Wednesday, April 13
Evanston, Ill.
3 p.m.
Northwestern
vs
Bradley
Northwestern Hosts Bradley in Mid-Week Showdown
4/12/2016 6:24:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern begins a four-game homestand when it welcomes Bradley to Rocky and Berenice Miller Park on Wednesday, April 13, for a 3 p.m. CT non-conference showdown.
Northwestern (8-24, 2-7 B1G) is coming off a weekend series at Nebraska where the club dropped a pair of one-run games to open the series, before claiming an 11-3 victory in Sunday's series finale.
Jake Stolley (1-1), who never started a game before this season, will make his fourth start of the campaign on Wednesday. In 25.0 innings this season, Stolley has held batters to a .244 average and has only allowed three extra-base hits. The Marion, Iowa, native started on Sunday against the Huskers and tossed three innings of scoreless baseball.
Bradley (15-10, 1-1 MVC) enters the contest with Northwestern after splitting a pair of games with No. 16 Missouri State on Friday and Saturday. The Braves' Sunday contest was rained out.
At the plate, BU has looked to Paul Solka and Tyler Leffler for its offense. Solka is batting .351 with 33 hits and a team-best 22 RBI, while Leffler boasts a .340 clip at the dish with a team-high 34 hits, including 15 doubles.
Lefty Ben Olson is likely to get the start against Northwestern. Olson has made eight appearances this season, six of which have been starts, and has a 5.33 ERA. In his 27.0 innings pitched, he has accrued a 1-2 win-loss record. Opposing batters are hitting .284 against him this season.
OTHER NOTES YOU SHOULD KNOW…
OFFENSIVELY GOOD
The Wildcats leaned on the heart of their order for production in Lincoln last weekend. Matt Hopfner, Joe Hoscheit and Connor Lind combined to hit .550 with 22 hits, 12 RBIs, 10 runs scored and three home runs. Lind led the way with nine knocks, while Hoscheit recorded seven RBIs, including five off of a pair of home runs in Saturday's game.
BRING ON THE SOUTHPAWS
Northwestern has not backed away from the task of facing left-handed pitchers this season. The Wildcats have three players (with at least 30 at-bats against LHP) hitting over .300 against Southpaws. Matt Hopfner is batting .442 versus left-handers, while Joe Hoscheit is hitting .375 and Connor Lind has a .314 average.
HOME RUN HOT STREAK
In Northwestern's first 24 games this season, the team tallied four home runs. Since March 30, the Wildcats have played eight games and have launched 10 dingers, two of which have been grand slams (Jack Claeys, Chicago State – 3/30/16 and Jack Dunn, Michigan – 4/3/16).
Joe Hoscheit leads the team with five this season.
HOPPY IS (STILL) HITTING
Matt Hopfner continues to be the workhorse in Northwestern's potent line up. The junior boasts a team-best .395 average with 47 hits on the season, including 13 that have gone for extra bases. Hopfner's hit total and batting average rank him fifth in the Big Ten Conference for both categories. He has 18 multi-hit games this season.
Hopfner tallied seven hits in the series at Nebraska, including a double and a home run.
BIG TIME BOURBON
Freshman Willie Bourbon has been a major source for run production this season. The second baseman leads the team with 20 RBIs and is batting .333 with runners in scoring position. He has stepped up in critical situation as well, having tallied seven of his 20 RBIs with two outs.
Bourbon has four multi-RBI games.
REED 'EM AND WEEP
Senior Reed Mason has been the rock of Northwestern's pitching staff this season. The senior leads the team in starts (8), innings pitched (40.0) and strikeouts (31). Mason has turned in up in conference games this season, especially on the road. In both of Mason's Big Ten road starts (at Ohio State – 3/25/16) (at Nebraska – 4/8/16), he has pitched at least 6.0 innings and has struck out a season-high six batters.
FRESH PEN
The bright spot of Northwestern's bullpen this season has featured fresh, young arms.
Sophomore Tommy Bordignon has been head coach Spencer Allen's first call to the pen on numerous occasions this season. The Glenview, Illinois, native has struck out 18 batters in 27.0 innings of work and is holding opposing hitters to a .181 batting average.
Since opening Big Ten play at Ohio State on March 25, junior transfer Josh Davis has appeared in six games and has tossed 7.0 innings, only allowing five hits and one run.
Freshman Mack Rosman came out of the bullpen four times since March 25 to pitch a 5.2 innings. The right-hander struck out five batters during that stretch and has not allowed a run or a hit. Rosman was Northwestern's winning pitcher of record in the team's 11-3 win over Nebraska on April 10 after working the top half of the fifth inning. It was the first win of his career.
Rosman's classmate Danny Katz possesses the best ERA on the team with a 2.33 mark in 10 appearances. The Winnetka, Ill., native's highlight performance came when entered the game from the pen against Chicago State (March 30) and pitched 5.0 innings to pick up the first victory of his career.
Northwestern (8-24, 2-7 B1G) is coming off a weekend series at Nebraska where the club dropped a pair of one-run games to open the series, before claiming an 11-3 victory in Sunday's series finale.
Jake Stolley (1-1), who never started a game before this season, will make his fourth start of the campaign on Wednesday. In 25.0 innings this season, Stolley has held batters to a .244 average and has only allowed three extra-base hits. The Marion, Iowa, native started on Sunday against the Huskers and tossed three innings of scoreless baseball.
Bradley (15-10, 1-1 MVC) enters the contest with Northwestern after splitting a pair of games with No. 16 Missouri State on Friday and Saturday. The Braves' Sunday contest was rained out.
At the plate, BU has looked to Paul Solka and Tyler Leffler for its offense. Solka is batting .351 with 33 hits and a team-best 22 RBI, while Leffler boasts a .340 clip at the dish with a team-high 34 hits, including 15 doubles.
Lefty Ben Olson is likely to get the start against Northwestern. Olson has made eight appearances this season, six of which have been starts, and has a 5.33 ERA. In his 27.0 innings pitched, he has accrued a 1-2 win-loss record. Opposing batters are hitting .284 against him this season.
OTHER NOTES YOU SHOULD KNOW…
OFFENSIVELY GOOD
The Wildcats leaned on the heart of their order for production in Lincoln last weekend. Matt Hopfner, Joe Hoscheit and Connor Lind combined to hit .550 with 22 hits, 12 RBIs, 10 runs scored and three home runs. Lind led the way with nine knocks, while Hoscheit recorded seven RBIs, including five off of a pair of home runs in Saturday's game.
BRING ON THE SOUTHPAWS
Northwestern has not backed away from the task of facing left-handed pitchers this season. The Wildcats have three players (with at least 30 at-bats against LHP) hitting over .300 against Southpaws. Matt Hopfner is batting .442 versus left-handers, while Joe Hoscheit is hitting .375 and Connor Lind has a .314 average.
HOME RUN HOT STREAK
In Northwestern's first 24 games this season, the team tallied four home runs. Since March 30, the Wildcats have played eight games and have launched 10 dingers, two of which have been grand slams (Jack Claeys, Chicago State – 3/30/16 and Jack Dunn, Michigan – 4/3/16).
Joe Hoscheit leads the team with five this season.
HOPPY IS (STILL) HITTING
Matt Hopfner continues to be the workhorse in Northwestern's potent line up. The junior boasts a team-best .395 average with 47 hits on the season, including 13 that have gone for extra bases. Hopfner's hit total and batting average rank him fifth in the Big Ten Conference for both categories. He has 18 multi-hit games this season.
Hopfner tallied seven hits in the series at Nebraska, including a double and a home run.
BIG TIME BOURBON
Freshman Willie Bourbon has been a major source for run production this season. The second baseman leads the team with 20 RBIs and is batting .333 with runners in scoring position. He has stepped up in critical situation as well, having tallied seven of his 20 RBIs with two outs.
Bourbon has four multi-RBI games.
REED 'EM AND WEEP
Senior Reed Mason has been the rock of Northwestern's pitching staff this season. The senior leads the team in starts (8), innings pitched (40.0) and strikeouts (31). Mason has turned in up in conference games this season, especially on the road. In both of Mason's Big Ten road starts (at Ohio State – 3/25/16) (at Nebraska – 4/8/16), he has pitched at least 6.0 innings and has struck out a season-high six batters.
FRESH PEN
The bright spot of Northwestern's bullpen this season has featured fresh, young arms.
Sophomore Tommy Bordignon has been head coach Spencer Allen's first call to the pen on numerous occasions this season. The Glenview, Illinois, native has struck out 18 batters in 27.0 innings of work and is holding opposing hitters to a .181 batting average.
Since opening Big Ten play at Ohio State on March 25, junior transfer Josh Davis has appeared in six games and has tossed 7.0 innings, only allowing five hits and one run.
Freshman Mack Rosman came out of the bullpen four times since March 25 to pitch a 5.2 innings. The right-hander struck out five batters during that stretch and has not allowed a run or a hit. Rosman was Northwestern's winning pitcher of record in the team's 11-3 win over Nebraska on April 10 after working the top half of the fifth inning. It was the first win of his career.
Rosman's classmate Danny Katz possesses the best ERA on the team with a 2.33 mark in 10 appearances. The Winnetka, Ill., native's highlight performance came when entered the game from the pen against Chicago State (March 30) and pitched 5.0 innings to pick up the first victory of his career.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Players Mentioned
RHP/IF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
OF/C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
3B
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballBaseball - 'Cats Take Down No. 14 UCLA, 9-4 (5/15/25)
Friday, May 16
Baseball - Wildcats Top Beacons, 12-4 (5/13/25)
Wednesday, May 14
Baseball - Northwestern Run-Rules Ohio State to Secure Series (5/11/25)
Sunday, May 11
Baseball - Wildcats Run-Rule Buckeyes at Wrigley Field (5/9/25)
Saturday, May 10
