Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, March 30
College Park, Md.
5:30 p.m.
Northwestern
at
Maryland
Photo by: S. J. Carrera, Inc.
'Cats Battle Terrapins in Maryland
3/29/2018 12:37:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHWESTERN NOTES (PDF)
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern jumps back into Big Ten play this weekend when it heads to Maryland to battle the Terrapins in a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. CT. The teams will meet on Saturday, March 31 at 1 p.m. CT, before playing the finale on Sunday, April 1 at noon CT.
All three games will be available on BTN Plus and WNUR Sports.
Northwestern (7-12, 0-3 B1G) will look to continue its winning ways at Bob Turtle Smith Stadium. The Wildcats took the series from the Terps in College Park last season, 2-1. Northwestern dropped the opener before winning the final two games of the series, which included a go-ahead home run by Alex Erro in the top of the 11th during the finale to give NU a 6-5 win. It was the first time (May 12-14, 2017) that Maryland had dropped a home series since May 13-15, 2016.
The Wildcats then went 1-1 against Maryland in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament, which included a 6-5 win in the tournament semifinals to bounce the Terps and move on to the championship game for the first time since 1984.
Maryland (12-13) will see its first league action this weekend. The Terrapins enter the series having gone 3-7 in their last 10 games. Maryland dropped a 10-3 decision at Richmond on Tuesday in its last contest.
MARYLAND PITCHING
Maryland will throw RHP Taylor Bloom (2-4, 4.04 ERA) on Friday, before turning the ball over to LHP Tyler Bloom (3-2, 3.23 ERA) on Saturday and RHP Hunter Parsons (3-2, 3.23 ERA) in the finale. John Murphy leads the club with two saves, while Kevin Biondic, who has appeared in nine games, has Maryland's only other save.
NORTHWESTERN PITCHING
Associate head coach/pitching coach Josh Reynolds has elected to go with the same starting rotation of Quinn Lavelle (2-2, 2.84 ERA), Hank Christie (2-2, 5.72 ERA) and Jack Pagliarini (1-1, 2.49 ERA).
Lavelle (2-2, 2.84 ERA) has settled into the Friday slot for the Wildcats. The first year has made five starts and owns 25.1 innings pitched. Lavelle has only surrendered eight earned runs this season, while striking out 15 batters. During his Big Ten Conference debut last weekend, he went 6.1 innings and only allowed three runs, while striking out a pair. His best outing of the season came in his collegiate debut against Nebraska-Omaha (Feb. 18) when he struck out five batters in a scoreless-5.0 innings pitched to earn his first collegiate victory.
Christie (2-2, 5.72 ERA) will make his 22nd career start on Saturday. The sophomore has thrown a team-best 28.1 innings this season and is holding opposing batters to a .245 clip. Christie went 5.2 innings against Illinois last time out and took a perfect game into the 5th innings – sitting down the first 13 batters he faced. Christie allowed four runs on three hits versus the Illini, marking the first time he has surrendered a run since March 3.
The Oak Park, Illinois, native was stellar against Maryland last season in College Park. Christie posted a quality start, going 8.0 innings and only allowed six hits, three runs and one walk, while striking out three to earn the win.
Pagliarini (1-1, 2.49 ERA) has been a great addition to Northwestern's starting rotation after transitioning from the bullpen. Pagliarini has appeared in seven games, three of which have been starts, and is the team leader in ERA (2.49) and strikeouts (28). His 2.49 ERA ranks sixth in the Big Ten and opposing batters are hitting just .213 off the southpaw – seventh-best mark among league pitchers. Pagliarini picked up his third consecutive quality start last weekend when he faced Illinois, going 6.0 innings and allowing one run, unearned, while striking out seven. Pagliarini has fanned six-or-more batters in four outings this season with his season-high of eight strikeouts coming against Judson (March 11).
ERRO'S HOT BAT
Sophomore Alex Erro has been on a tear at the plate in NU's last seven games. The Miami, Florida, native is hitting .414 (12-for-29) with a pair of doubles and home runs and eight RBI since March 16. On the season, Erro is batting .296 with a .451 slugging percentage and a .395 on-base percentage. Erro is in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak and has reached base in 13 consecutive games. He currently ranks second in the conference for the 'toughest to strikeout' category, only striking out once every 11.8 at-bats.
RUNNIN' WITH THE 'CATS
Northwestern has been aggressive on the base path this season. The Wildcats rank eighth in the country and second in the league with 2.42 stolen bases per game. Alex Erro leads the 'Cats and ranks second in the Big Ten with 11 stolen bases, while Jack Dunn is seventh in the conference with eight.
RUN PRODUCTION
Northwestern has leaned on five players for offensive production this season. Willie Bourbon (16), Alex Erro (13), Jack Claeys (11), Jack Dunn (10) and Leo Kaplan (10) all have 10-or-more RBI entering the series against Maryland. Bourbon leads the club with four home runs, while Claeys and Erro each have slammed a pair and Dunn and Kaplan have one.
BULLPEN
Look for Tommy Bordignon, Richard Fordon and Ryan Bader out of the Northwestern bullpen this weekend.
Before the Illinois series, Bordignon had been lights out for the 'Cats. The righty had three saves in three consecutive appearances. During that stretch, Bordignon had closed the door to allow NU to pick up wins over Texas (March 2), MacMurray (March 10) and Central Michigan (March 16). He threw 8.0 innings in those outings, allowing just two hits and one run, while striking out eight and only walking a pair. Opponents were hitting .083 against him in those saves.
Richard Fordon has really come on in his last two appearances, which includes a save against Central Michigan (March 17). Against the Chippewas, Fordon earned a three-inning save and allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out one. The senior left-hander followed that up by working 3.2-scoreless innings of relief against Illinois (March 24), allowing just three hits and fanning a pair. His 3.2 innings pitched against Illinois was a career-long outing.
Bader has made a pair of appearances in Northwestern's last two games. The lefty tossed 1.2 innings against Illinois (March 25) and allowed just one hit. Bader followed up that performance by going 3.2 innings against Chicago State on Tuesday, surrendering three hits and striking out one. Bader sent down eight consecutive batters during his outing.
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern jumps back into Big Ten play this weekend when it heads to Maryland to battle the Terrapins in a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. CT. The teams will meet on Saturday, March 31 at 1 p.m. CT, before playing the finale on Sunday, April 1 at noon CT.
All three games will be available on BTN Plus and WNUR Sports.
Northwestern (7-12, 0-3 B1G) will look to continue its winning ways at Bob Turtle Smith Stadium. The Wildcats took the series from the Terps in College Park last season, 2-1. Northwestern dropped the opener before winning the final two games of the series, which included a go-ahead home run by Alex Erro in the top of the 11th during the finale to give NU a 6-5 win. It was the first time (May 12-14, 2017) that Maryland had dropped a home series since May 13-15, 2016.
The Wildcats then went 1-1 against Maryland in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament, which included a 6-5 win in the tournament semifinals to bounce the Terps and move on to the championship game for the first time since 1984.
Maryland (12-13) will see its first league action this weekend. The Terrapins enter the series having gone 3-7 in their last 10 games. Maryland dropped a 10-3 decision at Richmond on Tuesday in its last contest.
MARYLAND PITCHING
Maryland will throw RHP Taylor Bloom (2-4, 4.04 ERA) on Friday, before turning the ball over to LHP Tyler Bloom (3-2, 3.23 ERA) on Saturday and RHP Hunter Parsons (3-2, 3.23 ERA) in the finale. John Murphy leads the club with two saves, while Kevin Biondic, who has appeared in nine games, has Maryland's only other save.
NORTHWESTERN PITCHING
Associate head coach/pitching coach Josh Reynolds has elected to go with the same starting rotation of Quinn Lavelle (2-2, 2.84 ERA), Hank Christie (2-2, 5.72 ERA) and Jack Pagliarini (1-1, 2.49 ERA).
Lavelle (2-2, 2.84 ERA) has settled into the Friday slot for the Wildcats. The first year has made five starts and owns 25.1 innings pitched. Lavelle has only surrendered eight earned runs this season, while striking out 15 batters. During his Big Ten Conference debut last weekend, he went 6.1 innings and only allowed three runs, while striking out a pair. His best outing of the season came in his collegiate debut against Nebraska-Omaha (Feb. 18) when he struck out five batters in a scoreless-5.0 innings pitched to earn his first collegiate victory.
Christie (2-2, 5.72 ERA) will make his 22nd career start on Saturday. The sophomore has thrown a team-best 28.1 innings this season and is holding opposing batters to a .245 clip. Christie went 5.2 innings against Illinois last time out and took a perfect game into the 5th innings – sitting down the first 13 batters he faced. Christie allowed four runs on three hits versus the Illini, marking the first time he has surrendered a run since March 3.
The Oak Park, Illinois, native was stellar against Maryland last season in College Park. Christie posted a quality start, going 8.0 innings and only allowed six hits, three runs and one walk, while striking out three to earn the win.
Pagliarini (1-1, 2.49 ERA) has been a great addition to Northwestern's starting rotation after transitioning from the bullpen. Pagliarini has appeared in seven games, three of which have been starts, and is the team leader in ERA (2.49) and strikeouts (28). His 2.49 ERA ranks sixth in the Big Ten and opposing batters are hitting just .213 off the southpaw – seventh-best mark among league pitchers. Pagliarini picked up his third consecutive quality start last weekend when he faced Illinois, going 6.0 innings and allowing one run, unearned, while striking out seven. Pagliarini has fanned six-or-more batters in four outings this season with his season-high of eight strikeouts coming against Judson (March 11).
ERRO'S HOT BAT
Sophomore Alex Erro has been on a tear at the plate in NU's last seven games. The Miami, Florida, native is hitting .414 (12-for-29) with a pair of doubles and home runs and eight RBI since March 16. On the season, Erro is batting .296 with a .451 slugging percentage and a .395 on-base percentage. Erro is in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak and has reached base in 13 consecutive games. He currently ranks second in the conference for the 'toughest to strikeout' category, only striking out once every 11.8 at-bats.
RUNNIN' WITH THE 'CATS
Northwestern has been aggressive on the base path this season. The Wildcats rank eighth in the country and second in the league with 2.42 stolen bases per game. Alex Erro leads the 'Cats and ranks second in the Big Ten with 11 stolen bases, while Jack Dunn is seventh in the conference with eight.
RUN PRODUCTION
Northwestern has leaned on five players for offensive production this season. Willie Bourbon (16), Alex Erro (13), Jack Claeys (11), Jack Dunn (10) and Leo Kaplan (10) all have 10-or-more RBI entering the series against Maryland. Bourbon leads the club with four home runs, while Claeys and Erro each have slammed a pair and Dunn and Kaplan have one.
BULLPEN
Look for Tommy Bordignon, Richard Fordon and Ryan Bader out of the Northwestern bullpen this weekend.
Before the Illinois series, Bordignon had been lights out for the 'Cats. The righty had three saves in three consecutive appearances. During that stretch, Bordignon had closed the door to allow NU to pick up wins over Texas (March 2), MacMurray (March 10) and Central Michigan (March 16). He threw 8.0 innings in those outings, allowing just two hits and one run, while striking out eight and only walking a pair. Opponents were hitting .083 against him in those saves.
Richard Fordon has really come on in his last two appearances, which includes a save against Central Michigan (March 17). Against the Chippewas, Fordon earned a three-inning save and allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out one. The senior left-hander followed that up by working 3.2-scoreless innings of relief against Illinois (March 24), allowing just three hits and fanning a pair. His 3.2 innings pitched against Illinois was a career-long outing.
Bader has made a pair of appearances in Northwestern's last two games. The lefty tossed 1.2 innings against Illinois (March 25) and allowed just one hit. Bader followed up that performance by going 3.2 innings against Chicago State on Tuesday, surrendering three hits and striking out one. Bader sent down eight consecutive batters during his outing.
••••••
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
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballBaseball - 'Cats Even Series with 7-6 Victory over Rutgers (5/15/26)
Friday, May 15
Baseball - 'Cats Ground Redbirds in 7-1 Midweek Victory (5/5/26)
Tuesday, May 05
Baseball - 'Cats Take Series with 9-6 Victory over Hoosiers (5/3/26)
Sunday, May 03
Baseball - 'Cats Even Series with 7-4 Victory over Indiana (5/2/26)
Saturday, May 02
