Ben Boyer wasted little time getting his senior season off to a good start.

Northwestern head baseball coach Chad Cooperman called on Boyer to start the season opener at Northern Lehigh and bat third in the lineup.

In the top of the first, Boyer singled to left and then took to the mound to put the Bulldogs down in order in the bottom of the inning. When all was said and done, Boyer led the Tigers both on the mound and at the plate as they downed Northern Lehigh 11-1 on a brisk afternoon.

On the mound, Boyer was perfect through 3 2/3 innings until giving up a triple to right-center field to Cole Hausman, but worked out of the inning with a strikeout, stranding Hausman at third. At the plate, Boyer finished the day 4-for-5 with three runs scored.

“I love to pitch, but I love to hit, too. I love both sides of the game, so it’s hard to say which I prefer doing,” said Boyer. “It was a good way to get the season started and help get us the win.”

Northwestern opened the scoring in the top of the second. After a leadoff single and a stolen base from Tanner Romig, Bulldogs starter Josh Kisler recorded his third strikeout of the game and then got Wes George to fly to right, which allowed Romig to move over to third with two outs. Eli Zimmerman walked, and Dylan Witkowski legged out an infield single to put the Tigers up 1-0.

Kisler got in trouble immediately in the third on back-to-back doubles by Boyer and Justin Augustus to open the inning. Augustus stole third and then scored on a ground ball by Romig to make it 3-0. Northwestern stole eight bases in nine tries in the game with both Shaun O’Donnell and Bob Croneberger picking up two thefts each.

“We take whatever the other team gives us, so whatever that might be during a given game, whether it’s bunting or running. We practice those things, but it doesn’t mean that we have to rely on them,” Cooperman said.

Boyer was breezing along until allowing a two-out walk to Jack Tosh in the fifth. A base hit and a throwing error allowed Tosh to score the lone run of the day for Northern Lehigh.

With the Tigers up 4-1 through five, the game broke open in the top of the sixth.

Chase Moyer drew a leadoff walk and Boyer singled for his fourth hit of the day. Croneberger then walked to jam the bases. Romig singled to drive in two and a walk to O’Donnell reloaded the bases for pinch-hitter Josh Lichman, who also worked a walk to force another run across and make it 7-1.

Zimmerman added an RBI single and Witkowski brought a run home on a fielder’s choice to make it 9-1. Moyer then singled to right and a fielding error allowed two more runs to score.

Boyer credited a tweak in his mechanics that allows him to get a longer stride, which gives his pitches late movement.

“My sinker was working very well and when I needed an off-speed pitch late in the at-bat, my curve was good for me,” said Boyer. “I was happy with my stuff today.”

Romig finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in for Northwestern. Moyer, O’Donnell, and Zimmerman all reached base three times in the game.

“We didn’t execute well at the plate. The stuff we have been preaching the last three weeks we didn’t do very well on,” said Bulldogs coach Greg King. “Their guy was throwing strikes and kept his pitch count low and we weren’t able to do that.”

GOOD EYE ... Northwestern batters drew eight walks in the game and four of them came around to score while another forced in a run.

YOUNG DOGS ... King’s starting lineup consisted of four sophomores, two freshmen and two three seniors. “We’re so young that we are going to have to go through some growing pains and that’s a concern for us,” said King. “We have been working hard and hopefully, we will improve as the season goes on.”

Northwestern 012 107 - 11 11 2

Northern Lehigh 000 010 - 1 3 1

Boyer, O’Donnell (6) and Augustus; Kisler, Buskirk (3), Mann (4), Hankee (6) and Hoffman. W - Boyer. L - Kisler.