BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Jack Claeys hit a three-run homer in the first inning to get seventh-seeded Northwestern started in a 6-5 victory over Maryland on Sunday, sending the Wildcats to the Big Ten Tournament championship game for the first time since 1984.
Northwestern (27-29) meets Iowa (37-20) for the title later Sunday.
The Wildcats increased their lead to 6-0 in the second on Jack Dunn’s two-run single and Matt Hopfner’s base hit.
Brandon Gum’s grand slam pulled the Terrapins (37-21) to 6-4 in the seventh, and it was a one-run game after Sam Lawrence issued a bases-loaded walk with no outs in the eighth. Lawrence escaped further damage, getting Nick Cieri to foul out and Zach Jancarski to hit into a double play.
Cooper Weatherfield (4-3) allowed two runs on three hits and struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings, and Lawrence worked two innings for his second save. Ryan Selmer (2-2) took the loss.
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