EVANSTON, Ill. (Interstat) — Jack Sweeney homered twice for Rutgers, but Northwestern answered each time, finally taking the lead for good on Nick Barron’s solo shot in the seventh inning to edge the Scarlet Knights 7-6 on Friday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park.

The Big Ten contest featured six home runs and a late-inning exchange of leads. Rutgers grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third inning on consecutive solo homers by Charlie Meglio, Krewson and Trey Wells. Northwestern cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third when Barron singled home Owen McElfatrick. The Wildcats then pulled within 3-2 in the fourth on a two-run homer by Jackson Freeman.

Sweeney, the Rutgers right fielder, regained the Scarlet Knights’ two-run cushion in the sixth with a solo homer to left-center, and the visitors added an RBI double from Wiltsey to make it 6-3. Northwestern tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. After a double by DE Groot and a walk to Freeman, a sacrifice bunt and an error loaded the bases. McElfatrick cleared the bases with a two-run double, and a groundout by pinch-hitter Kaplan plated the tying run.

Sweeney answered again in the top of the seventh, hitting an inside-the-park home run to put Rutgers ahead 7-6. But the Wildcats responded immediately in the bottom half. Barron led off with a solo homer to left-center, his second RBI of the afternoon, to give Northwestern its first lead at 7-6.

Rutgers put a runner on third with none out in the ninth after a walk, a balk and a sacrifice bunt, but Northwestern reliever Jake Rifenburg struck out Sweeney and got Carreras to ground out to end the game. Rifenburg pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. He entered in the eighth and retired the side in order before the ninth-inning jam.

Northwestern’s Matt Kouser started and worked five innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Rutgers starter Chris Sand went 2 1/3 innings without allowing a hit but was charged with three runs, two earned. Jason Masick threw two shutout innings for Rutgers but left with the game tied.

Sweeney finished 3 for 5 with two homers and two RBIs. McElfatrick was 3 for 5 with two RBIs. Meglio was 2 for 2 with a homer. The Wildcats and Scarlet Knights each collected 12 hits.

The win improved Northwestern to 21-29-1. Rutgers fell to 25-28. The teams conclude their three-game series Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rutgers 5, Northwestern 4, and its ELO system gave the Scarlet Knights a 64.80 percent probability to win.