Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Douse Flames behind 10-Run Sixth Inning
4/14/2026 10:02:00 PM | Baseball
Northwestern's 10 runs in the sixth inning are its most in a single inning since scoring a 10-run seventh inning in a 15-4 victory over Milwaukee on April 17, 2004.
Four Wildcats recorded multi-hit efforts in the win, including INF Noah Ruiz, who notched his team-high 13th multi-hit effort.CARDIAC 'CATS ?? pic.twitter.com/65b3e03OMa
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 14, 2026
OF Jack Lausch led all 'Cats offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, a walk, three RBI and three runs scored.
After UIC (12-21-1, 7-5 MVC) took a 7-0 lead in the top of the first, Northwestern (14-18-1, 5-10 Big Ten) responded immediately with back-to-back solo shots by Lausch and Ruiz in the bottom of the first inning to make it 7-2.
RHP Sam Hliboki (3-3) entered in relief in the first and delivered six straight scoreless innings in relief to keep the Wildcats in the game. Hliboki departed with four runs allowed on seven hits in 7.2 innings pitched. The graduate student struck out seven Flames, one shy of his career high. Hliboki's 7.2 innings pitched are the most by a Wildcat since Michael Farinelli worked 7.2 innings against Indiana on May 5, 2022.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats exploded for 10 runs on nine hits to take a 12-7 lead. Seven different Wildcats logged an RBI in the inning, including INF Nick Barron, who opened the scoring with a two-run homer and drove in INF Noah Ruiz with an RBI single later in the same inning.
The Flames trimmed the deficit to one with one run in the eighth and three in the ninth, but LHP Alex Grant got the final two outs, both strikeouts, to record his first save of the season and second of his career.
Northwestern will return to conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Michigan. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m. CT, Saturday's game is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and Sunday's finale is slated for 10 a.m. CT. Friday and Saturday's games can be streamed on B1G+ and Sunday's game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hliboki, Sam (3-3)
L: Bobby Barrera (0-2)
S: Grant, Alex (1)
Batting:
2B: Ashton Kampa 1 ; Sean Cody 1 ; Kale Jensen 1
HR: Ashton Kampa 1 ; Thomas Curry 1 ; Alexander Wright 1 ; James Hackett 1
RBI: Ashton Kampa 2 ; Thomas Curry 3 ; Alexander Wright 1 ; Andrew Pyszka 1 ; James Hackett 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Gavin Acosta 1 ; Jake Busson 1 ; Ashton Kampa 2 ; Thomas Curry 2 ; Alexander Wright 2 ; Kale Jensen 1 ; Andrew Pyszka 1 ; James Hackett 1
HBP: Jake Busson 1 ; Thomas Curry 1 ; Alexander Wright 1
PO: Kale Jensen 1

Batting:
2B: Lausch, Jack 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1
HR: Lausch, Jack 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 1 ; Barron, Nick 1
RBI: Counsell, Jack 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Lausch, Jack 3 ; Ruiz, Noah 2 ; Barron, Nick 3 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Counsell, Jack 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Lausch, Jack 3 ; Ruiz, Noah 2 ; Barron, Nick 2 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; de Groot, Logan 1 ; Hofstadler, Shane 1

























