Northwestern University Athletics
Tuesday, May 15
Evanston, Ill.
3:30 p.m.
Northwestern
vs
Notre Dame
Northwestern Hosts Notre Dame in Tuesday Tilt
5/14/2018 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
NORTHWESTERN NOTES
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern continues its season-long seven-game homestand on Tuesday, May 15, when it welcomes Notre Dame to Miller Park for a 3:30 p.m. CT contest. Fans can follow the action on WNUR or with live stats found here.
Northwestern (16-29) wrapped up Big Ten play this weekend against Iowa, capturing two wins and taking the series. The series marked the second Big Ten series victory for the 'Cats in their past three, including a sweep at Penn State.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern took on the Iowa Hawkeyes at home in a three-game set to close out conference play this weekend. The Wildcats were victorious in the first two games to secure the series win. Senior catcher Jack Claeys led the pack from the dish, sending two pitches over the Miller Park fences on top of drawing five walks in the series. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native was responsible for five RBI in three games, including four in Sunday's contest.
Friday's victory was one of the most exciting of the season for the Wildcats. In a game that featured seven lead changes and extra innings, the Wildcats managed to make up multiple deficits on the afternoon. After Iowa tied the game 5-5 in the top of the ninth and then scored the go-ahead run in their half of the tenth, Northwestern responded with a walk-off, two-RBI single from junior Jack Dunn in the bottom of the tenth. Friday marked the first victory of the season in extra innings for Northwestern.
Saturday's game only fueled the drama, with a two-hour rain delay in the middle of the ballgame. Despite the break in action, sophomore pitcher Hank Christie was able to battle the elements and show out, going seven strong innings and allowing no runs en route to a shutout for the Wildcats. Seven innings marks the longest start of Christie's season.
THE OPPONENT
Notre Dame enters the game 23-25 overall, including a 12-15 record in the ACC. The Fighting Irish currently sit in fifth place in the ACC's Atlantic Division. ND sports a 6-10 record away from their home ballpark. This is the second time that the Wildcats and Fighting Irish have met this season, with the first game coming in South Bend on April 11. Northwestern shutout Notre Dame, 2-0, behind a phenomenal combined performance from seven different Wildcat pitchers. The staff only allowed five hits on the evening against the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame is led at the plate by infielder Nick Podkul, whose average currently sits at .328 and is slugging .528. The pitching staff's ERA sits at 5.39 with a .260 opponent batting average.
ON THE BUMP
Associate head coach/pitching coach Josh Reynolds has elected to start RHP Anthony Alepra (2-0, 7.43 ERA) but look for the Wildcats to utilize a depth of talent from their bullpen to limit the work for any one pitcher in the final stretch of the season.
Tuesday will be Alepra's first career start. The right-hander has made seven appearances this season and has 10 strikeouts win 13.1 innings. Alepra made his collegiate debut at Notre Dame on April 11, when he pitched one scoreless innings and struck out a pair. He went a season-long 4.0 innings at Penn State on April 29. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native last pitched in Sunday's 10-7 loss against Iowa, going 2.0 innings and surrendering one run on two hits.
THAT'S A WRAP
Northwestern wrapped up its Big Ten season on Sunday. The Wildcats finished the 2018 campaign 6-18 against league opponents, but claimed wins in five of its final three series. Northwestern swept Penn State on April 27-29 and took a pair from Iowa (May 11-13). The Wildcats other conference win came on the road at Maryland on March 30.
PITCHERS WHO RAKE
Northwestern was helped Friday (vs. Iowa) by clutch hitting contributions from two pitchers, Quinn Lavelle and Tommy Bordignon. After head coach Spencer Allen opted to bat Lavelle in place of Charlie Maxwell and eliminate the designated hitter spot, Lavelle responded with double to right-center on the first pitch he saw. Later on, Bordignon added a hit of his own, a single through the right to continue a rally for the 'Cats. This was the first at bat and hit for each pitcher on the season. Both pitchers showed success on both sides. Lavelle went 6.2 while only allowing two earned runs, and Bordignon's outing on the mound lasted 1.1 innings, but the senior struck out every batter he faced.
STEAL YOUR BAG
Northwestern has placed an emphasis on stealing bases this season. The Wildcats rank 24th nationally with 81 stolen bases. The tally ranks third among Big Ten teams. NU has swiped 1.80 bases per game, which ranks 16th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten.
Jack Dunn and Alex Erro both rank in the top-10 among Big Ten players for stolen bases. Dunn's 18 swipes place him seventh in the conference, while Erro's 15 stolen bases rank him 10th.
Eight different Wildcats have three-or-more stolen bases this season.
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern continues its season-long seven-game homestand on Tuesday, May 15, when it welcomes Notre Dame to Miller Park for a 3:30 p.m. CT contest. Fans can follow the action on WNUR or with live stats found here.
Northwestern (16-29) wrapped up Big Ten play this weekend against Iowa, capturing two wins and taking the series. The series marked the second Big Ten series victory for the 'Cats in their past three, including a sweep at Penn State.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern took on the Iowa Hawkeyes at home in a three-game set to close out conference play this weekend. The Wildcats were victorious in the first two games to secure the series win. Senior catcher Jack Claeys led the pack from the dish, sending two pitches over the Miller Park fences on top of drawing five walks in the series. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native was responsible for five RBI in three games, including four in Sunday's contest.
Friday's victory was one of the most exciting of the season for the Wildcats. In a game that featured seven lead changes and extra innings, the Wildcats managed to make up multiple deficits on the afternoon. After Iowa tied the game 5-5 in the top of the ninth and then scored the go-ahead run in their half of the tenth, Northwestern responded with a walk-off, two-RBI single from junior Jack Dunn in the bottom of the tenth. Friday marked the first victory of the season in extra innings for Northwestern.
Saturday's game only fueled the drama, with a two-hour rain delay in the middle of the ballgame. Despite the break in action, sophomore pitcher Hank Christie was able to battle the elements and show out, going seven strong innings and allowing no runs en route to a shutout for the Wildcats. Seven innings marks the longest start of Christie's season.
THE OPPONENT
Notre Dame enters the game 23-25 overall, including a 12-15 record in the ACC. The Fighting Irish currently sit in fifth place in the ACC's Atlantic Division. ND sports a 6-10 record away from their home ballpark. This is the second time that the Wildcats and Fighting Irish have met this season, with the first game coming in South Bend on April 11. Northwestern shutout Notre Dame, 2-0, behind a phenomenal combined performance from seven different Wildcat pitchers. The staff only allowed five hits on the evening against the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame is led at the plate by infielder Nick Podkul, whose average currently sits at .328 and is slugging .528. The pitching staff's ERA sits at 5.39 with a .260 opponent batting average.
ON THE BUMP
Associate head coach/pitching coach Josh Reynolds has elected to start RHP Anthony Alepra (2-0, 7.43 ERA) but look for the Wildcats to utilize a depth of talent from their bullpen to limit the work for any one pitcher in the final stretch of the season.
Tuesday will be Alepra's first career start. The right-hander has made seven appearances this season and has 10 strikeouts win 13.1 innings. Alepra made his collegiate debut at Notre Dame on April 11, when he pitched one scoreless innings and struck out a pair. He went a season-long 4.0 innings at Penn State on April 29. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native last pitched in Sunday's 10-7 loss against Iowa, going 2.0 innings and surrendering one run on two hits.
THAT'S A WRAP
Northwestern wrapped up its Big Ten season on Sunday. The Wildcats finished the 2018 campaign 6-18 against league opponents, but claimed wins in five of its final three series. Northwestern swept Penn State on April 27-29 and took a pair from Iowa (May 11-13). The Wildcats other conference win came on the road at Maryland on March 30.
PITCHERS WHO RAKE
Northwestern was helped Friday (vs. Iowa) by clutch hitting contributions from two pitchers, Quinn Lavelle and Tommy Bordignon. After head coach Spencer Allen opted to bat Lavelle in place of Charlie Maxwell and eliminate the designated hitter spot, Lavelle responded with double to right-center on the first pitch he saw. Later on, Bordignon added a hit of his own, a single through the right to continue a rally for the 'Cats. This was the first at bat and hit for each pitcher on the season. Both pitchers showed success on both sides. Lavelle went 6.2 while only allowing two earned runs, and Bordignon's outing on the mound lasted 1.1 innings, but the senior struck out every batter he faced.
STEAL YOUR BAG
Northwestern has placed an emphasis on stealing bases this season. The Wildcats rank 24th nationally with 81 stolen bases. The tally ranks third among Big Ten teams. NU has swiped 1.80 bases per game, which ranks 16th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten.
Jack Dunn and Alex Erro both rank in the top-10 among Big Ten players for stolen bases. Dunn's 18 swipes place him seventh in the conference, while Erro's 15 stolen bases rank him 10th.
Eight different Wildcats have three-or-more stolen bases this season.
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