Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Battle in Lexington; Stevens to Coach 1,000th game
3/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 2, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Kentucky Game Notes in PDF Format
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GAME DATA
March 3-5, 2006
Northwestern Wildcats (3-5, 0-0 Big Ten) at
Kentucky Wildcats (6-1, 0-0 SEC)
Game Facts
Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)
Lexington, Ky.
The Broadcasts
Radio--none
Gametracker--NUsports.com
The Game
Northwestern head coach Paul Stevens will coach his 1,000th game Friday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky. The three-game series versus the Wildcats of Kentucky will begin Friday at 4 p.m. (ET).
Kentucky is off to a 6-2 start with three wins over 2005 NCAA Regional teams. They have scored nine runs or more in five of eight games and are averaging nearly 7.6 runs per contest. UK pitchers have allowed more than four runs once and the team ERA is 3.38. They are giving up just 3.6 runs per game. The Kentucky defense has turned seven double plays.
Individually for UK, Lexington native Collin Cowgill leads the squad with a .419 batting average. He has a team-high 13 RBI, to go along with three doubles, one triple and three home runs. Cowgill has a eight-game hitting streak and has tallied an RBI in six of his last seven games. Centerfielder Antone DeJesus is hitting .414 with two stolen bases.
Northwestern enters the game after a disappointing 1-2 weekend at Louisville. Sophomore Antonio Mulé continues to lead NU with a .387 batting average. He has started all eight games at either his right field position or as the team's designated hitter. Mulé has NU's only two home runs and has knocked in four RBI.
Second baseman Jake Owens has hit safely in each of NU's eight games. His eight-game hitting streak is a career long, and has propelled him to a .343 batting average.
On the mound for the Illinois Wildcats, junior lefty Dan Brauer continues his remarkable comeback after missing the entire 2005 season because of shoulder surgery. While the Wheaton-Warrenville South graduate has yet to figure in the decision in any of his three starts (17 innings), he does boast a 2.12 ERA and has struck out 20. Opponents are hitting just .155 (9-for-58) against him so far this season.
Kentucky native Andrew Smith (Fort Mitchell) has appeared in four games this year, all in a relief role. He has pitched 10.2 innings and has a miniscule 1.69 ERA. He has not walked a single batter and struck out two. Also out of the bullpen is junior lefty Dan Schwartz. Schwartz has pitched in six of NU's eight games and is 1-2 with two saves. He has struck out 11 and walked three with a 2.31 ERA.
In 75.2 innings pitched, the entire NU pitching staff has an ERA of 3.93.
Projected Starters
C Pat McMahon (.226, 5 RBI, 2 2B, Sr.)
1B Stanley Finch (.258, 4 Runs, 4 SB, Sr.)
2B Jake Owens (.343, 4 Runs, So.)
3B Caleb Fields (.100, 4 Runs, Jr.)
SS Tommy Finn (.194, 4 RBI, Fr.)
LF Anthony Wycklendt (.129, 3B, Sr.)
CF Aaron Newman (.240 7 Runs, So.)
RF Antonio Mulé (.387, 2 HR, 4 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.053, So.)
DH Antonio Mulé (.387, 2 HR, 4 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.053, So.)
The Series With Kentucky
Series Record: UK leads 2-0
3/26/91 - UK 8, NU 7 (Lexington, Ky.)
3/27/91 - UK 6, NU 4 (Lexington, Ky.)
