Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Set to Defend First-Place Position Against Gophers
5/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 4, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -
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Northwestern Wildcats (17-25, 14-6 Big Ten) vs.
Minnesota (22-21, 9-11 Big Ten)
The Broadcasts
Gametracker--NUsports.com
Radio--WNUR (89.3 FM)
The Game
At the beginning of the Big Ten season, head coach Paul Stevens stressed to his team the importance of every single game. With only three weeks remaining in the Big Ten season, that statement has never been more true.
Northwestern and Michigan are tied for the top spot in league standings at 14-6. The Wolverines are 13-3 since losing three-of-four to the Wildcats in week one, while NU has not lost a series this season. NU has won three games in four of its five series and split the four games in the other. Ohio State (12-8) is only two games back of first place.
Minnesota enters the weekend having lost four of its last five games, including three to Illinois at the Metrodome last weekend. NU went 3-1 at Illinois. Minnesota dropped a midweek contest to North Dakota State 7-3. The Gophers are 22-21 overall and 9-11 (fifth place) in the conference.
Minnesota's offense is led by senior Andy Hunter's .329 batting average and 31 RBI. His five home runs also are a team best. Hunter and Mike Mee are the only players to play in all 43 games this season. Each have started 42.
As a team, the Gophers are 10th in league standings with a .276 average. They have hit only 15 home runs, but have connected on 73 doubles and 12 triples.
The Wildcats are led by sophomore Antonio Mulé. Mulé leads the squad in average (.355), RBI (32), home runs (6) and total hits (55). Not far behind is senior Pat McMahon with a .344 batting average, 29 RBI, five home runs and 53 total hits. McMahon--NU's single-season hits record holder with 82 hits in 2005--is 18 for his last 31 and has raised his average 59 points in the last eight games. He was 5-for-5 Tuesday vs. Northern Illinois.
On the mound for NU, senior Julio Siberio continues to throw well, pitching in all three of NU's wins at Iowa last weekend. He was instrumental, picking up saves in games one and two and earning the win in game four. He leads the team with a 3.55 ERA in all games and is second to Dan Brauer (3.13) in league contests at 3.71. All three of Siberio's saves have come in conference action.
Projected Starters
C Geoff Dietz (.265, 4 2B, 12 RBI, Jr.)
1B Pat McMahon (.344, 25 Runs, 9 2B, 5 HR Sr.)
2B Jake Owens (.296, 33 Runs, 2 3B, HR, So.)
3B Caleb Fields (.322, 22 Runs, 3 HR, Jr.)
SS Tommy Finn (.221, 14 RBI, Fr.)
LF Anthony Wycklendt (.237, 6 2B, 5 HR, Sr.)
CF Aaron Newman (.277 22 Runs, HR, So.) OR
-OR- Max Mann (.195, 3 HR, So.)
RF Antonio Mulé (.355, 6 HR, 32 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.195, 3 HR, So.)
DH Antonio Mulé (.355, 6 HR, 32 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.195, 3 HR, So.)
The Series With....
MINN: Minnesota leads the all-time series 136-65-1
The Last Series: NU lost 3-of-4 at Siebert Field in Minneapolis. Two of the losses were by one run.
Big Ten Individual leaders
Senior Pat McMahon is tied atop the Big Ten with 30 hits. Antonio Mulé and Anthony Wycklendt are tied for the conference lead with four home runs. McMahon is tied for No. 1 with 47 total bases. On the mound, Dan Brauer and Julio Siberio are tied for third with 31 strikeouts. McMahon (.400) and Caleb Fields (.389) are fourth and seventh on the Big Ten batting average top-10. Tommy Finn is leading the conference with six sacrifice bunts.
The Long Ball
Northwestern has hit 26 home runs this season, 18 of which have come in Big Ten games. Those 26 round-trippers are the second most in the league, second to Purdue's 32. The 18 long-balls in conference games ties Purdue for the conference lead.
Dare I Say, En Fuego
Senior Pat McMahon has been on a tear of late. In his last 31 at-bats (8 games) he has 18 hits. That is good enough for a .581 batting average. He has tallied nine RBI and, four extra base hits and has been walked twice. Since the beginning of the Big Ten season, McMahon has raised his average 147 points from .197 to .344. He is currently fourth in conference play with a .400 average.
Who's Got Next
Northwestern will play back-to-back home for the first and only time this season this weekend and next. The `Cats host Minnesota May 4-6, then welcome Michigan State to Rocky Miller Park May 12-14.
One-Run Warriors
So far this season, Northwestern has played a total of 16 one-run baseball games, nine of which have come during conference play. Overall, NU is 10-6 in closely contested games and what's even more impressive is their 8-1 conference mark. In all five conference series, NU has won at least one one-run game. Its only loss came against Indiana, back in early April.
The Siberio Scenario
Senior right-hander Julio Siberio pitched the weekend of his career at Iowa last weekend. All he did was notch saves in games one and two--a total of 3.2 innings--and just for good measure earned the win in NU's 7-6 series finale win, pitching the final five and one-third innings. In total, he pitched 9.0 innings, struck out five, walked one and made sure NU kept its first-place tie with Michigan. In eight conference appearances, including four starts, Siberio has struck out 38 and walked only six in a team-high 34.0 innings pitched. Oh, and he also leads the squad with a 3.55 ERA (13 app., 5 starts, 45.2 innings pitched) in all games.
Atop The Ten
Through five weeks (20 games) of the Big Ten conference season, Northwestern and Michigan share the top spot with identical 14-6 records. The next two weekends NU will host Minnesota (22-21, 9-11) and Michigan State (21-21, 9-11). Both squads are currently tied for fifth place.
