Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
6-6
Omaha
4-9
Northwestern Bounces Back with 9-6 Win over Omaha
3/7/2026 8:25:00 PM | Baseball
RHP Garrett Shearer was solid in the start for the Wildcats (6-6), tossing 4.0 innings of one-run ball. Shearer surrendered one run on three hits and one walk, striking out a pair.'CATS WIN! ?? pic.twitter.com/kOgpApKjNP
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) March 7, 2026
Omaha (4-9) took an early lead in the top of the fourth, plating one on an RBI single. The Wildcats evened the game in the bottom half, scoring an unearned run on a Mavericks error to tie it at one apiece.
INF Owen McElfatrick gave the 'Cats their first lead of the day with a double down the right-field line, scoring OF Jack Lausch. Later that inning, INF Nick Barron cushioned the Wildcat lead with an RBI double to center, scoring McElfatrick to put NU ahead, 3-1.
After Omaha cut the Northwestern lead to one in the top of the sixth, Lausch re-extended NU's lead to 5-2 with a mammoth two-run blast to the upper deck in right field.
The Mavericks continued to apply pressure, cutting the lead to one again in the top of the seventh, before RHP Drew Dickson entered and stranded the bases loaded to preserve the one-run lead.JACK LAUSCH TO THE SECOND DECK ???? pic.twitter.com/VTlSsKg0ro
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) March 7, 2026
C Jay Slater responded with a two-run ground-rule double to put NU ahead, 7-4, in the bottom of the seventh.
Omaha continued to chip away in the eighth, adding one run on two hits to trim Northwestern's advantage to 7-5.
Northwestern tacked on two runs in the eighth on a wild pitch and a fielder's choice to make it 9-5. The Mavericks were able to muster a run in the ninth, but RHP Drew Dickson slammed the door to earn his first save of the season.
LHP Jake Rifenburg (2-0) was credited with the win, allowing three runs on four hits, fanning a pair in 2.1 innings pitched.
Northwestern will close out its stay at the Cambria Classic on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT against UNLV on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rifenburg, Jake (2-0)
L: T. Foertsch (0-3)
S: Dickson, Drew (2)
Batting:
2B: J. Trout 3 ; S. Beck 1 ; C. Dick 1 ; D. Borner 1
RBI: J. Trout 1 ; S. Beck 1 ; C. Dick 2 ; C. Diggins 1 ; E. Cornelli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: H. Zipay 1 ; J. Trout 3 ; C. Dick 1 ; D. Borner 1
HBP: H. Zipay 1 ; T. Bishop 1 ; C. Diggins 1 ; H. Lewis 1
Batting:
2B: Lausch, Jack 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Barron, Nick 2 ; Slater, Jay 1 ; Caruso, Charlie 1
HR: Lausch, Jack 1
RBI: Lausch, Jack 2 ; McElfatrick, Owen 2 ; Barron, Nick 1 ; Slater, Jay 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Lausch, Jack 2 ; Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 2 ; Barron, Nick 1 ; Caruso, Charlie 1 ; Mills, Griffin 1
HBP: Lausch, Jack 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Caruso, Charlie 1
