Wildcats Open 2009 Season at Big East/Big Ten Challenge

Southpaw Eric Jokisch set a Northwestern freshman record with eight wins in 2008.

Wildcats Open 2009 Season at Big East/Big Ten Challenge

2/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Feb. 19, 2009

NU Big East/Big Ten Challenge Game Notes (PDF)

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern opens its 2009 baseball season in Florida this weekend as it participates in the inaugural Big East/Big Ten Challenge in St. Petersburg and Brandenton. The Wildcats open their campaign at 6:30 p.m. Central time Friday with a matchup against Georgetown.

Following a non-conference game against Big Ten cohort Penn State at noon Saturday, NU concludes the Challenge with a contest against Connecticut at 10 a.m. Sunday. Northwestern is also slated to take on West Virginia at 10 a.m. Monday in a game not affiliated with the Challenge.

The 'Cats are coming off a 2008 season that saw them go 21-28 overall and finish in seventh place in the Big Ten with a 14-18 mark. NU returns five position starters and four starting pitchers from last year's squad. Among those back in the fold for the Wildcats are 2008 All-Big Ten Second Team honorees Jake Goebbert and Eric Jokisch. Jokisch, a sophomore left-handed pitcher, was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. NU has won its last two season-openers, including a 13-7 victory at Cal State Northridge a year ago.

Scouting Georgetown (Northwestern leads series, 3-1)
The Hoyas went 18-32 overall and 7-20 in Big East play a year ago. Junior shortstop Tom Elliott is the team's leading returning in batting average, hitting .325 a year ago. Sophomore first baseman Dan Capeless led Georgetown with 53 hits and 13 doubles last season and was second with seven home runs and 34 runs scored.

Scouting Penn State (Penn State leads series, 33-32)
The Nittany Lions are the lone Big Ten team NU won't face during the regular season. PSU is coming off a 27-31 season in 2008, including a 17-15 conference mark that was good for third place. Senior right-hander Mike Wanamaker was a second-team All-Big Ten pick last year, posting a 6-5 record with a 3.41 ERA.

Scouting Connecticut (Northwestern leads series, 1-0)
The Huskies return seven starters and three starting pitchers from last year's squad which went 27-28 overall and 11-16 in the Big East. Sophomore shortstop Mike Olt posted a school single-season record 61 RBI as a frosh. Senior right-hander John Folino paced all UConn starters with a 4-4 record in 2008.

Scouting West Virginia (Northwestern leads series, 1-0)
The Mountaineers sported records of 35-21 overall and 13-14 in the Big East in 2008. Sophomore shortstop Jedd Gyorko was named a second-team All-American after batting .409 with eight homers and 63 RBI during his freshman season. Junior right-hander Billy Gross led the team with a 3.01 ERA to go along with a 5-2 record last year.

Goebbert Among Big Ten's Top Hitters
Jake Goebbert established himself as one of the top hitters in the Big Ten as a sophomore last season. The left-handed hitting slugger batted .353 with a school single-season record 22 doubles to go along with team highs of 10 home runs, 48 RBI and a .665 slugging percentage. For his efforts, Goebbert was honored as a second-team All-Big Ten selection at first base. He is expected to make the move to the outfield in 2009.

Jokisch Looks to Build on Solid Freshman Campgiagn
Southpaw Eric Jokisch put together one of the top seasons by a freshman pitcher in school history a year ago. He posted an 8-2 record, which set a Northwestern freshman mark for wins, and went an impressive 7-1 against Big Ten foes. In his final start of the season, Jokisch became the only pitcher in 2008 to shut out conference champion Michigan. He became the second Wildcat player to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, joining Jeremy Kurella who earned the honor in 1998.

Solid Pitching Staff Back in the Fold
Headlined by Jokisch, Northwestern returns a solid nucleus to the mound in 2009 while welcoming in several newcomers who will be counted on to contribute. Hard-throwing sophomore right-hander Cole Livermore returns to the 'Cats after missing last season due to injury. Also back in the mix are a pair of junior lefty starters in Joe Muraski and David Jensen. Senior Matt Havey leads the list of returners to the bullpen after ranking among the nation's leaders in ERA the majority of the 2008 season. Freshmen Francis Brooke, Michael Jahns, Zach Morton and Quentin Williams will be called upon to provide depth to the staff.

Left Side of the Infield Returns
Northwestern's starters at shortstop and third base last season are back in senior Tommy Finn and sophomore Chris Lashmet, respectively. Finn is one of the top defensive infielders in the Big Ten, posting a team-leading 128 assists a year ago. Meanwhile, Lashmet burst on to the scene as a freshman, batting .299 with 12 doubles and 38 RBI.

New-Look Outfield
The Wildcats will field a new trio in its outfield this year. Junior Jake Goebbert is slated to make the move from first base to center field. In left field, freshman Quentin Williams is expected to get the starting nod, while senior Tony Vercelli is in line to make the move from catcher to right field. Also in line for outfield spots are senior Jim Grieco, sophomore Brant Cavagnaro and frosh Hamilton Wise.

Replacing the Class of 2008
The Wildcats have some holes to fill this season due to the graduation of last year's senior class. Headling the list of those who have exhausted their eligibility is infielder Jake Owens who finished his NU career ranked second in school history in hits and third in runs scored and at-bats. Among the others Northwestern must replace are Aaron Newman who was a four-year starter in the outfield and Mike Kalina who led the 'Cats with a .384 batting average in 2008.

Several Freshmen in Line to Provide Immediate Contributions
Due to the loss of five position starters from a year ago, several freshmen are scheduled to be in line to make an impact right away. On the infield, Paul Snieder and Trevor Stevens enter the season slated as starters at first and second base, respectively. Two-way players Quentin Williams and Zach Morton are also being counted on to contribute both in the field and on the mound. Williams is expected to get the starting nod in left field, while Morton is in line to be in the Wildcats' starting rotation while also pitching in at the designated hitter spot, in the outfield or at first base. Versatile frosh Geoff Rowan could pitch in at a number of spots, including behind the plate, in the outfield, on the mound or as a DH. In addition, righty Francis Brooke will be relied upon to be one of NU's top arms out of the bullpen.

Williams Does Double Duty
Freshman Quentin Williams has been a busy man during his first year in Evanston. Slated to be NU's starting outfielder while also contributing on the mound, Williams spent the fall with the Wildcat football team where he is on scholarship as a linebacker. Quentin's brother, Nate, also plays football for Northwestern and was the team's starting middle linebacker the second half of the season.

Changes to the Big Ten Schedule
Big Ten teams will play one less game against each team this season. In the past, a weekend conference series consisted of a four-game set with one nine-inning game being played on both Friday and Sunday and two seven-inning games being played on Saturday. This year, a series will consist of a single nine-inning game being played Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Big Ten Tournament to Be Held at Neutral Site
For the first time since 1994, the Big Ten tournament will be held at a neutral site in 2009. The city of Columbus, Ohio, and the brand-new Huntington Park will host the tourney from May 20-23. Huntington Park opens this season as new the home of the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Since the inception of the Big Ten Baseball Tournament in 1981, the event has been played at the site of the regular-season champion or the champion from a pre-selected division, with the exception of 1993 and 1994 when it was held in Battle Creek, Mich.

Up Next...
Northwestern returns to Florida next weekend as it heads to Winter Haven for the RussMatt Central Florida Invite. The Wildcats are slated to face Massachusetts and Northeastern twice apiece.