May 8, 2011
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Sembower Field)
Score: Indiana 8, Northwestern 2
Records: NU (15-27, 7-11 Big Ten), Indiana (27-20, 8-10 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Tuesday, May 10 -- vs. UIC (Rocky Miller Park), 3 p.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull away from Northwestern to earn an 8-2 victory in the series finale between the teams Sunday afternoon at Sembower Field.
Both starting pitchers -- Michael Jahns for Northwestern and Blake Monar for Indiana -- were on their games early as they combined to put down the first 13 batters of the contest. The Wildcats managed a pair of hits in the top of the third, but both Geoff Rowan and Trevor Stevens were left stranded.
The hosts then jumped in front in their half of the inning, getting RBI singles from Justin Cureton and Micah Johnson to take a 2-0 lead.
After Jahns got back on track in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Hoosiers down in order with two strikeouts, NU put two men on in the ensuing half inning. Rowan notched his second hit of the day with one out before a two-out error on a ball hit by Stevens gave the Wildcats runners at the corners. However, the guests were unable to cut into the deficit.
Jahns' defense let him down in the bottom of the fifth as two errors led to an unearned run. With runners on the corners and one out, a potential inning-ending double play was booted, allowing a run to score. IU had runners on first and third once again with first-team All-American Alex Dickerson up, but a nifty 3-6-1 double play ended the inning.
Northwestern finally got to Monar in the top of the sixth and chased him from the game. Jack Havey socked a one-out home run to left to get the Wildcats on the board. Kyle Ruchim followed with a double to deep left-center and he moved to third on a wild pitch before coming in to score on a Jack Livingston's single to right to make it 3-2.
NU attempted to rally with two outs in the top of the seventh. Stevens got on board with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, but the Wildcats were unable to bring him home.
Jack Quigley came on to replace Jahns to start the bottom of the seventh, but the Hoosiers were able to score five times to pull away. Dustin DeMuth had an RBI double before three runs came across on a single through a pulled-in infield by Dickerson and an ensuing error. A fifth and final run came in on a run-scoring double by Wes Wilson.
Jahns (1-4) pitched very well in defeat, allowing just four hits, three runs (two earned) and one walk while striking out six over six innings of work.
Northwestern returns to action at 3 p.m. Tuesday as it takes on UIC at Rocky Miller Park.
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