CHICAGO – The wind was blowing hard at Chicago State on Tuesday, but Northwestern’s starting pitcher was used to it, and the Wildcats’ hitters capitalized.
“(The wind) was a little rough at first, but I’m from west Texas and I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but it’s pretty windy,” freshman pitcher Stanley Finch said.
Finch started on the mound for the Cats (11-18) and lasted five innings, surviving a tough second frame in which he gave up two home runs and five runs total. But Finch kept the Cougars (3-15) hitless in the next three innings, and NU went on to win 12-9.
“I can’t even tell you how pleased I was with Finch,” NU head coach Paul Stevens said. “He got just lit early and then found a way to shut them down.
“I mean, that’s huge for a freshman to keep his composure and say, ‘I’m gonna stop the bleeding without somebody else coming out and taking over.'”
But despite the valiant effort, Finch didn’t get the win. That honor went to senior Andy “Ace” Adams, who garnered his first career victory, pitching two innings and giving up one run.
Defensively, the Cats overcame the gusting winds and swirling dust to play their first errorless game in 10 outings.
“It was tough, but we kept our eyes open and made our plays and helped the pitching out,” freshman shortstop Jon Mikrut said.
The Cats fell behind 6-0 after the second inning, then began chipping away at the lead, tallying three runs in the third. NU finally took control of the game in the eighth inning, when they scored six runs and batted around.
Mikrut led the Cats in the batter’s box, going 4-for-5 with two home runs. His first round-tripper, a solo shot over the left-field fence in the top of the sixth inning, got a little help from the wind. The second didn’t need the extra boost, sailing well beyond the left-field fence, just inside the foul pole.
But Mikrut wasn’t the only one going yard on Tuesday — in addition to the three home runs Finch gave up and Mikrut’s pair, NU’s Jason Krynski hit his first of the year, a two-run shot to left in the top of the eighth inning.
“With this kind of wind, anything can happen,” Stevens said. “Fly balls are going out of the ballpark. And I’m not saying we didn’t have any cheapies. But boy, oh boy, there were a couple of balls that our guys hit that were hit a ton.”
NU’s starting lineup did not include senior center fielder Steve Haake, who left Sunday’s second game against Purdue early with a hamstring injury. David Gresky moved from left to center field and Krynski started in left.
Stevens praised Krynski’s performances at the plate Tuesday and against Purdue this weekend, adding that the sophomore should be gaining the confidence to become a major threat at the plate.
“Krynski can hit them,” Stevens said. “We’ve got to get him to start believing. Look at the size of the kid — he is huge. If he can get it going, there aren’t a lot of ballparks that are going to be able to hold him.”
