Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, March 2
Austin, Texas
7 p.m.
Northwestern
at
Texas
Northwestern Travels to Take on No. 20 Texas
3/1/2018 2:31:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern is heading to Austin this weekend to take on No. 20 Texas in a four-game weekend series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
The series begins Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. CT. Saturday is a doubleheader, with the first game beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT and then the series concludes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT.
Fans can tune to WNUR for the call or follow live stats here.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern had a roller coaster of a series against Kansas, dropping two of the three-game set. The Wildcats' victory came Saturday, where they exploded for 18 runs in an 18-12 win. Northwestern's 18 runs was the most it has plated in a single game since scoring 19 against Minnesota in March of 2015.
ON THE BUMP
Northwestern will send first-year LHP Quinn Lavelle (1-1, 3.72 ERA) to the mound Friday night. Saturday's double-header will feature sophomore RHP Hank Christie (0-1, 12.27 ERA) and first-year LHP Ryan Bader (1-1, 7.71 ERA), respectively. In Sunday's final game, Chicago's Big Ten Team has tapped junior RHP Danny Katz (0-1, 6.75 ERA).
BOURBON IS BEASTING
Junior first baseman Willie Bourbon has been tremendous to begin the season. Bourbon leads the club in batting average (.375), runs scored (7), hits (9), home runs (3), RBI (10) and slugging percentage (1.000). Last weekend at Kansas, Bourbon hit .429 (6-for-14) and tallied seven RBI with four extra-base knocks, including a pair of home runs. Bourbon finished a single shy of the cycle in Saturday's 18-12 win.
BLINK AND THEY'RE GONE
The Wildcats are currently first in the Big Ten in stolen bases with 17 after just six games. With some teams at the top of the conference already having played as many as eight games, Northwestern is setting the pace with aggression on the base paths. Northwestern features three players in the conference's top-five in the category. Sophomore Alex Erro is tied for the top spot with a perfect six on six attempts. Junior Jack Dunn is right behind him with five on five attempts, and junior Ben Dickey rounds out the pack with four on five attempts.
THE OPPONENT
After finishing 2017 with a 39-24 record, the Longhorns are off to a 5-3 start to begin the 2018 season. Texas is coming off a weekend series at LSU, where it dropped the first two games before winning 11-1 in the final game. The Wildcats and Longhorns have never faced each other previously.
COMING UP
Following the conclusion of the ten-game road trip, Chicago's Big Ten Team returns to Chicago for a game at UIC March 6, before opening up Rocky and Berenice Miller Park with matchups March 10 and 11 against Mac Murray College and Judson, respectively.
The series begins Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. CT. Saturday is a doubleheader, with the first game beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT and then the series concludes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT.
Fans can tune to WNUR for the call or follow live stats here.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern had a roller coaster of a series against Kansas, dropping two of the three-game set. The Wildcats' victory came Saturday, where they exploded for 18 runs in an 18-12 win. Northwestern's 18 runs was the most it has plated in a single game since scoring 19 against Minnesota in March of 2015.
ON THE BUMP
Northwestern will send first-year LHP Quinn Lavelle (1-1, 3.72 ERA) to the mound Friday night. Saturday's double-header will feature sophomore RHP Hank Christie (0-1, 12.27 ERA) and first-year LHP Ryan Bader (1-1, 7.71 ERA), respectively. In Sunday's final game, Chicago's Big Ten Team has tapped junior RHP Danny Katz (0-1, 6.75 ERA).
BOURBON IS BEASTING
Junior first baseman Willie Bourbon has been tremendous to begin the season. Bourbon leads the club in batting average (.375), runs scored (7), hits (9), home runs (3), RBI (10) and slugging percentage (1.000). Last weekend at Kansas, Bourbon hit .429 (6-for-14) and tallied seven RBI with four extra-base knocks, including a pair of home runs. Bourbon finished a single shy of the cycle in Saturday's 18-12 win.
BLINK AND THEY'RE GONE
The Wildcats are currently first in the Big Ten in stolen bases with 17 after just six games. With some teams at the top of the conference already having played as many as eight games, Northwestern is setting the pace with aggression on the base paths. Northwestern features three players in the conference's top-five in the category. Sophomore Alex Erro is tied for the top spot with a perfect six on six attempts. Junior Jack Dunn is right behind him with five on five attempts, and junior Ben Dickey rounds out the pack with four on five attempts.
THE OPPONENT
After finishing 2017 with a 39-24 record, the Longhorns are off to a 5-3 start to begin the 2018 season. Texas is coming off a weekend series at LSU, where it dropped the first two games before winning 11-1 in the final game. The Wildcats and Longhorns have never faced each other previously.
COMING UP
Following the conclusion of the ten-game road trip, Chicago's Big Ten Team returns to Chicago for a game at UIC March 6, before opening up Rocky and Berenice Miller Park with matchups March 10 and 11 against Mac Murray College and Judson, respectively.
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