Northwestern
Illinois
'Cats Continue Homestand with Three-Game Series against Illinois
3/20/2025 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern continues its seven-game homestand with a three-game series against in-state rival Illinois at Miller Park this weekend.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 3/20 (G1): Illinois – RHP Tyler Schmitt vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Friday, 3/20 (G2): Illinois – RHP Ben Plumley vs. NU – RHP Matthew Kouser
Saturday, 3/21: Illinois – LHP Regan Hall vs. NU – TBD
Game one of Friday's doubleheader is set for 11 a.m. CT, with game two scheduled to begin 40 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Saturday's series finale is slated for 1 p.m. CT. All three games will be streamed on B1G+.
Northwestern (8-10, 1-2 Big Ten) ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 15th nationally in fielding percentage (.981). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980), committing just 37 errors on 1,847 chances.
Over its first 18 games, Northwestern's pitching staff has held opponents to four or fewer hits on four occasions, its most in a season since 2019. Northwestern is 6-0 this season when holding its opponent to three or fewer runs.
INF Trent Liolios has been on fire to start the 2025 campaign, leading all Wildcats in batting average (.382), on-base percentage (.470), slugging percentage (.873), home runs (8), runs batted in (17), and runs scored (14). Liolios ranks in the top five in the Big Ten in slugging percentage (first, .873), on-base plus slugging percentage (fourth, 1.342), and home runs (fifth, 8). Liolios has recorded multiple hits in seven of his 16 starts this season.
In last week's Saturday doubleheader vs. Penn State, Liolios went 7-for-9 with four home runs, six RBI, and five runs. Liolios is the first Wildcat with three homers in a game since INF Anthony Calarco did so in a 16-14 win at Illinois on March 27, 2021. Liolios is the first player to hit three home runs in a Big Ten Conference game since Drake Westcott (ILL) hit three home runs against Michigan State on May 6, 2023. Liolios is the only Big Ten player with three homers in a game this season.
INF Owen McElfatrick has recorded a hit in 12 consecutive games. In 17 games this season, McElfatrick is slashing .339/.425/.877 with 10 runs and four RBI. Against Penn State, McElfatrick went 7-11 (.636) with two doubles, two runs, two runs batted in, and two walks. McElfatrick ranks second among Wildcats with six multi-hit games this season.
In eight appearances this season, RHP Sam Hliboki has logged an earned-run average of 3.67, earning a pair of saves and posting a 1-1 record. Hliboki's BB% of 4.5% ranks seventh in the B1G and he ranks 9th in the Big Ten in innings pitched (27.0). In a Saturday doubleheader at The Citadel, Hliboki worked a scoreless seventh inning in game one and then started game two, earning the win. In game two, he allowed one earned run on five hits, striking out five and issuing zero walks in 6.0 IP.
Against Penn State, LHP Blake MacMillan struck out three in 3.0 scoreless innings, earning his first win of the season. MacMillan has thrown 12.1 straight scoreless innings out of the bullpen. The graduate transfer ranks fourth in the Big Ten in batting average against, with opponents hitting just .194 against the Mississauga, Ontario native. MacMillan ranks 20th in the B1G in WHIP (1.15).
Northwestern is 88-181-1 all-time against Illinois. Last time the two teams met in Evanston, the Wildcats took two out of three.
Illinois (11-7, 1-2 Big Ten) has won five of its last six, taking two out of three from its three-game series against Valparaiso last weekend, before defeating Indiana State 8-6 in a midweek contest. INF Jack Zebig leads Illinois in on-base plus slugging (1.173), home runs (6), and runs batted in (29).
Northwestern wraps up its seven-game homestand with a midweek matchup against Western Michigan on Tuesday, March 25 at 3 p.m. CT on B1G+. The Wildcats will resume Big Ten play for a three-game series at Maryland from March 28-30.
