April 22, 2009
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
If Reggie Jackson is Mr. October, Tony Vercelli is making a bid to be known as Mr. Wednesday. The senior homered twice for the second consecutive hump day and Northwestern went deep a season-high four times as a team as the Wildcats rolled to a 13-3 eight-inning win over Illinois State at Duffy Bass Field. Vercelli also had a double and drove in five runs in the contest.
Chris Lashmet aided the cause with two doubles, a home run and four RBI, while Trevor Stevens also contributed three hits. It's the first time that Northwestern has hit four homers in a game since a 13-0 win over Chicago State April 8, 2008.
A miscue in the field by the Redbirds and some power by the Wildcats helped the visitors jump out to an early four-run cushion. Leadoff hitter Tommy Finn reached on an error and Stevens followed with a basehit to give NU two on with no one out. ISU starter Quinn Ewert recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get within one out of getting out of the jam, but Vercelli launched a three-run homer to left and Chad Noble made it back-to-back jacks with a solo shot and suddenly Northwestern was ahead 4-0.
The Wildcats (11-24) tacked on another run in the top of the third as Lashmet started things with a double down the left field line. He advanced to third on a groundout by Paul Snieder and scored to batters later on a fielder's choice by pinch-hitter Geoff Rowan.
Meanwhile, freshman right-hander Zach Morton faced the minimum the first time through the lineup despite allowing a pair of hits. Noble gunned down both baserunners who reached attempting to steal second.
Northwestern then broke the game wide open with five runs in the fourth thanks in part to two more round-trippers. Chris Kontos was able to reach first to start the frame on a third-strike wild pitch. After a one-out single by Stevens, Lashmet launched his third homer of the season to left-center, a three-run shot that made it 8-0. Two batters later, Vercelli tacked on his second longball of the game, his team-leading eighth of the season, down the left field line.
Following a solid single to left by Rowan, Ewert's day mercifully came to an end. Kenny Long took over on the bump and was greeted with a double off the wall by pinch-hitter Hamilton Wise that scored Rowan from first as the 'Cats broke double digits.
Morton was masterful in picking up his first collegiate victory. In five innings of work, he faced just one over the minimum and didn't allow a run, surrendering just two hits and one walk while striking out four.
Illinois State (19-13) finally managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth, tallying a pair of runs off of Eric Jokisch who was making his first relief appearance of the season.
Northwestern added three final runs to its total in the eighth to go ahead 13-2. Lashmet, Vercelli and pinch-hitter Brant Cavaganaro each had RBI doubles in the inning. The Redbirds got one final run in the bottom of the eighth before the contest was called.
The Wildcats return to action Friday when they open a three-game series at Ohio State.