Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, March 10
Evanston, Ill.
2 p.m.
Northwestern
vs
MacMurray College
'Cats Return to Miller Park this Weekend for Home Opener
3/9/2018 11:54:00 AM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will open its 2018 home schedule this weekend with contests against MacMurray College on Saturday, March 10, and Judson on Sunday, March 11 at beautiful Rocky and Berenice Miller Park. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT on both days.
Fans can watch the games here or tune to WNUR for the radio call. Live stats can also be found here.
Northwestern topped then-No. 23 Texas last weekend in the series opener with a 6-2 victory on Friday night, before the Longhorns took the final three games of the set.
BIG BOURBON
Junior first baseman Willie Bourbon continues to shine for the Wildcats and pose a threat in the middle of the lineup. Bourbon currently ranks in the top five in the Big Ten for home runs (4), RBI (13), triples (2), and total bases (29). He is also leading the team with a .784 slugging percentage. Bourbon has been effective with runners in scoring position. The junior has come up clutch when it matters most - collecting six hits in 11 at-bats (.545) when a teammate is in scoring position.
BEASTING FROM THE BULLPEN
Senior Tommy Bordignon had a statement performance last weekend against Texas. The senior right-hander entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with the #B1GCats up, 5-2, and proceeded to retire nine consecutive Longhorns to earn the save and give NU the victory. Bordignon was perfect on the night, allowing no hits, no walks and striking out five. It was his first save since he shut the door against Central Michigan on March 18, 2017.
TOASTING TRIPLES
Northwestern has racked up seven triples in 10 games (.70 triples per game) to start the season. The total ranks fifth nationally and first in the Big Ten, while the team's .70 triples per game mark is good for second in all of college baseball. First year David Dunn leads the team with a trio of triples, while Willie Bourbon has posted a pair and Casey O'Laughlin and Charlie Maxwell each have one. D. Dunn's three triples are the third most of any player in the country.
SWIPIN' BAGS
The Wildcats have turned it up on the bases this season with 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts. Northwestern's 24 stolen bases is the most in the Big Ten and ranks 18th nationally. Alex Erro and Jack Dunn have been perfect with 6-for-6 and 5-for-5 marks, respectively. Erro's six stolen bases place him in the top 50 across the country and rank him second among Big Ten players.
DUNN AND DUNN
The brother combination of Jack and David Dunn has been productive to open the 2018 campaign. The duo is tied with Willie Bourbon for the team lead in hits, each with 11 knocks. Both are slugging north of .400 (D. Dunn - .529 // J. Dunn - .410) and each have driven in at least five runs (J. Dunn – 6 // D. Dunn – 5).
ON THE BUMP
Associate head coach/pitching coach Josh Reynolds has tabbed Hank Christie (0-2, 11.81 ERA) and Jack Pagliarini (0-0, 6.14 ERA) as starters for the weekend's match ups.
Christie enters the weekend with three starts under his belt. The sophomore right-hander has fanned five in 10.2 innings of work.
Pagliarini will make the first start of his collegiate career on Sunday. He has appeared in four games, including Northwestern's 3-1 victory over Omaha on Feb. 18, when he tossed 3.2 innings and struck out six batters.
THE OPPONENTS
Division-III Mac Murray College located in Jacksonville, Ill. The Highlanders are off to a 2-6 start to begin the season. The team finished the 2017 season with a 20-19 record. Brett Mammenga leads the club with a .321 clip on nine hits and four RBI.
Judson University, a member of the NAIA located in Elgin, Ill., finished the 2017 campaign with a 37-20 record. The Eagles are off to an 8-8 start for the 2018 campaign after collecting eight wins during a 12-day trip to Florida. Tanner Smith and Tanner Kehrer each have recorded a team-high 19 hits this season. Smith his hitting .432 at the dish, while Kehrer owns a .352 clip.
COMING UP
Following the weekend set, Chicago's Big Ten Team travels to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. to take on Central Michigan in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader March 16 and concluding with an afternoon close-out contest on March 17.
The Wildcats will then return home for the following weekend to open up Big Ten play against Illinois on March 23-25.
Rounding The Bases has all your @NUCatsBaseball takes ahead of the two games this weekend, and our interview with @CoachAllen_37.https://t.co/SwNBjNymu1
— WNUR Sports (@WNURSports) March 9, 2018
Fans can watch the games here or tune to WNUR for the radio call. Live stats can also be found here.
Northwestern topped then-No. 23 Texas last weekend in the series opener with a 6-2 victory on Friday night, before the Longhorns took the final three games of the set.
BIG BOURBON
Junior first baseman Willie Bourbon continues to shine for the Wildcats and pose a threat in the middle of the lineup. Bourbon currently ranks in the top five in the Big Ten for home runs (4), RBI (13), triples (2), and total bases (29). He is also leading the team with a .784 slugging percentage. Bourbon has been effective with runners in scoring position. The junior has come up clutch when it matters most - collecting six hits in 11 at-bats (.545) when a teammate is in scoring position.
BEASTING FROM THE BULLPEN
Senior Tommy Bordignon had a statement performance last weekend against Texas. The senior right-hander entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with the #B1GCats up, 5-2, and proceeded to retire nine consecutive Longhorns to earn the save and give NU the victory. Bordignon was perfect on the night, allowing no hits, no walks and striking out five. It was his first save since he shut the door against Central Michigan on March 18, 2017.
TOASTING TRIPLES
Northwestern has racked up seven triples in 10 games (.70 triples per game) to start the season. The total ranks fifth nationally and first in the Big Ten, while the team's .70 triples per game mark is good for second in all of college baseball. First year David Dunn leads the team with a trio of triples, while Willie Bourbon has posted a pair and Casey O'Laughlin and Charlie Maxwell each have one. D. Dunn's three triples are the third most of any player in the country.
SWIPIN' BAGS
The Wildcats have turned it up on the bases this season with 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts. Northwestern's 24 stolen bases is the most in the Big Ten and ranks 18th nationally. Alex Erro and Jack Dunn have been perfect with 6-for-6 and 5-for-5 marks, respectively. Erro's six stolen bases place him in the top 50 across the country and rank him second among Big Ten players.
DUNN AND DUNN
The brother combination of Jack and David Dunn has been productive to open the 2018 campaign. The duo is tied with Willie Bourbon for the team lead in hits, each with 11 knocks. Both are slugging north of .400 (D. Dunn - .529 // J. Dunn - .410) and each have driven in at least five runs (J. Dunn – 6 // D. Dunn – 5).
ON THE BUMP
Associate head coach/pitching coach Josh Reynolds has tabbed Hank Christie (0-2, 11.81 ERA) and Jack Pagliarini (0-0, 6.14 ERA) as starters for the weekend's match ups.
Christie enters the weekend with three starts under his belt. The sophomore right-hander has fanned five in 10.2 innings of work.
Pagliarini will make the first start of his collegiate career on Sunday. He has appeared in four games, including Northwestern's 3-1 victory over Omaha on Feb. 18, when he tossed 3.2 innings and struck out six batters.
THE OPPONENTS
Division-III Mac Murray College located in Jacksonville, Ill. The Highlanders are off to a 2-6 start to begin the season. The team finished the 2017 season with a 20-19 record. Brett Mammenga leads the club with a .321 clip on nine hits and four RBI.
Judson University, a member of the NAIA located in Elgin, Ill., finished the 2017 campaign with a 37-20 record. The Eagles are off to an 8-8 start for the 2018 campaign after collecting eight wins during a 12-day trip to Florida. Tanner Smith and Tanner Kehrer each have recorded a team-high 19 hits this season. Smith his hitting .432 at the dish, while Kehrer owns a .352 clip.
COMING UP
Following the weekend set, Chicago's Big Ten Team travels to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. to take on Central Michigan in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader March 16 and concluding with an afternoon close-out contest on March 17.
The Wildcats will then return home for the following weekend to open up Big Ten play against Illinois on March 23-25.
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