Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Set to Host Cougars Wednesday at Rocky Miller Park
4/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Northwestern 13-29 (4-11 B1G) vs. Chicago State (11-30-1, 4-12-1 WAC) | |
| Date | Time | Wednesday, April 28 | 3 p.m. |
| Location | Rocky Miller Park | Evanston, Ill. |
| Media | Live Stats: GameTracker Watch: BTN Plus on BTN2GO |
| Social | @NUCatsBaseball | @NU_SportsLIVE |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will take a break from Big Ten play to host crosstown rival Chicago State on Wednesday, April 29, at 3 p.m.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
· The Cougars hold an 11-30-1 overall record and are 4-12-1 in conference play (WAC).
· As a team, Chicago State is hitting .263 with 20 home runs and 65 doubles.
· Cody Freund paces CSU's offense with a .340 batting average and a .404 slugging percentage.
· Chicago State has not played another Big Ten team this season.
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE COUGARS
Fifth-year senior Kyle Ruchim, who went 2-for-5 with two RBI and just as many runs, tallied his third home run in four games to lead Northwestern to its third-consecutive victory with a 7-2 win over crosstown rival Chicago State on March 31. Ruchim also recorded his 200th-career hit at Cougar Stadium.
HOME SWEET HOME
Northwestern finally returned home to the newly renovated Rocky Miller Park on Tuesday, April 21 when it hosted Milwaukee in its home opener. The Wildcats played 37 road games before opening play in Evanston. NU is 9-18 in true road games this year and touts a 2-3 home record.
DOUBLING UP
Fifth-year senior Scott Heelan and Junior Zach Jones lead the Big Ten in doubles with 17 apiece, while Kyle Ruchim sits third (16). The Wildcats are second in the Big Ten with 93 doubles this year as Michigan holds the top spot with 94. NU averages 2.21 doubles per game, good for 18th in the country.
SUPER SCOTT
Super senior Scott Heelan has been a key contributor to the Wildcats' offense this spring. Hitting .323, he has only struck out seven times in 164 at-bats this year, to rank him as the third toughest batter to strike out in the country.
ZACH ATTACK
Junior first baseman Zach Jones has also played a critical role in the Wildcat's offense this year. The Glenview, Ill., native is hitting .329 and has tallied 23 runs on 57 hits, including 26 RBI and 17 doubles. On March 20, Jones tied a school record for hits in a single game when he recorded seven against UNLV.
MILESTONE MAGS'
Senior Brandon Magallones recorded his 200th-career strikeout in a 19-7 win over Minnesota (March 29). The right-handed pitcher earned the win after pitching five innings and fanning five batters. On Friday, April 17th, Magallones pitched seven shutout innings and cracked Northwestern all-time top 10 for career strikeouts against Iowa. The senior finished the game with 208 career Ks and now sits eighth on NU's all-time top 10.
NEXT UP FOR THE WILDCATS
NU will resume Big Ten play on Friday, May 1, with a three-game set against Nebraska.
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