After Northwestern football lost to eventual-national champion Ohio State at Wrigley Field in November, the school’s baseball team wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity for revenge at the same venue.
With the Wildcats (22-24, 11-14 Big Ten) up eight runs in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore infielder Ryan Kucherak tapped into his clutch gene, hitting a single up the middle and scoring two runs to secure a 12-2 victory over Ohio State.
Friday’s win over the Buckeyes (11-34, 3-22 Big Ten) helped the ’Cats secure their 11th conference victory of the season, returning to the win column at the Friendly Confines.
Starting graduate student right-hander Sam Hliboki got into a first-inning jam, issuing two walks and hitting a batter. But with the bases loaded and only one out, Hliboki struck out consecutive batters to leave the inning unscathed after 36 pitches.
After NU couldn’t make the most of a leadoff walk in the bottom of the frame, Hliboki came back and retired the side in order, picking up his third strikeout of the game.
When the Buckeyes gave the ’Cats free bases in the second inning, they took advantage. Ohio State’s Drew Erdmann walked the first two batters of the inning and hit the third. In the next at-bat, graduate student infielder Jacob Hand hit a bases-clearing double to right center field, putting NU on the board 3-0.
The ’Cats didn’t slow down there. Later in the inning, senior outfielder Preston Knott hit a ball off the right field wall for a two-RBI double. In the subsequent at-bat, junior infielder Owen McElfatrick doubled down the left field line to score Knott and give NU a quick 6-0 lead.
Junior infielder Trent Liolios broke his three-game hitless streak in the third inning with a single to center field that scored Hand.
Both teams had quiet fourth innings, but the Buckeyes found offensive productivity in the fifth. After a single and an error put the first two Ohio State batters on base, Trey Lipsey brought one home with a single through the right side. Matthew Graveline brought home another run in the next at-bat with a sacrifice fly to center field, making it a 7-2 game.
The Buckeyes ran into pitching troubles in the sixth inning, and the ’Cats seized their opportunity. With the bases loaded, junior outfielder Jack Lausch drew a four-pitch walk, scoring Knott. Later in the inning, a wild pitch scored McElfatrick, then Hand flew out to right field to score Kucherak.
On the defensive side of the ball, NU needed Hliboki to eat up innings, and that’s exactly what he did. He tossed a season-high seven innings, his first complete game of the season. The graduate student allowed two runs off three hits and four walks. He also tallied five strikeouts.
Hliboki was efficient through the end of the contest, finishing the seventh inning in three-up, three-down style.
In the bottom of the frame, the ’Cats didn’t pass up a chance to leave Wrigley early with a win.
After consecutive singles from Knott and McElfatrick, Kucherak singled up the middle, clearing the bases and securing the 12-2 walk-off victory.
NU continues its series against Ohio State on Saturday at Rocky & Berenice Miller Park, as coach Ben Greenspan’s unit will look to snap a five-series losing streak.
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