May 8, 1998

Wildcat Baseball Falls to Minnesota, 14-0

Doubleheader Set for Saturday

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Minnesota shortstop Robb Quinlan knocked three homers and had seven RBIs as the Golden Gophers (40-12, 17-8 Big Ten) defeated Northwestern (26-24, 9-16 Big Ten) on Friday at Rocky Miller Park, 14-0.

Minnesota took a 3-0 lead in the first inning of NU starter Chris Hargan (4-5). Each of the Gophers' first three batters reached base and eventually came around to score. Wildcat shortstop Jeremy Kurella led off the bottom of the first with an infield single, one of just two NU hits on the day off UM southpaw Ben Birk (7-1). The other was a Ken Kilian single in the third inning.

The Minnesota lead became 4-0 in the third inning on a solo homer by right fielder Craig Selander, his 20th of the season. Quinlan made the game 7-0 in the fifth with a three-run homer to right field, also his 20th of the year. Quinlan would also go deep in the sixth and ninth innings to raise his total to 22 homers on the season.

Hargan went six innings for the 'Cats, allowing 10 hits and 10 runs, while fanning six batters. Birk shutout NU in a two-hit complete game, walking just one while fanning nine Wildcat batters.

The teams continue the series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a 1 p.m. single game to conclude the series on Sunday afternoon.