Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
BGSU Drops 11-1 Decision at Northern Illinois
April 18, 2003 | Baseball
April 18, 2003
DeKalb, Ill. - Northern Illinois scored four runs in both the second and eighth innings to post a 11-1 victory over Bowling Green on Friday afternoon. NIU collected 16 hits compared to BGSU's six base hits.
BGSU starter Kyle Knoblauch got out of a jam in the bottom of the first inning with runners on the corners and no outs. Joe Mazzuca hit into a double play and the Falcon defense was able to keep the runner on third base from scoring. Dan Urban then flew out to end the inning and the threat.
In the top of the second inning it was the Falcons turn for a potential run. Freshman Tyler Wasserman, though, struck out with two outs and the bases loaded to keep the game scoreless. In the bottom-half of the inning the Huskies plated four runs on five hits and a balk to take a 4-0 lead.
BGSU cut into that lead in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI-single by Jimmy Lipari that scored Tyler Wasserman from second base, making it a 4-1 game.
The Huskies raised its lead back to four runs with a run in the bottom of the fourth frame, 5-1, and added another run in each the fifth and sixth innings, before breaking the game open with four runs in the eighth inning.
The four runs (three earned) in the eighth inning came off of reliever Ryan Lindquist who pitched the entire frame. Knoblauch suffered the loss, dropping to 2-3 overall. He pitched seven innings with 13 hits, seven runs, one walk and five strikeouts.
NIU starter Mark Skrukrud (3-1) pitched a complete game, finishing with one walk and eight strikeouts. Three of his punchouts were via BGSU leadoff hitter David Barkholz.
Wasserman was the only Falcon with multiple hits (2-for-3) while Barkholz, Lipari, Kelly Hunt and Nate Henschen had a hit apiece. Hunt's single in the top of the eighth inning moved his career-high hitting streak to 17 games. BGSU stranded seven runners while NIU left five.
BGSU falls to 11-14 overall and 4-5 in the MAC West Division. NIU, who is second in the West Division, improves to 19-12 overall and 6-3 in the MAC.
The two teams meet up again tomorrow in DeKalb, Ill. for a doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. (CST).
