March 9, 1998

Wildcat Baseball Defeats Valparaiso and St. Peter's

NU Improves to 8-3 on the Season

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Wildcat baseball team continued its hot play in Fort Myers, Fla., defeating Valparaiso on Sunday, 6-2, and knocking off St. Peter's (NJ) on Monday, 10-3. NU is now 8-3 on the season and a perfect 4-0 during their stay in Fort Myers.

On Sunday, Nick Franzese pitched 8 1/3 innings of four-hit baseball to pick up his first win of the season. Ben Dodd fanned the final two batters of the game to give NU the win. Patrick Thompson went 2-for-4 while Ollie Dunn went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs against the Crusaders. In Monday's win over St. Peter's, freshman Nick Kreinbrink allowed just three hits and struck out four batters over the first five innings to record his first collegiate win.

J.J. Standring pitched the final four innings to earn a save, allowing four hits and just one earned run. J.P. Williamson went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. The Wildcats continue to hit the long ball as Mike Stritch and Joe Hietpas knocked homers.

NU will conclude their Fort Myers trip on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. game against St. Joseph's College at the Boston Red Sox minor league complex.