FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The University of Northwestern Baseball team took to the diamond once again Tuesday morning in search of its first win of the 2025 season. The Eagles got off to a good start against New Jersey's Centenary University and played the Cyclones tight, but came up short with a 7-3 loss.
Northwestern got going right off the bat (pun very much intended). With one out in the top of the first inning,
Mark Bligh (Sydney, Australia/Magdalene Catholic College) reached base on a fielder's choice. He advanced to second on a single by
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville), then scored when
Benji Bruce (Andover, Minn./Maranatha Christian) doubled down the left field line.
Caleb Vereide (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna) walked to load the bases, but UNW was unable to bring anyone else in, as the inning ended with a 1-0 score.
With the score still 1-0, the Eagles had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the fourth after a
Tony Greco (Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig) single and an
Alex Christian (Andover, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) walk. A fly out an and a fielder's choice would strand the pair, and Centenary went on to take advantage in the bottom half. Two runs later, the Cyclones took a 2-1 lead into the fifth.
Despite falling behind for the first time, Northwestern punched right back in the fifth inning.
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) walked to lead off the inning, then Bligh was hit by a pitch. After a pair of fly outs, Vereide singled to center field, bringing in Severson to tie the game at two. Greco walked to load the bases once again, but a strikeout ended the threat.
The score stayed at 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth, when Centenary saw seven batters come to the plate, producing two runs to go up 4-2. UNW once again showed it had some fight, answering in the top of the seventh with a run of its own. Bligh singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a groundout. Vereide came through once again with a single, which plated his first baseman to pull the Eagles within one at 4-3.
Unfortunately for Northwestern, it would not see a runner move into scoring position for the remainder of the game. Additionally, the Cyclones put up three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for some insurance, and walked away with a 7-3 win.
Vereide paced UNW's offense with a 2-4 day at the plate, driving in two runs and walking once. Bruce drove in the Eagles' other run with his RBI double, while Bligh scored twice and Severson once.
Noah Skarda (Nipomo, Calif./St. Joseph's) pitched effectively, giving up only two earned runs and striking out a pair in 5.1 innings, but was credited with the loss.
Dreyer Homan (Clara City, Minn./MACCRAY) went 1.2 innings in relief and gave up zero earned runs and only two hits before giving way to
Christian Raya (Moline, Ill./Moline).
Northwestern will have Wednesday off before taking on Penn State Behrend at 9:00 AM (10:00 AM ET) on Thursday, March 13
th at Lawnwood Baseball Complex in Fort Pierce.
