Wildcats Blast Men’s Baseball in Conference Opening Slugfest – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/27/1998 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 27, 1998%^$
EVANSTON, Ill. – The Northwestern Wildcats pounded out 21 hits in game one the Big Ten opening weekend, besting Ohio State 15-9 at Rocky Miller Park. Northwestern jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Ken Kilian swatted Justin Fry’s (Jr., Munhall, Pa.) first pitch over the left field fence. The right hander gave up two more hits in the inning, but also struck out a pair to hold the Wildcats to one run. Joe Hieptas took Fry deep to left center in the second inning to move the score to 2-0 and spark a huge Wildcat bottom half.%^$
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Chris Pedersen followed with a single to right center field and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jeremy Kurella singled to center field, scoring Pederson and moving Ken Kilian (who had walked) to second. Patrick Thompson then knocked a single to left field to score Kilian and came home when Brian Baron poked a double to the gap in left center. Ollie Dunn then cleared the bags when he hit his fifth home run of the year, giving the Wildcats an 8-0 lead. The Buckeyes managed an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning, making the score 8-1.%^$
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Lou Santangelo (Jr., Youngstown, Ohio) singled to left field and scored when Chad Ehrnsberger’s (Fr., Kalida, Ohio) single was misplayed by Kilian, giving OSU it’s first run of the game. The Wildcats tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 14-1 lead. Baron and Dunn led off with back-to-back singles and both scored in the inning. Hietpas also came home after doubling to left field. Fry eventually gave way to Daron Jay (Jr., Arcanum, Ohio) who loaded the bases for Mike Stritch, who cleared the bags with a double of the fence.%^$
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OSU finally shook off the cobwebs and put up eight runs in the sixth inning. NU starting pitcher Joe Hargan loaded the bases for Jason Driscoll (So., Middlefield, Ohio) who hit his first home run of the year, a grand slam over the left field fence. Jason Turner (So., Versailles, Ohio) entered the game as a pinch-hitter, singling to right field and scoring when Ehrnsberger singled to center. Hargan gave way to Ben Dodd who loaded the bases and eventually gave way to Charlie Williamson after walking in a run and hitting another batter to score, making the score 15-9. %^$
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Dunn led off the Northwestern half of the sixth reaching on a bunt single, advancing to second on a fielder’s choice and coming home when Pedersen singled to center field. Kilian doubled to left center, giving the Wildcats runners on second and third, forcing OSU to bring in Mike Stafford (Sr., Canton, Mich.) who forced Kurella to ground out to end the inning.%^$
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Northwestern’s 15 runs marks the most given up by the Buckeyes all season and the most since Feb. 23, 1997 when OSU lost 18-16 to Northern Iowa in the championship game of the Oakland A’s Spring Training Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. The Buckeyes and Wildcats are now both 12-5 on the year and will play a doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m. (CST). %^$
