Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, April 29
East Lansing, MI
10:05 a.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Michigan State
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Hit the Road to Battle Spartans
4/27/2023 4:29:00 PM | Baseball
FRIDAY, APRIL 28 - 5:05 P.M. CT
RHP Matt McClure (1-6, 6.38) vs. LHP Joseph Dzierwa (3-1, 4.09)
SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 2:35 P.M. CT
LHP Sam Garewal (0-3, 6.91) vs. RHP Nolan Higgins (2-1, 6.63)
SUNDAY, APRIL 30 - 12:05 P.M. CT
RHP Luke Benneche (0-5, 10.43) vs. LHP Nick Powers (4-0, 4.06)
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Northwestern baseball will hit the road this weekend after a week at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park, taking on Michigan State in a three-game series. The first pitch between the 'Cats and the Spartans is slated for 5:05 p.m. CT on Friday, and subsequent games will start at 2:35 p.m. CT Saturday and 12:05 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Northwestern (7-28, 3-9 Big Ten) will play Michigan State (25-13, 7-5 Big Ten) after earning its first shutout of the season against Milwaukee on Tuesday in a 10-0, eight-inning win. Friday's matchup will be the 158th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Spartans, with Michigan State leading the overall series, 101-55-1. The two teams last played in 2022, when the Northwestern swept a Saturday doubleheader by a combined score of 18-3 to win the series.
Matt McClure will get the start on Friday, his team-leading 11th of the season. McClure will be followed by first-year Sam Garewal, who will start his fifth game of 2023 on Saturday. Luke Benneche will round the series out on the bump on Sunday.
The Wildcats put up one of their most complete performances of the year Tuesday against Milwaukee, as the pitching staff held the Panthers to just two hits, while NU's batters broke double-digit runs for the fourth time this season. Ben Grable started the game on the bump, earning five strikeouts while stranding two baserunners in 2.2 innings of play. Nolan Morr came in and earned the win after leaving the Panthers hitless in his 2.1 innings, his second win of the year. In the sixth frame, Ryan Keenan stepped in as the third pitcher of the day and retired three batters in just eight pitches to keep Milwaukee scoreless. To close out the afternoon, Jack Dyke finished it off on the mound, allowing just one hit in the final two innings.
At the plate, Northwestern outhit Milwaukee, 14-2. Eight Wildcats earned hits, while all nine managed to reach base at least once. Tony Livermore led all batters with a 3-for-5 day, scoring three runs as well. First-year Owen McElfatrick (2-for-3) also reached home thrice. Evan Minarovic brought in his teammates for scores the most out of the 'Cats, tallying three RBIs.
Stephen Hrustich has led Northwestern in many categories this season, averaging .315 off his bat while starting 32 games. The captain is first on the team in walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs, RBIs and stolen bases, and is second in hits. Alex Calarco, the only Wildcat to play in all 35 games, is just under Hrustich in batting average, hitting .295.
Michigan State enters the weekend in a four-way tie for fourth place in the Big Ten, holding a 7-5 conference record. Most recently against Notre Dame, the Spartans went down 3-0 in the first inning and trailed 3-2 into the fifth frame. MSU then took the lead on a three-run homer from Sam Busch and never looked back, eventually winning by the score of 12-5.
Following the weekend series against Michigan State, Northwestern will make the short trip to Chicago to take on UIC on Tuesday in a rematch of April 11th's 24-20 offensive spectacle. The game will start at 6:05 p.m. CT.
RHP Matt McClure (1-6, 6.38) vs. LHP Joseph Dzierwa (3-1, 4.09)
SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 2:35 P.M. CT
LHP Sam Garewal (0-3, 6.91) vs. RHP Nolan Higgins (2-1, 6.63)
SUNDAY, APRIL 30 - 12:05 P.M. CT
RHP Luke Benneche (0-5, 10.43) vs. LHP Nick Powers (4-0, 4.06)
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Northwestern baseball will hit the road this weekend after a week at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park, taking on Michigan State in a three-game series. The first pitch between the 'Cats and the Spartans is slated for 5:05 p.m. CT on Friday, and subsequent games will start at 2:35 p.m. CT Saturday and 12:05 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Northwestern (7-28, 3-9 Big Ten) will play Michigan State (25-13, 7-5 Big Ten) after earning its first shutout of the season against Milwaukee on Tuesday in a 10-0, eight-inning win. Friday's matchup will be the 158th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Spartans, with Michigan State leading the overall series, 101-55-1. The two teams last played in 2022, when the Northwestern swept a Saturday doubleheader by a combined score of 18-3 to win the series.
Matt McClure will get the start on Friday, his team-leading 11th of the season. McClure will be followed by first-year Sam Garewal, who will start his fifth game of 2023 on Saturday. Luke Benneche will round the series out on the bump on Sunday.
The Wildcats put up one of their most complete performances of the year Tuesday against Milwaukee, as the pitching staff held the Panthers to just two hits, while NU's batters broke double-digit runs for the fourth time this season. Ben Grable started the game on the bump, earning five strikeouts while stranding two baserunners in 2.2 innings of play. Nolan Morr came in and earned the win after leaving the Panthers hitless in his 2.1 innings, his second win of the year. In the sixth frame, Ryan Keenan stepped in as the third pitcher of the day and retired three batters in just eight pitches to keep Milwaukee scoreless. To close out the afternoon, Jack Dyke finished it off on the mound, allowing just one hit in the final two innings.
At the plate, Northwestern outhit Milwaukee, 14-2. Eight Wildcats earned hits, while all nine managed to reach base at least once. Tony Livermore led all batters with a 3-for-5 day, scoring three runs as well. First-year Owen McElfatrick (2-for-3) also reached home thrice. Evan Minarovic brought in his teammates for scores the most out of the 'Cats, tallying three RBIs.
Stephen Hrustich has led Northwestern in many categories this season, averaging .315 off his bat while starting 32 games. The captain is first on the team in walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs, RBIs and stolen bases, and is second in hits. Alex Calarco, the only Wildcat to play in all 35 games, is just under Hrustich in batting average, hitting .295.
Michigan State enters the weekend in a four-way tie for fourth place in the Big Ten, holding a 7-5 conference record. Most recently against Notre Dame, the Spartans went down 3-0 in the first inning and trailed 3-2 into the fifth frame. MSU then took the lead on a three-run homer from Sam Busch and never looked back, eventually winning by the score of 12-5.
Following the weekend series against Michigan State, Northwestern will make the short trip to Chicago to take on UIC on Tuesday in a rematch of April 11th's 24-20 offensive spectacle. The game will start at 6:05 p.m. CT.
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