EVANSTON, Ill. — Walk. It. Off.
With runners on second and third, junior Jack Dunn delivered a two-RBI, two-out single in the bottom of the tenth inning to give Northwestern a 7-6 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday night.
It was Dunn's first-career game-winner and Northwestern's first walk-off win of the season.
Northwestern improved to 15-28, 5-17 B1G on the year, while Iowa dropped to 28-17, 9-8 B1G this season.
Sophomore Sam Lawrence (1-0) earned the win in the back-and-forth affair after throwing a scoreless top of the 10th. Quinn Lavelle posted a quality start for Northwestern, going 6.2 innings and allowing three runs, two earned. The rookie left-hander finished with five strikeouts. Senior Tommy Bordignon faced four batters in relief and struck out all four.
Iowa pitcher Grant Leonard (1-1) was credited with the loss.
Northwestern received big performances at the plate from Alex Erro, Jack Claeys and Ben Dickey. Erro had a pair of hits, including a double, with an RBI, while Claeys went 1-for-2 and belted a home run. Claeys finished with three walks. Dickey only tallied one hit in the win, but it was a clutch home run in the bottom of the seventh that tied the game at 3-3.
The Hawkeyes struck first in the second inning after two singles and passed ball plated a run. After giving up an unearned run in the second inning, Lavelle settled in nicely, throwing four straight scoreless innings, including a streak of eleven batters retired in a row.
Iowa starter Nick Allgeyer started strong, holding Northwestern scoreless through four innings. In the fifth, Levelle led off with a double, collecting his first collegiate hit. A two-out throwing error by Iowa second-baseman Mitchell Boe brought in Lavelle to tie the game at one run apiece. The Wildcats quickly took the lead an inning later on a solo home run by Jack Claeys, his seventh of the season.
The Hawkeyes managed to get to Lavelle in the top of the seventh inning, where a hit-by-pitch, double, and single plated two runs, putting Iowa up 3-2. Ben Dickey launched a home run in the bottom of the seventh to bring Northwestern back to even. An inning later, a Jack Claeys walk, Willie Bourbon single, and Ben Dickey intentional walk loaded the bases for the Wildcats, and a wild pitch and balk gave Northwestern a 5-3 lead.
Iowa plated two runs in the top of the ninth to knot the game at five apiece and send the game to extra innings.
The Hawkeyes took the lead on a two-out, RBI double in the top of the tenth inning. In the bottom of the inning, a Kyle Burnett Jr. walk and Leo Kaplan single put two runners on base, and a Casey O'Laughlin groundout moved both runners into scoring position with two outs before Dunn launched a pitch up the middle to give Northwestern the victory.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is back in action at Miller Park tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT for game two against the Hawkeyes.
FOR THE (WALK-OFF) WIN. #B1GCats | #SaddleUp pic.twitter.com/76E2d6upfA
— #B1GCats Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 12, 2018
With runners on second and third, junior Jack Dunn delivered a two-RBI, two-out single in the bottom of the tenth inning to give Northwestern a 7-6 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday night.
It was Dunn's first-career game-winner and Northwestern's first walk-off win of the season.
Jack Dunn takes us through his walk-off winner. #B1GCats | #SaddleUp pic.twitter.com/schnBp4CA5
— #B1GCats Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 12, 2018
Northwestern improved to 15-28, 5-17 B1G on the year, while Iowa dropped to 28-17, 9-8 B1G this season.
Sophomore Sam Lawrence (1-0) earned the win in the back-and-forth affair after throwing a scoreless top of the 10th. Quinn Lavelle posted a quality start for Northwestern, going 6.2 innings and allowing three runs, two earned. The rookie left-hander finished with five strikeouts. Senior Tommy Bordignon faced four batters in relief and struck out all four.
It was a crazy contest at Miller Park. Head coach Spencer Allen recaps the walk-off win. #B1GCats | #SaddleUp pic.twitter.com/AoVlL4EBGn
— #B1GCats Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 12, 2018
Iowa pitcher Grant Leonard (1-1) was credited with the loss.
Northwestern received big performances at the plate from Alex Erro, Jack Claeys and Ben Dickey. Erro had a pair of hits, including a double, with an RBI, while Claeys went 1-for-2 and belted a home run. Claeys finished with three walks. Dickey only tallied one hit in the win, but it was a clutch home run in the bottom of the seventh that tied the game at 3-3.
The Hawkeyes struck first in the second inning after two singles and passed ball plated a run. After giving up an unearned run in the second inning, Lavelle settled in nicely, throwing four straight scoreless innings, including a streak of eleven batters retired in a row.
Iowa starter Nick Allgeyer started strong, holding Northwestern scoreless through four innings. In the fifth, Levelle led off with a double, collecting his first collegiate hit. A two-out throwing error by Iowa second-baseman Mitchell Boe brought in Lavelle to tie the game at one run apiece. The Wildcats quickly took the lead an inning later on a solo home run by Jack Claeys, his seventh of the season.
The Hawkeyes managed to get to Lavelle in the top of the seventh inning, where a hit-by-pitch, double, and single plated two runs, putting Iowa up 3-2. Ben Dickey launched a home run in the bottom of the seventh to bring Northwestern back to even. An inning later, a Jack Claeys walk, Willie Bourbon single, and Ben Dickey intentional walk loaded the bases for the Wildcats, and a wild pitch and balk gave Northwestern a 5-3 lead.
Iowa plated two runs in the top of the ninth to knot the game at five apiece and send the game to extra innings.
The Hawkeyes took the lead on a two-out, RBI double in the top of the tenth inning. In the bottom of the inning, a Kyle Burnett Jr. walk and Leo Kaplan single put two runners on base, and a Casey O'Laughlin groundout moved both runners into scoring position with two outs before Dunn launched a pitch up the middle to give Northwestern the victory.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is back in action at Miller Park tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT for game two against the Hawkeyes.