Box Score
Jon Gulbransen (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran H.S.)
went seven strong innings matching his career high with 10 strikeouts as
Valparaiso wrapped up its 23-game road trip with a 5-2 victory over
Northwestern on Wednesday at Rocky Miller Park in Evanston, Ill.
Gulbransen allowed
just one run and three hits to earn the win (2-4), matching his strikeout high
set last season at McNeese State. He
walked just two.
“He threw 90 percent
fastballs today and hit his spots both in and out,” head coach Tracy Woodson said. “That’s the key to being successful.”
Northwestern scored
first, taking advantage of one of the two walks. Kyle Ruchim drew a one-out pass and moved up
on a wild pitch. Paul Snieder drove him
home with a two-out single.
Valpo came back and
immediately tied the game in the second.
Robbie Robinson (Brea,
Calif./Olinda H.S.) was hit to lead off the inning and Ryan O’Gara (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove H.S.) followed with
a walk. Corey Thibault (Tustin,
Calif./Foothill H.S.) loaded the bases with a single and Robinson eventually
scored on a fielder’s choice.
Two innings later
the Crusaders took the lead for good. Bobby Martin (Crystal Lake,
Ill./Prairie Ridge H.S.) singled with one out and Thibault moved him to third
with a double. Andrew Bain (Indianapolis, Ind./Park Tudor H.S.) loaded the bases
with a two-out walk and Kyle Gaedele
(Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows H.S.) delivered the big hit, a bases
clearing triple to straight away center.
“That was a big hit
for us,” Woodson said. “He came up with that situation in the second and didn’t
get it done. We needed that hit.”
Bain got the
Crusaders another run in the seventh, drawing a walk and stealing second. He then scored on a two-out hit by Chris Manning (Lake Forest, Ill./El
Toro H.S.).
“Our hits with two
outs were what helped us,” Woodson added.
Northwestern (7-14)
got its final run in the eighth as Trevor Stevens was hit by a pitch to lead
off the inning, moved up on a passed ball and a ground out, and scored on a
wild pitch. The Wildcats brought the
tying run to the plate in the ninth following a double and an error, but a
fielder’s choice ended the game.
Thibault was the
only Crusader with two hits as Valpo had just six for the day, but they were
all timely. Paul Snieder had three of
Northwestern’s four hits.
Jack Havey started
and suffered the loss (1-3) for the Wildcats, allowing four runs and five hits
in four innings of work.
Valaparaiso (4-19)
will return to Emory G. Bauer Field on Friday for its home opener and the beginning
of a five-game homestand. The Crusaders
will host UIC beginning at 3 p.m. in the first of a three-game Horizon League
weekend series.