NORTHWESTERN 11 MORNINGSIDE 10
The Red Raiders took the field first versus Morningside on Thursday, March 20th in a non-conference nine inning game. The Raiders jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind Codie Zeutenhorst's first home-run of the season but were unable to hold the lead giving up four runs in the bottom of the first. The Northwestern offense, however, was up to the challenge and put up a four spot of their own, regaining the lead 6-4 after an inning and a half. Morningside answered with two runs and the game was all tied up at 6-6 after two innings. Mustang reliever Gabe Shockman kept the Raider offense at bay in the third and the Mustang hitters were able to plate two more runs claiming a 8-6 lead after three innings. Shockman put up another zero and Morningside plated a ninth run; this one off of reliever Stuart Moore.
Northwestern scored next, not until the top of the sixth though, touching Shockman for three runs and adding a fourth in the frame off of Lewis Dobie, taking the lead 10-9. The Mustangs answered with their tenth run of the game in the bottom of the sixth. The Red Raiders plated an unearned run in the eighth off of Jason Semprini when Mustang catcher Jason Engleman overthrew third base trying to throw out Grant Wall, who was advancing on a wild pitch. Moore held Morningside scoreless in the eighth and Joe Grady pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season. Moore picked up the win in relief, the first win of his college career, pitching five innings, giving up two hits, two runs (both earned), while walking two. Freshman Drew Nonnemacher got the no decision pitching the first three innings.
Northwestern was led offensively by Joe Heitritter, who had three hits, including a double, and three RBI. Grant Wall scored three times and Codie Zeutenhorst collected two hits, hitting his first home-run of 2008. Northwestern outhit Morningside ten to eight.
NORTHWESTERN 13 HASTINGS 9
The Red Raiders opened the conference season on the road versus Hastings College and did so in impressive fashion, pounding out 18 hits and scoring 13 runs. Northwestern scored in every inning minus the second and put up two runs or more in five of the seven innings. Red Raider starter Mihai Burlea pitched five innings striking out eight. He gave up nine hits and four runs. Andrew Engesser and Brad Payne both pitched an inning in relief. Engesser gave up four hits, five runs (four earned) and walked one, while Payne struck out two and gave up one hit.
The Red Raider offense had four players with three hits or more. Codie Zeutenhorst was perfect on the game, going 4-4 with a triple, five RBI, and a sac fly. Grant Wall (3-4), Joe Heitritter (3-4), and Curt Bomgaars (3-4) also had three hits for Northwestern. Jake Jansen (1-2), Brad Payne (2-4), and Scott Mineart (1-1) also had good days for Northwestern at the plate. Heitritter scored four runs to lead the Raiders and was second on the team with three RBI.
Northwestern moved to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in the GPAC.
NORTHWESTERN 1 HASTINGS 4
Northwestern left eight guys on base and couldn't recover from an early Hastings lead Friday; falling 4-1 in GPAC play. Hastings scored one run in the bottom of the first and two in the bottom of the third before Northwestern even had a hit off of Bronco starter Bryant McCann. Northwestern starter Trevor Kuiper pitched well in the loss, throwing six innings, allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), walking two, and striking out six, but the story was McCann. The junior from Omaha threw a complete game seven hitter, allowing one unearned run, walking three and striking out three. Six different Raiders had hits, Matt Gray went 2-3 with a run scored to lead the Northwestern offense.
Northwestern fell to 8-7 overall and 1-1 in the GPAC.
NORTHWESTERN 7 CONCORDIA 5
Northwestern needed two extra innings to pull past Concordia in GPAC play in game one on Saturday afternoon, winning 7-5. The Raiders scored first, plating four in the first inning behind a three run home-run by Jake Jansen. Concordia answered back in the bottom of the second with a three spot cutting the lead to 4-3. Northwestern added a run to the lead in the fourth scoring once on two Bulldog errors and two walks. The Bulldogs evened the score in the fifth on three hits and a Raider error. Both starting pitchers took claim of the game at that point, throwing zeros until the top of the ninth when Northwestern knocked Concordia starter Jacob Shaffer out of the game after a lead off walk. Reliever Troy Kane entered and walked Scott Mineart to put two runners on base. Raider Sophomore Matt Gray hit a ground ball up the middle that allowed only one play, to throw out Gray at first. With the runners moved to second and third, the Bulldogs walked Austin Malone. GPAC Player of the Year Grant Wall then stepped to the plate. Wall doubled home two runs giving the Raiders a 7-5 lead in the ninth.
Raider starter Joe Grady started the ninth nicely, quickly getting the first two outs before plunking three hitter Nate Schmoll. That brought the tying run the to plate in the form of Jack Holmberg, the GPAC third best HR threat from a year ago. Grady quickly displaced Holmberg inducing a ground ball to himself to end the game. Grady pitched all nine innings, giving up eight hits, five runs (two earned), walking two, and striking out a career high ten. Grady moved to 2-1 on the season.
Junior first baseman Jake Jansen led Northwestern going 2-6 with a HR and three RBI. Five other Raiders had hits. Northwestern could not take advantage of eight Concordia errors and left 16 runners on base.
Northwestern moved to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the GPAC.
NORTHWESTERN 10 CONCORDIA 2
Northwestern used 14 hits and a brilliant outing by freshman Mike Zoellner to sweep Concordia in GPAC play Saturday afternoon. Zoellner pitched six innings, allowing four hits, two runs, walking four, and striking out eight en route to collecting his first collegiate win. Eight Red Raiders had hits. Brad Payne (3-4), Grant Wall (2-3), Jake Jansen (2-4), Matt Gray (2-4), and Curt Bomgaars (2-4) each had multiple hits. Austin Malone and Jake Jansen sandwiched home-runs around a Grant Wall single in the fourth inning, breaking open the game, taking a 7-1 lead.
Northwestern moved to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the GPAC.
NORTHWESTERN 2 BELLEVUE 4
In a game of two conference favorites Bellevue defeated Northwestern 4-2 at Westgate Park. All the scoring was done in the fifth inning, started by Northwestern. Mike Zoellner and Justin Boersma each hit one out singles to put runners at the corners and Matt Gray sacrificed Boersma to second to move two runners into scoring position for Austin Malone. Malone smashed a two-out double into the left-center gap putting Northwestern up 2-0. Northwestern couldn't hold the lead for long though, as Bellevue answered back with four runs off of starter Stuart Moore.
The Bruins started the bottom of the fifth with a shallow fly ball double that was misplayed by the Red Raiders. Left fielder Shawn Lee drove in the run with a sharp single then was thrown out trying to steal second. Dave Powell then hit a ground ball that was thrown away by Northwestern. After a Nick Damas fly out that should have ended the inning, Bellevue scored three more runs, all unearned to take a 4-2 lead. Bruin starter Jon Ganzen (11-3 in 2007) was relieved by Nick Love (15-5 in 2007) in the sixth and kept Northwestern off the scoreboard stranding Northwestern runners on base three of the four innings he pitched, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, two on in the seventh, and one on in the ninth.
Stuart Moore pitched five innings for Northwestern, allowed six hits, four runs (one earned), and walked four. Andrew Engesser pitched the final three innings, he allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out one. Codie Zeutenhorst threw out three of the six Bruins trying to steal bases and Austin Malone hit a double to each field to lead Northwestern defensively and offensively.
Northwestern fell to 10-8 overall and is 3-1 in the GPAC.
2008 Media Guide
