Box Score
Every starter had at least
one hit for Valparaiso on Tuesday evening, but
Northwestern rallied from a 7-2 deficit, scoring eight runs in the sixth inning
to defeat the Crusaders 10-8 at U. S. Steel Yard in Gary, Ind.
Kyle Muhlsteff
(Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza H.S.) had three hits to
lead Valpo’s 15 hit attack, the ninth time this season he has had three or more
hits in a game. Kyle Gaedele (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows H.S.) added two more, extending his
hitting streak to 14 straight games for the Brown and Gold.
“We swung the bats again
tonight which is good to see,” head coach Tracy
Woodson said. “We scored some runs
early, but need to keep on scoring.”
The Crusaders staked starting
pitcher Tyler Deetjen (Saint Charles, Ill./East
H.S.) to three runs before he even took to the mound in the opening
inning. Muhlsteff and Gaedele had
back-to-back one out singles and Justin
Frane (Huntertown, Ind./Carroll H.S.) loaded the bases drawing
a walk. Will Hagel (Arlington
Heights, Ill./Prospect
H.S.) cleared the bases with a double into the gap in left-center.
Northwestern cut into the
Valpo lead in the second. Chris Kontos
put the Wildcats on the scoreboard with a triple to right, and scored one
batter later on a double by Geoff Rowan.
Valpo immediately got those
two runs back in the top of the third. Billy Cribbs (Rochester,
Mich./Rochester H.S.) delivered a bases loaded
single to score Robbie Robinson (Brea, Calif./Olinda
H.S.) and Karch Kowalczyk (Peru,
Ill./La Salle-Peru H.S.) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Frane, giving
the Crusaders a 5-2 lead.
Three straight two out
doubles in the fifth added to the Valpo advantage. Kowalczyk’s two-bagger into the
left-centerfield gap plated Cribbs before Damon
McCormick’s (Louisville,
Ky./Saint Xavier H.S.) bloop
double into center scored Kowalczyk, pushing the lead to 7-2 and chasing
Northwestern starter Joe Muraski from the mound.
Deetjen, meanwhile, limited
the Wildcat offense, scattering seven hits over his five innings of work. The sophomore left-hander was aided by three
double plays that were turned by the Valpo defense.
“We had the decision of
whether to leave Deetjen in another inning or two or save him for this
weekend,” Woodson said. “Right now our
conference weekend series against Butler
is more important than midweek games.”
The Wildcats took advantage
of defensive lapses by the Crusaders in the sixth. Three Valpo errors aided Northwestern in
scoring eight times in the inning on just four hits. Paul Snieder’s grand slam to straight away
leftfield capped the inning, and gave Northwestern a 10-7 lead.
“We didn’t make plays on
routine ground balls and then gave up runs afterwards or turn what should be a
double play,” Woodson added. “That hurts.
We just couldn’t get out of that one inning.”
Valpo tried to fight back in
the eighth. Steven Scoby (Delton,
Mich./Delton Kellogg H.S.) led
off with a single. Muhlsteff followed
reaching on an error after laying down a sacrifice bunt, moving Scoby to
second. A Gaedele single through the
left side scored Scoby, bringing Valpo within two, 10-8. Snieder came on to pitch as Northwestern’s
closer, striking out the first two Crusaders before Hagel singled to left. Rowan came up throwing, and gunned down
Muhlsteff at the plate to end the Valpo threat.
Snieder then retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his 10th
save of the year.
Matt Carroll
(Rockton, Ill./Hononegah
H.S.) suffered the loss (0-1) for the Crusaders in relief, allowing six runs,
only two of which were earned, in just one-third of an inning. Matt Gailey earned the win (1-1) for
Northwestern, pitching 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Snieder finished the game
3-for-5 with four runs batted in to lead Northwestern (19-25) while Kontos also
had a three hit night.
Valparaiso (18-25) will return home to Emory G. Bauer Field on
Friday afternoon to begin a three-game Horizon League series against Butler. First pitch of the series opener is set for 3
p.m.