Box Score
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Minnesota 7, Northwestern 19 Seibert Field | Minneapolis, Minn. Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML) |
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The Wildcats pounded out 20 hits and used seven multi-run innings to claim a series-clinching 19-7 win over Big Ten rival Minnesota on Sunday afternoon at Siebert Field.
The 19 runs scored were the most by the Wildcats since the squad beat Illinois 19-8 in Champaign, Ill., on April 14, 2006.
Senior Brandon Magallones picked up his second win of the year, working five innings and striking out five batters. Sophomore Joe Hoscheit entered in relief and pitched one scoreless inning before classmate Pete Hofman closed out the game on the mound. Hofman tossed three innings, allowing just one run along with two strikeouts.
Minnesota's Tim Shannon received the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits in three innings pitched.
Northwestern had seven players with multi-hit games, led by freshman Grant Peikert's three-hit, four-run, one-RBI performance. Hoscheit contributed a pair of runs and an RBI on three hits, while senior Kyle Ruchim went 2-for-4 and added two runs and a career-best five RBI in the Wildcats' victory.
Much like Friday's series opener, Ruchim kicked off the game with a lead off homer to open scoring for the `Cats. Senior Scott Heelan followed up with a base hit and crossed on an RBI double from Hoscheit, to draw up an early lead.
Minnesota came back fighting in the bottom of the frame, adding four runs to take over, 4-2, but it was not enough to stop Northwestern from taking back control. Chicago's Big Ten Team held the Gophers without a run for the next three innings, while adding a commanding eight runs during that span.
The Gophers came within four in the bottom of the fifth after a double to left field and a base hit plated a pair of runs, but that is the closest they would get for the remainder of the game.
Northwestern capped of the series with a three-run inning in the top of the ninth, including a two-run home run from junior Jack Mitchell.
With the first Big Ten series under their belt, the Wildcats turn their attention to a pair of midweek games against Chicago State and Western Michigan. NU will face the Cougars on Tuesday, March 31 (6 p.m.), before battling the Broncos on April 1 (3 p.m.)
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