EVANSTON, Ill. (Interstat) — The Northwestern Wildcats erupted for eight runs in the seventh inning, turning a tight contest into a rout and defeating the Saint Thomas Tommies 15-5 on Wednesday evening at Rocky Miller Park.

The game, a midweek non-conference clash, featured a dramatic shift in momentum after the Tommies had clawed back to within two runs in the top of the seventh. Designated hitter Lucas McNellis provided a bright spot for Saint Thomas, going 3 for 4 with a solo home run and two RBIs. His blast to left field in the seventh, followed by an RBI double from Max Berrisfo and a run-scoring single from Adam Puder, cut the Wildcats’ lead to 7-5 and threatened a comeback.

That threat was decisively extinguished in the bottom half of the frame. Northwestern sent 13 batters to the plate against three Tommies pitchers, capitalizing on a critical error to break the game open. After a throwing error by the shortstop and a sacrifice bunt, center fielder Jack Lausch cleared the bases with a three-run triple down the right field line, scoring two unearned runs. Lausch, the top star for Northwestern, finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, continuing a hot streak that included a three-RBI performance the previous day.

Ryan Kucherak followed with an RBI single to score Lausch, and Noah Ruiz later delivered a two-run single to cap the inning’s scoring. Ruiz went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, while Kucherak drove in three runs on a 2-for-5 night.

The offensive explosion made a winner of reliever Tommy Bridges, who provided three innings of middle relief, allowing two runs on four hits. Starter Sam Hliboki went four innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits. For Saint Thomas, starter Warren Bowe took the loss, charged with three runs over 2 2/3 innings. The Tommies’ bullpen, which had seen effective outings from Chris Petersen and Will Pierro, unraveled in the fateful seventh.

The game began with Saint Thomas seizing an early lead. The Tommies scored twice in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Joe Roder and an RBI double from McNellis. They added another run in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Easton Fritc to lead 5-0.

Northwestern answered immediately and forcefully in the bottom of the second, with Colby McElfatrick’s three-run double off Bowe cutting the deficit to 5-3. The Wildcats then took the lead for good in the fourth, scoring four times. Kucherak’s two-run single tied the game, and Ruiz and Bennett Barron added RBIs on a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice fly, respectively, for a 7-5 advantage.

The Tommies out-hit the Wildcats 11 to 12 but were undone by two errors that led to five unearned runs. Tanner Recch led Saint Thomas with two hits, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

With the victory, Northwestern improved its season record to 16-21-1. Saint Thomas fell to 6-27. The result far exceeded the projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 4-3 Wildcats win.

Northwestern travels to Minnesota for a three-game series starting Friday. Saint Thomas begins a series at Omaha on Friday.