Northwestern
Purdue
Baseball Falls to Purdue, 4-2
4/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 6, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern University baseball team allowed a pair of unearned runs in the early going, and it came back to haunt them as the Wildcats fell to Purdue, 4-2, in the first of a four-game set at Rocky Miller Park Friday afternoon.
The Wildcats fall to 12-17 overall (1-4 Big Ten), while the Boilermakers won for the seventh straight game and are now 12-14 (5-2 Big Ten).
Purdue scratched out unearned runs in the second and fourth innings. In the second, a two-out throwing error by Wesley Robinson allowed David Harrell to score from third. In the fourth, a potential inning-ending double-play ball went by the boards as the connection at second base was not crisp enough, and Nate Sickler scored from second.
The Boilers upped their lead to 4-0 in the fifth, tagging NU starter Michael Nall (4-3) for three hits including a triple by Daniel Underwood.
Northwestern was kept quiet by Purdue starter Ben Quick (3-3) for the first six innings, but the `Cats came up with two runs in the seventh to make things interesting. Travis Tharp led off with a single, and then two batters later Brandon Ackley walked. After another out, Steve Haake walked to load the bases, and then Eric Roeder stroked a single up the middle to score Tharp and Ackley. However, David Gresky grounded out to second to end the rally.
Northwestern's only hit the rest of the way was a leadoff single by Todd Morgan in the eighth.
Nall went the distance, giving up 11 hits and striking out eight. Quick also went the distance, allowing seven hits and striking out six. Offensively for Northwestern, Gresky and Morgan had two hits apiece, while Underwood had three hits and Harrell had two to lead the Boilermakers.
These teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow and a single game Sunday. First pitch both days is scheduled for 1 p.m.
