FORT PIERCE, Fla. - After quite the travel journey to get to its destination, the University of Northwestern Baseball team commenced its annual Florida spring break slate on Friday afternoon. The 0-1 Eagles took on 5-4 Susquehanna University and hung tough, keeping the score even through six innings. Unfortunately for Northwestern, the River Hawks were able to pull away late for a 4-1 victory.
After a lackluster 2.5 innings to start the game, UNW threatened a two-out rally in the bottom of the third after
Bryce Campbell (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) and
Braden Storts (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) each singled. A pop-up ended the inning and stranded both runners on base. The Eagles added two more base-runners in the fourth, including a single by
Ben Hixon (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville), but again were unable to produce any runs.
After Susquehanna plated a run in the top of the fifth, Northwestern responded with one of its own in the bottom half. Storts smacked a two-out single to left field, stole second, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. An error by the River Hawks ultimately allowed the sophomore to come home and tie the game at one-apiece. Susquehanna scored two more runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth, which was enough to earn them a 4-1 win. UNW got two runners on in the seventh and one in the eighth, but came away with nothing to show for them.
Storts was the only Eagle to produce multiple hits, going 2-4. Hixon and Campbell added Northwestern's other two hits, while
Benji Bruce (Andover, Minn./Maranatha Christian) drew two walks.
Nick Drinken (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) was strong in his 2025 debut, striking out four in 4.1 innings and giving up one earned run. Homan was fantastic in his two innings of work, striking out three and giving up zero earned runs. Raya was credited with the loss after giving up two earned runs in 2.2 innings, despite striking out five.
UNW will be back at it on Saturday with a double-header against Monmouth College. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:30 PM CT (1:30 PM ET).
