Snider to third before he cross home to make it 4-3 on an RBI groundout by Trevor Stevens.
After surrendering four runs through the first two innings, Jokisch began to make good use of the twin-killing. Despite allowing the first Purdue batter to reach in the third, fourth and fifth innings, Jokisch got the Boilers to hit into double plays in each of the frames.
The Wildcats got two runners aboard in the sixth, but Bischoff recorded a strikeout to hold Northwestern at bay. Finn started the seventh with a single up the middle but the potential tying run was left stranded at second base.
NU got a baserunner on a two-out error in the eighth but was unable to score before being retired in order in the eighth.
Jokisch (2-2) was the tough-luck loser, shutting out Purdue over the final seven innings. He allowed just one earned run to go along with eight hits and four walks while striking out five. Bischoff also allowed eight hits in addition to two earned runs and a walk. Four of his 10 strikeouts came in the final two innings.
Finn and Snieder had two hits apiece for the Wildcats, while Blount and Eric Charles each collected two hits for the Boilermakers.
Saturday's contest between Purdue and Northwestern has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start due to potential inclement weather in the afternoon.