Wildcats Blast 9 HRs in 16-14 Win Over Illinois

URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Northwestern crushed 9 home runs in a thrilling back again-and-forth sixteen-14 victory more than Illinois on Saturday. The ‘Cats scored 4 runs in the ninth inning to come from at the rear of and steal the acquire, strengthening their file to 8-5.
 
It was an offensive outburst for the Wildcats, scoring a season-high sixteen runs on 21 hits and 9 home runs. Anthony Calarco, Shawn Goosenberg, Stephen Hrustich, Michael Trautwein, Vince Bianchina and Ethan O’Donnell all blasted very long-balls for the ‘Cats. sixteen runs is the Wildcats’ most considering the fact that they posted eighteen against Kansas on Feb. 23, 2018.
 
Junior Anthony Calarco had a working day to bear in mind, setting new vocation-highs with 4 hits, a few home runs, 5 RBI and 4 runs scored.
 
Sophomore Stephen Hrustich attained base 4 instances, launching a vocation-high two home runs and a double.
 
The Wildcats obtained out to a 6- lead early in the video game. Calarco led off the video game with his initially homer of the working day, adopted by an RBI single from Vince Bianchina. In the 2nd inning, Calarco despatched a RBI-double down the appropriate subject line, adopted up by a two-operate homer from Goosenberg to make it a 5- video game. Hrustich doubled with two outs in the fourth inning to rating Goosenberg and force the Wildcats’ lead to six.
 
The Illini stormed back again, putting up six runs in the fourth inning to tie the video game. They took a 8-6 lead in the fifth inning with a two-operate home operate.
 
Northwestern responded with 5 home runs between the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Ethan O’Donnell began issues off in the sixth inning with a lead-off homer. With two outs in the inning, Hrustich and Michael Trautwein went back again-to-back again to acquire a 9-8 lead. Trautwein has now homered in 4 consecutive game titles.
 
In the seventh, Calarco and Hrustich just about every blasted their 2nd round-trippers of the working day to lengthen the lead to 12-8.
 
At the time once again, Illinois arrived appropriate back again with a a few-operate homer in the base of the seventh to reduce the ‘Cats lead to just one. The Illini crushed back again-to-back again home runs in the eight to retake the lead, 13-12.
 
The ‘Cats would not be denied, with Calarco blasting his 3rd home-operate of the working day to lead off the ninth, tying the video game. Following Goosenberg scored on an error to acquire the lead, initially-year Vince Bianchina crushed his 2nd-vocation homer to lengthen Northwestern’s benefit to sixteen-13.

Dingers. Dingers. Far more Dingers. @NUCatsBaseball hits Nine Property Operates in a sixteen-14 acquire, which include this previous just one from Vincent Bianchina!

No give up in these ‘Cats ??#GoCats pic.twitter.com/xHAMnqInJC

— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Athletics) March 27, 2021

 
Illinois had the successful operate at the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Sam Lawrence struck out the last batter to lock down the acquire.
 
Northwestern looks to acquire the collection as they facial area Illinois tomorrow at 1:05 CT.