FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The University of Northwestern Baseball team's first win of the 2025 season came in style on Thursday morning. The Eagles racked up 18 hits and committed zero errors in a 14-2 drubbing of Penn State University Behrend at Lawnwood Baseball Complex.
Northwestern got its first of four extra-base hits on the day in the very first inning, as
Mark Bligh (Sydney, Australia/Magdalene Catholic College) clubbed a double to left field that advanced
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) (who had reach base on an error) to third base. A pair of strikeouts ended the inning with UNW still scoreless, however. After
Nick Drinken (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) sent Behrend down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, the Eagles picked up where they left off.
Caleb Vereide (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna) continued his hot streak with a lead-off single, which was followed by a
Gilbert Garcia Jr. (Stockton, Calif./Saint Mary's) double and
Tony Greco (Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig) being hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Beau Rabey (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) came through with an immediate double to plate Vereide and Garcia Jr., then two batters later, Severson hit a two-run single to score Greco and Rabey, and make it 4-0.
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) hit a two-out single to move Severson into scoring position, but that is where the inning would end.
After a couple innings of minimal action, the Lions countered in the bottom of the third with two runs to trim their deficit to 4-2. Northwestern had an answer; however, as
Braden Storts (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) singled to center, stole second, and came around to score on an error following Severson's infield single.
The next scoring threat came in the top of the sixth. Rabey reached on an error and stole second base to lead off the inning, then Storts walked. After Severson reached base on a bunted fielder's choice, Bligh hit an infield single to load the bases. Hixon delivered with a single to bring in Storts, then
Benji Bruce (Andover, Minn./Maranatha Christian) and Vereide drew back-to-back walks, allowing Severson and Bligh to score. UNW would leave the bases loaded at the conclusion of the inning, but held an 8-2 lead.
After Northwestern batted around in the sixth inning, it was Rabey who led off once again in the seventh. In a bit of déjà vu, he reached base on an error again. Storts then doubled, Severson singled to plate Rabey, and Bligh walked after Severson stole second. A wild pitch brought Storts home and moved Severson to third, which put him into position to score on a sacrifice fly by
Benji Bruce (Andover, Minn./Maranatha Christian). Vereide singled to advance Bligh to second, but the inning ended with another three-spot for the Eagles, who now held an 11-2 advantage.
Storts continued his stellar day with a one-out single in the top of the eighth, then Severson moved him to third with a single of his own. A single by Bligh scored Storts to increase the lead to 12-2, but UNW would only get one in the eighth before adding a couple more in the ninth. Vereide walked to lead off the final inning and Greco reached on an error. A Rabey single loaded the bases before Vereide scored on a fielder's choice by Storts. Severson's fifth (yes, fifth) single of the game brought Greco home for the game's final run. Rabey moved from shortstop to pitch a scoreless final inning after
Dreyer Homan (Clara City, Minn./MACCRAY) threw 1.2 scoreless.
There was no shortage of phenomenal performances by the purple and gold on Thursday. Severson went 5-7 with four RBI to lead the charge. Storts (who scored four runs) and Bligh each tallied three hits and an RBI apiece, while Rabey (two RBI), Hixon (one RBI) and Vereide (one RBI) had two hits each. The pitching performances were equally as impressive as the bats, as Drinken earned his first win of the season after going 6.1 innings while giving up six hits, two earned runs, and striking out four. Homan only gave up one hit and struck out three in his 1.2 innings of work, while Rabey pitched a perfect ninth and struck out one.
Friday will be UNW's final day of competition in Florida, and the Eagles will spend it by playing a doubleheader against Franciscan University. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2:00 PM (3:00 PM ET).
