ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Baseball team hosted the final two games of a three game series against Crown College on Saturday. After dropping the opener to the Polars yesterday, the Eagles were firing on all cylinders to close out the series with convincing 8-2 and 13-0 victories on Saturday.
Game One
The Eagles took the field in the opener of the doubleheader searching for their first UMAC victory of the season. UNW's coaching staff gave the ball to
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) for the start and he came through in a big way. The junior was locked in on the mound early in the ball game pitching two perfect innings and picking up three strikeouts along the way.
After being held scoreless in the first inning, the Eagles' offense put a run on the board in the second inning.
Ben Spores (Arlington, Wash./Arlington) drew a walk and then advanced to third base when
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) ripped an opposite field double off the left field fence.
Beau Rabey (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) would then pick an up RBI when he would reach on an error by the Crown second baseman allowing Spores to score the first run of the game.
Leading 1-0, Severson went back to work on the mound in the third. Despite giving up his first two hits of the ball game, he held Crown scoreless. In the bottom of the third inning, a milestone swing of the bat from freshman
Gilbert Garcia Jr. (Stockton, Cali./Saint Mary's) broke the game open for the Eagles.
Daniel Peterson (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) and
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) led off the inning with back to back singles before Garcia Jr. would come up to the plate with one out. Garcia would connect and send a ball deep over the left field fence for a three run homerun. The homerun was the first of the season for the 2023 Eagles and was the first of the freshman's career. UNW led 4-0 after three innings.
Severson would continue to remain in cruise control on the mound. Despite giving up a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, the junior was lights out on the bump. The right hander put zeroes up on the scoreboard in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
In the seventh inning, the Eagles' bats capitalized on Severson's effort and put more runs up on the board. Crabb scored off of an RBI single from
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Illinois/Yorkville) before Spores would knock in Garcia Jr. with an infield single. Rabey and
CJ Toutant (Hortonville, Wis./Christian Liberty) would each add RBI singles in the frame as well, and the lead stretched out to 8-1.
Severson would get two outs in the ninth inning and gave up one more run to the Polars.
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Illinois/Yorkville) would come in and get the final out for UNW who won the game 8-2.
Severson's line was fantastic in the Eagles' first UMAC win of the season. The junior went 8.2 innings, gave up two runs, and picked up a whopping 11 strikeouts.
Gilbert Garcia Jr. (Stockton, Cali./Saint Mary's) had a game to remember as he picked up three hits in addition to his first career homerun.
CJ Toutant (Hortonville, Wis./Christian Liberty) and
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Illinois/Yorkville) each had two base knocks in the game.
Game Two
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Eagles saw more of the dominant pitching that they got in game one. This time it was
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) on the mound for the Eagles and he never allowed the Polars' offense to get anything going against him. The junior did not give up a run in the contest and only gave up four hits. Similar to Severson in the opener, Crabb also had the strikeout pitch working. In his seven inning, complete game shutout the right hander picked up eighth strikeouts.
Crabb's pitching performance wasn't the only thing the Eagles had working for them in the series finale as the offense also put together their best performance of the season so far. UNW's bats did not take their time in putting a crooked number up on the scoreboard. In the first inning
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) ripped an RBI double before
Ben Spores (Arlington, Wash./Arlington) hit a sacrifice fly to score
Gilbert Garcia Jr. (Stockton, Cali./Saint Mary's) Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights), now in the batters' box instead of on the mound, would rip an RBI single and the Eagles took an early 3-0 lead.
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) would then get in on the action as he drove in
Daniel Peterson (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) with a single in the second inning, and then drove in Peterson along with Crabb with a double in the fourth. Entering the fifth inning, it was a 6-0 Eagle lead.
In the fifth inning, the Eagles would deliver the final blow in the game when they put up seven runs to build a comfortable lead.
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights),
Beau Rabey (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake),
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian), and
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) would all deliver RBI singles. Severson, up to bat for the second time in the inning, would then score Crabb and Karges with an RBI double and the Eagles had the 13-0 lead that would end up as the final score.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) had an all-around performance that would make a certain two-way player for the Los Angeles Angels jealous. In addition to throwing a complete game shutout, Crabb also went 4-5 at the plate, picking up an RBI, and scoring three runs.
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) had three hits and four RBIs in the contest while
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) added two hits and three RBIs.
Daniel Peterson (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) had three hits and scored three runs, and
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) had two hits and two RBIs.
Up Next
The Eagles will enjoy Easter Sunday off and then will be right back to Reynolds Field on Monday for a makeup game with Wisconsin-Superior. The Eagles and Yellowjackets started their three game series last week as the Jackets took the first two games. First pitch for the series finale will be at 2:00 PM.
