Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Open Conference Season at Michigan
3/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 30, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. - Everyone gets a second chance right? Well, after a 3-15 start which includes an 11-game losing streak, Northwestern's baseball team is looking at the start to the conference season as a fresh beginning.
"We've done a lot of things well this season," said head coach Paul Stevens. "I know our record doesn't show it, but we've played some quality competition. I'm not making any excuses, but I believe we'll be a different team in conference play."
Speaking of quality competition, the Wildcats finished a three-game series with then No. 21-Pepperdine last weekend. Those three games in Malibu, Calif., completed a seven-game road trip against West Coast Conference opponents.
NU hits the road again this weekend, this time to Ann Arbor, Mich., to begin the conference season against the University of Michigan.
Northwestern's appearance at Ray Fisher Stadium is just the third since 1997, the first year of the current three-day, four-game conference weekend format. NU's last trip to Ann Arbor was in 2003 when Michigan won three of the four games.
U-of-M is on a six-game win streak after defeating Bowling Green Tuesday afternoon at Ray Fisher Stadium.
Offensively, the Wolverines are led by Mike Schmidt. After jumping back into the lineup during the Oakland series, he hit .583 (7-for-12) with a double and two homers after missing several games due to injury.
Michigan's .292 batting average is fifth in the Big Ten, NU is 10th (.248).
On the mound for the Wolverines, both Adam Abraham and Craig Murray lead the team with 2-1 records. Murray has thrown a team-high 22.1 innings, while Paul Hammond leads the team with 16 Ks in 16.2 innings.
Michigan's 5.88 team ERA is ninth, one spot ahead of Northwestern (6.46).
The Wildcats enter the weekend after taking Pepperdine down to the wire in the series finale in Malibu. Starter Julio Siberio limited the potent Waves offense to just two runs on three hits in six complete innings. PU averaged nine runs per game in the first two games of the series. After the Wildcats tied the game 2-2 in the top of the ninth, reliever Ryan Myers gave up a two-run homer to end the game in the bottom half of the ninth. Until that batter, Myers had given up just one hit, a single earlier in the inning.
Projected Starters
C Pat McMahon (.197, 9 RBI, 2 2B, Sr.)
-OR- Tony Vercelli (.313, So.)
1B Stanley Finch (.241, 7 Runs, 4 SB, Sr.)
2B Jake Owens (.286, 11 Runs, 2 2B, So.)
3B Caleb Fields (.231, 8 Runs, Jr.)
SS Tommy Finn (.224, 6 RBI, Fr.)
LF Anthony Wycklendt (.217, 3B, Sr.)
CF Aaron Newman (.241 12 Runs, So.)
RF Antonio Mulé (.408, 2 HR, 11 RBI, So.)
DH Antonio Mulé (.408, 2 HR, 11 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.143, So.)
The Series With....
Michigan: Wolverines lead 96-21
Siberio's Scenerio
Senior right-hander Julio Siberio is coming off the best start of his collegiate career. The Florida native started the series finale last weekend at Pepperdine. With the team in need of a good performance, Siberio delivered. In just the fourth start of his collegiate career, Siberio shut down the 21st-ranked Waves offense. He allowed just two runs on three hits in six complete inning, striking out four in the process. In the previous two games in Malibu, Pepperdine averaged nine runs and 13 hits per game. Two of the three hits came in the sixth inning.
Michigan Natives
Senior Chris Davidson and sophomore Rob Campbell are NU's two student-athletes who hail from the Wolverine state. Davidson hails from Huntington Woods and Campbell is from Bloomfield. Davidson, a left-handed pitcher, is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in seven appearances. He has pitched a total of 8.2 innings. Campbell is used as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement at first base, and has a .100 (1-for-10) batting average. He has appeared in 10 games.
Freshman Catches On
Freshman Tony Vercelli has started six of NU's last eight games, four as the team's catcher and two as the designated hitter. In those eight games, the Wilmington High School product is hitting .381 (8for-21) with two RBI.
Hot Start
Left-handed Antonio Mulé continues to swing a hot bat to start the 2006 season. The junior leads the team with a .455 average starting all 11 games, six as the right-fielder and five as the designated hitter. He has eight RBI and is one of two Wildcats to hit a home run. He has two. He has a Big Ten best 29 total bases and has been walked a team high six times.
