May 9, 2009
Final Stats
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Northwestern led nearly throughout, but Indiana scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to top the Wildcats 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader at Sembower Field Saturday afternoon.
Eric Arnett entered the contest with a sterling 10-1 record and a 2.86 ERA, but the Wildcats were able to get to him for a run in the top of the first. With approximately a dozen Major League scouts in attendance to see the junior right-hander, Tommy Finn got things started with a leadoff walk. He advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a single to left by Trevor Stevens. Finn would then scoot home to score on Arnett's second wild pitch of the frame.
Northwestern had further opportunities to build on its lead, but stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings.
While most of the scouts showed up to see Arnett on the mound, it was NU sophomore lefty Eric Jokisch who was equally, if not more, impressive. The reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year fanned six Hoosiers through the first four frames while allowing just two hits. Both hits came with one out in the bottom of the second, but Jokisch got a 1-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Indiana got the tying run to third in the fifth and to second in the seventh, but Jokisch came up with the big pitch on both occasions to allow Northwestern to maintain its one-run advantage.
The Wildcats finally got Jokisch a huge insurance run in the top of the eighth as Arnett ran into control issues. Jake Wilson and Hamilton Wise, the eight and nine hitters in the lineup, drew consecutive walks to start the inning before Finn's perfectly placed bunt down the third base line resulted in a hit to load the bases. Stevens followed by lining an 0-2 offering into right field for a single to give the 'Cats a two-run advantage. However, despite having the bases loaded with no one out, NU was unable to extend its lead.
The missed opportunity cost Northwestern as Indiana finally got to Jokisch in the eighth. With the top of the order coming up, the Hoosiers got a pair of singles and a walk to fill the bases with no one out. Back-to-back run-scoring groundouts tied the game before Evan Crawford reached on an infield single to give the hosts a 3-2 edge.
Tony Vercelli drew a free pass to start the top of the ninth, but a double play erased him off the base paths. Kenneth Avila and Geoff Rowan kept NU alive with a consecutive two-out singles to get the tying run into scoring position, but Arnett got a groundout to preserve the comeback win for Indiana.
Jokisch deserved a better fate, taking the loss despite shutting down the Hoosiers' high-powered offense over the first seven innings. He scattered eight hits while striking out eight, one shy of his career high.
The second game of the doubleheader is set to begin at 2 p.m. Central time and is being televised live by Big Ten Network.