COLLEGEVILLE, Minn.- The University of Northwestern baseball team played their third and fourth games in the last three days after weather concerns moved Tuesday's scheduled double header to Monday afternoon. The Eagles traveled to Collegeville to take on the Johnnies from St. John's. The two teams split the doubleheader with the Johnnies winning game one 3-0, and the Eagles winning the finale 3-2. The games marked
Dave Hieb's 999
th and 1,000
th games as the Eagles' head coach. Read more about Coach Hieb's milestone
here.
Game One
Pitching would be the story all day long for both teams and that was the case in the opening game. The Johnnies were able to jump out on the attack by scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first, but those would end up being the only runs of the game scored by either side.
Sam Ludzack (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) got the start for UNW and despite a difficult first inning, settled down and pitched very well. Ludzack would pitch a complete game (six innings) and would finish by only giving up five hits and striking out four batters.
The Eagles spread their offense around in the first game with four separate players getting a base hit to account for the Eagles' four hits in the game.
Payton Christenson (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls),
Sam Peterson (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin),
Cramer Hamilton (Apple Valley, Calif./Excelsior), and
Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) all had a base hit in the contest.
Game Two
After not scoring a run in the first game, the Eagles resorted to base running to collect their first run of the afternoon in the latter half of the double header. In the top half of the first inning,
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) walked and then advanced all the way around to score off of multiple Johnnies' wild pitches.
The second game of the double header followed the script of the first game very closely. After an early run scored (this time by the Eagles), the story became all about the strong pitching on both sides. The score would remain 1-0 through the sixth inning.
In the top half of the 7
th, the Eagles would score the two insurance runs that they ended up needing.
Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) reached first base on a throwing error and on the next pitch
Cramer Hamilton (Apple Valley, Calif./Excelsior) doubled down the right field line putting runners on second and third with only one out.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) would then slap a single up the middle, and the Eagles led 3-0 going into the late stages.
Nick Drinken (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) was remarkable on the mound for the Eagles as he held the Johnnies scoreless through eight innings. In the bottom half of the ninth inning, the Johnnies began to claw their way back into the game. Drinken was able to record one out in the ninth inning, but the Johnnies scored two runs. The Eagles would turn to their closer,
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights), and he would slam the door on the Johnnies. Severson would retire both men he faced as he recorded his second save of the season, and the Eagles won 3-2.
Drinken would finish by going 8.1 innings, giving up 2 runs, and punching out 6 batters. The sophomore would move to 2-0 on the season.
As was the case in the first game, four different Eagles recorded the four Eagle hits in this contest.
Payton Christenson (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls),
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian),
Keegan Vercoe (Queen Creek, Ariz./Poston Butte), and
Cramer Hamilton (Apple Valley, Calif./Excelsior) would all have a knock in this game. The Eagles were very patient at the plate as
Sam Peterson (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin),
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights), and
Guerin Szafraniec (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) would all walk twice a piece at the plate. Crabb had two runs batted in for UNW.
Up Next
The Eagles will be back in action with another double header against a school from the MIAC as they play two against Bethel University on Friday, March 25
th. The games are scheduled to be played at Bethel at 2:00pm and 4:30pm.
