Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, February 21
Fifth Third Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
3-2
6
vs
5
Cornell
0-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
R
H
E
Cornell
0
0
0
0
3
0
1
0
0
0
1
5
8
0
Northwestern
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
2
6
8
2
Northwestern Secures Doubleheader Sweep on Saturday in Spartanburg
2/21/2026 9:41:00 PM | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Northwestern picked up a pair of one-run wins over Cornell and Boston College to secure a winning weekend at the Hub City Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Fifth Third Park.
Northwestern's four-game win streak is its longest since Feb. 15-23, 2025, when it won five in a row.
Game One Recap
Northwestern came from behind twice to walk off Cornell in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, 6-5 on OF Jack Lausch's walk-off two-run single.
The Wildcats rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth and a one-run deficit in the eleventh to pull off the comeback. Northwestern worked a season-high 12 walks in the win, its most since walking 13 times in a 17-2 victory over Ohio State on May 11, 2025.
The 'Cats (3-2) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, with INF Owen McElfatrick picking up his third RBI of the weekend, tripling to score OF Jackson Freeman.
In his second start back from injury, RHP Garrett Shearer tossed 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one to keep the 'Cats in front, 1-0.
Cornell (0-3) punched back with three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the fifth and extended its lead, adding another run in the top of the seventh to make it 4-1.
Down to their last three outs, the 'Cats stormed back in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. After a single by Freeman and walks by INF Owen McElfatrick and INF Nick Barron loaded the bases, INF Noah Ruiz drove in a pair with a two-run single. One batter later, OF Griffin Mills leveled the score with a sacrifice fly to force extra innings.
LHP Christian Forniss made his season debut in 3.0 scoreless innings, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 10th to keep the score tied at four apiece.
The Big Red took advantage of a passed ball and a throwing error in the top of the 11th to retake a 5-4 lead.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th, Lausch delivered the walk-off win, driving a two-run single to center field and scoring Ruiz and Mills.
LHP Dominic DeLoreto (1-0) earned the win in his collegiate debut, allowing one unearned run in 1.0 inning pitched.
Game Two Recap
The Wildcats again erased two deficits to top Boston College, 5-4, in Saturday's finale.
Northwestern (4-2) evened the game at two apiece on RBI extra-base hits by OF Griffin Mills and INF Jack Counsell.
BC went back ahead in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by INF Owen DeShazo to take a 3-2 lead. The Eagles added on in the sixth, taking a 4-2 lead on a double by 1B Kyle Wolff.
Facing a two-run deficit again, NU rallied in the bottom of the sixth to take its first lead of the game. INF Nick Barron blasted his second homer in as many days to halve the deficit, and Counsell drove in a pair with a two-run triple to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead.
LHP Ryan Weaver tossed 5.2 innings in his second start as a Wildcat, surrendering four runs, three earned, on five hits and three walks, striking out four.
LHP Jake Rifenburg (1-0) secured his first career victory, allowing just one hit and one walk in 3.1 shutout innings, fanning a pair.
Northwestern will close out the Hub City Invitational on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT vs. Boston College. RHP Matt Kouser is scheduled to get the start for the 'Cats.
Northwestern's four-game win streak is its longest since Feb. 15-23, 2025, when it won five in a row.
Game One Recap
Northwestern came from behind twice to walk off Cornell in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, 6-5 on OF Jack Lausch's walk-off two-run single.
The Wildcats rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth and a one-run deficit in the eleventh to pull off the comeback. Northwestern worked a season-high 12 walks in the win, its most since walking 13 times in a 17-2 victory over Ohio State on May 11, 2025.
WALK-OFF WINNER ?? pic.twitter.com/PinkNAiKB4
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 21, 2026
The 'Cats (3-2) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, with INF Owen McElfatrick picking up his third RBI of the weekend, tripling to score OF Jackson Freeman.
In his second start back from injury, RHP Garrett Shearer tossed 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one to keep the 'Cats in front, 1-0.
Cornell (0-3) punched back with three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the fifth and extended its lead, adding another run in the top of the seventh to make it 4-1.
Down to their last three outs, the 'Cats stormed back in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. After a single by Freeman and walks by INF Owen McElfatrick and INF Nick Barron loaded the bases, INF Noah Ruiz drove in a pair with a two-run single. One batter later, OF Griffin Mills leveled the score with a sacrifice fly to force extra innings.
LHP Christian Forniss made his season debut in 3.0 scoreless innings, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 10th to keep the score tied at four apiece.
The Big Red took advantage of a passed ball and a throwing error in the top of the 11th to retake a 5-4 lead.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th, Lausch delivered the walk-off win, driving a two-run single to center field and scoring Ruiz and Mills.
LHP Dominic DeLoreto (1-0) earned the win in his collegiate debut, allowing one unearned run in 1.0 inning pitched.
Game Two Recap
The Wildcats again erased two deficits to top Boston College, 5-4, in Saturday's finale.
The Eagles (3-2) took an early lead on a two-run homer by INF Nick Wang in the top of the first.'CATS TAKE TWO ?? pic.twitter.com/Hxy41uFHrt
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 22, 2026
Northwestern (4-2) evened the game at two apiece on RBI extra-base hits by OF Griffin Mills and INF Jack Counsell.
BC went back ahead in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by INF Owen DeShazo to take a 3-2 lead. The Eagles added on in the sixth, taking a 4-2 lead on a double by 1B Kyle Wolff.
Facing a two-run deficit again, NU rallied in the bottom of the sixth to take its first lead of the game. INF Nick Barron blasted his second homer in as many days to halve the deficit, and Counsell drove in a pair with a two-run triple to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead.
LHP Ryan Weaver tossed 5.2 innings in his second start as a Wildcat, surrendering four runs, three earned, on five hits and three walks, striking out four.
LHP Jake Rifenburg (1-0) secured his first career victory, allowing just one hit and one walk in 3.1 shutout innings, fanning a pair.
Northwestern will close out the Hub City Invitational on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT vs. Boston College. RHP Matt Kouser is scheduled to get the start for the 'Cats.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DeLoreto, Dominic (1-0)
L: Josh Shea (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Caden Callaway 1 ; Jayden Shin 1 ; Jake Hower 1
RBI: Mason Barela 1 ; Caden Wildman 1
SH: Mason Barela 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Caden Callaway 2 ; Jayden Shin 1 ; Jake Hower 1 ; Aiden Barclay 1
SB: Caden Callaway 1 ; Jake Hower 1
HBP: Caden Wildman 1 ; TJ Swidorski 1 ; Kevin Hager 1 ; Aiden Barclay 1
PO: Jake Hower 1
Batting:
3B: McElfatrick, Owen 1
RBI: Lausch, Jack 2 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 2 ; Mills, Griffin 1
SH: Hofstadler, Shane 1
SF: Mills, Griffin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Freeman, Jackson 2 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Yang, Jake 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 1 ; Mills, Griffin 1
SB: de Groot, Logan 1
HBP: Ruiz, Noah 2 ; Counsell, Jack 1 ; Slater, Jay 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
6
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballBaseball - Northwestern Run Rules Rice, 17-6 (2/15/26)
Sunday, February 15
Baseball - 'Cats Take Down No. 14 UCLA, 9-4 (5/15/25)
Friday, May 16
Baseball - Wildcats Top Beacons, 12-4 (5/13/25)
Wednesday, May 14
Baseball - Northwestern Run-Rules Ohio State to Secure Series (5/11/25)
Sunday, May 11
