Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Opens Big Ten Season at Purdue
3/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 27, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern opens up its 2008 Big Ten season this weekend as it travels to Purdue for a four-game series. The teams open the series with a single game at 3 p.m. Central time Friday before playing a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday. The series concludes Sunday with one game getting underway at noon.
Gametracker can be accessed four all four games at NUsports.com. Live audio will be available at Purduesports.com.
The Wildcats lost their Big Ten opener last season at home to eventual conference champ Michigan by a score of 7-1.
NU (4-9) is coming off a tough visit to Bradenton, Fla., last weekend, as it dropped all four games. Three of the games were decided by one run.
After falling to Northern Iowa 6-0 in their opener Friday, the Wildcats dropped the nightcap to the Panthers 2-1. Freshman Eric Jokisch fired a two-hitter in the seven-inning game, but it wasn't enough.
Northwestern was scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday against Kansas, but it was wiped out due to rain.
The 'Cats finally did meet up with the Jayhawks on Sunday morning, with Kansas winning a wild 12-11 game. KU scored three time in the top of the first, but the Wildcats tallied four times in both the first and second innings to go ahead 8-3. The Jayhawks would rally back and eventually got the winning run in the top of the eighth inning. Jake Goebbert went 4-for-5 at the plate, including two doubles, a home run and six RBI.
Northwestern then suffered another disheartening one-run loss, falling to Dartmouth 6-5. The Big Green went ahead 5-1 early, but the Wildcats eventually chipped away. NU had numerous chances in the contest, as it stranded 12 baserunners, including leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. The 'Cats also hit into four double plays in the game.
Series History: Purdue leads, 98-79-2.
Last Season: NU wrapped up its 2007 season with a four-game home sweep of the Boilermakers May 18-20.
Double Your Pleasure
First baseman Jake Goebbert provided instantaneous dividends during his freshman season in a Wildcat uniform in 2007. A native of Hampshire, Ill., Goebbert finished first on the team with 14 doubles and has picked up right where he left off. His nine doubles so far this season are are tops in the Big Ten, while his average of 0.69 per game ranks first in the nation. Goebbert went 4-for-5 with a career-high six RBI against Kansas March 23. It was the most RBI by a Wildcat player in a game since Pat McMahon drove in six in a 19-18 win over Illinois April 14, 2006.
Hit Parade
Senior second baseman Jake Owens is off to a productive season during his final campaign in a Wildcat uniform. The Stevens Point, Wis., native has hit safely in all 13 games so far this year. Coupled with collecting hits in each of last nine games of the 2007 season, Owens now has a hit in Northwestern's last 22 games. Caleb Fields had NU's longest hitting streak last season at 20 games. A year ago, Owens set a school single-season record with 85 hits while starting all 54 games. The total surpassed Pat McMahon's previous mark of 82 set in 2005. Owens recorded 75 hits as a sophomore - the ninth-best mark in school history. He enters play this weekend with 211 career hits, 49 hits shy of the school career record of 260 held by Tom Hildebrand (1982-85).
Emerging Ace
Northwestern left-handed starter Eric Jokisch has stepped right into the Wildcats' starting rotation his freshman season and has excelled. NU is 3-1 in Jokisch's starts, with the lone blemish coming in a 2-1 loss to Northern Iowa March 21 during which he tossed a seven-inning two-hitter. It was the second complete game of his young career, also huring one of the nine-inning variety in a 6-3 victory over UIC March 14. Jokisch leads all Northwestern starters and ranks ninth in the Big Ten with a 3.24 ERA.
Scouting Purdue
•The Boilermakers (7-11) are coming off an overwhelming 15-0 defeat of Valparaiso on Wednesday, scoring 10 runs in the seventh inning. Ten different Purdue players drove in runs in the game.
•Junior outfielder Jon Moore was named the co-Big Ten Player of the Week this week after collecting 10 hits in 15 at-bats during a four-game sweep of Western Illinois.
• Since starting the season 0-9, Purdue has won seven of its last nine. The Boilermakers easily lead the Big Ten with a team ERA of 3.14.
Up Next...
Northwestern opens its 2008 home season April 4-6 as it takes on Michigan State at Rocky Miller Park.
