Baseball: ‘Cats salvage series finale against Iowa, pull even in conference play

Kucherak and co. made sure to get the last laugh.

After winning three of its last four games, Northwestern (14-15, 6-6 B1G) welcomed the conference leading Iowa Hawkeyes (20-10, 12-3 B1G) for a weekend series at Rocky and Bernice Miller Park.

This weekend was up-and-down for the ‘Cats, a recurring theme for this squad the past couple seasons.

Cole Mascott got the nod for Friday afternoon’s opener. After smooth sailing through a hitless first inning, Ben Greenspan opted to turn to his bullpen after Mascott walked the first two batters he faced in the second.

The submarine arm of Jack Grunkemeyer was called upon to get NU out of an early jam. However, the first-year wasn’t able to do the job, as Iowa plated five in the away half of the frame. The scoring would stay quiet until the sixth, where the Hawkeyes added another two via a RBI double from Andy Nelson and an RBI single from Gable Mitchell. Northwestern’s sole run of the game came from a groundout off the bat of Owen McElfatrick, driving in Preston Knott in the bottom half of the inning.

Iowa would then secure the run-rule victory with another five spot in the top of the seventh, as Carter Danz wasn’t able to record an out in his third Big Ten appearance. Two-way athlete Ethan Borggren was able to stop the bleeding without giving up an earned run.

Starting pitcher Cade Obermuller concluded a stellar, one-hit performance against Northwestern by retiring the ‘Cats 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh, securing a 12-1 Hawkeye victory to kick off their weekend stay in Evanston.

In game two, Sam Hliboki got the start for the ‘Cats, and Iowa took it right to the graduate student from the jump. Ben Wilmes led off with a double, and came around to score following a sacrifice fly and a groundout to second.

That would be all that the Hawkeyes would muster against the Vanderbilt transfer in his 14th appearance of the year. Hliboki would go five innings, only allowing one more hit while striking out four.

The ‘Cats would respond in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI infield single from Ryan Kucherak, driving in Trent Liolios who doubled earlier in the inning.

Iowa broke the tie in the top of the sixth, as a costly two-out error from Owen McElfatrick gave the Hawkeyes a 2-1 advantage. Base hits from Cooper Schulte and Wilmes added on two more before Crawford Wade, pitching in relief of Hliboki, recorded the third out. Home runs off the bats of Miles Risley and Blake Guerin put the game out of reach for NU. A 7-1 game two win gave Iowa the series win.

After a scoreless two frames, Northwestern was first to strike in game three. Back-to-back singles from Bennett Markinson and Preston Knott set the table for Owen McElfatrick and Jackson Freeman, who accounted for the three runs in the home half of the third with a pair of doubles.

Iowa responded in the fourth with an RBI groundout from Schulte, the only blemish on Matthew Kouser’s five inning outing, which rectified his poor showing in College Park against Maryland.

The Hawkeyes would draw even against Blake MacMillan in his first inning of relief. Schulte struck again with a RBI double down the right field line, and would come around to score on a single from Wilmes a couple pitches later.

With the game evened at three, Trent Liolios put the ‘Cats ahead in the eighth, blasting a solo homer to right on a 2-1 count.

In the top of the ninth, down to their last out, Blake Guerin delivered, roping a double to left on the first pitch of his at-bat to tie the game. Unfortunately for Chas Wheatley, he found himself in a bases loaded, two out situation in the home half of the ninth against Ryan Kucherak — a guy with a flare for the dramatic.

Kucherak came through for the ‘Cats once again, delivering them a win via walk-off for the second time this season. The sophomore laced a line drive into the left-center gap, just beyond the reach of Wilmes, to score Knott for the 5-4 Northwestern victory.

The Sunday upset puts the ‘Cats on the fringe of tournament competition as the 10th seed in the Big Ten, behind Michigan.

Northwestern will travel the road this upcoming week to take on Notre Dame on Apr. 8 before arriving in East Lansing for a three game weekend series against Michigan State.