Friday, April 4
Evanston, Ill.
2 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Iowa
'Cats Host Hawkeyes for Big Ten Series
4/3/2025 5:24:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern resumes Big Ten play when it returns home this weekend for a three-game series against Iowa at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 3/28: Iowa – LHP Cade Obermuller vs. NU – RHP Cole Mascott
Saturday, 3/29: Iowa – RHP Aaron Savary vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Saturday, 3/30: Iowa – RHP Reece Beuter vs. NU – TBD
Friday's series opener is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+. Saturday's game will be broadcast on BTN with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. Sunday's finale will be streamed on B1G+ at 1 p.m. CT.
Northwestern (13-13, 5-4 Big Ten) enters the weekend fresh off a 2-1 extra-inning victory over UIC Tuesday. INF Trent Liolios hit a 10th-inning go-ahead home run, his 13th of the season, to put the 'Cats up 2-1 before RHP Sam Hliboki slammed the door in the bottom of the 10th to seal the victory. Liolios' 13 home runs are tied for most in the Big Ten and rank fifth nationally.
The Wildcats earned their second-consecutive series win for the first time since April 1-10, 2022 after winning two games at Maryland last weekend. NU's 5-4 conference record is its best start since 2021, when the 'Cats started 6-3 in league play. The series win marked Northwestern's first series win at Maryland since May 12-14, 2017.
Northwestern's bats were hot in College Park as the 'Cats recorded 10+ hits in all three games. Nine different Wildcats logged at least one hit on Friday and Saturday, and seven different 'Cats recorded a hit on Sunday. As a team, the Wildcats hit .389 with 12 home runs and nine doubles, scoring 35 runs over three games.
NU ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in fielding percentage (.982). In 2024, the 'Cats led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
Northwestern's pitching staff has held opponents to four or fewer hits on five occasions so far in 2025, its most in a season since 2019 (five). The Wildcats are 4-1 in such games and 7-1 when holding opponents to three or fewer runs.
OF Jackson Freeman went 8-for-16 at Maryland, slugging 1.308 with two home runs, three doubles, nine RBI, six runs, a stolen base, and a walk over three games. Freeman recorded multiple hits and at least one run in all three weekend games.
UTL Tyler Ganus hit 6-for-10 against Maryland, slashing .600/.636/.900 with two RBI and a home run. Ganus' solo shot in the top of the 10th inning during the series opener served as the go-ahead run.
In a Big Ten-high 13 appearances this season, RHP Sam Hliboki has logged an earned-run average of 3.89, earning a pair of saves and posting a 2-2 record. Hliboki's 1.30 BB/9 ranks third in the B1G. Hliboki ranks sixth in the Big Ten in IP (33.1).
INF Trent Liolios has been a force in the batter's box, leading all Wildcats in batting average (.352), on-base percentage (.431), slugging percentage (.864), home runs (13), runs batted in (28), and runs scored (24). Liolios leads the Big Ten and ranks 14th nationally in slugging percentage (.857), ranks third in the conference in on-base plus slugging percentage (1.295). Liolios' 13 home runs rank tied for fourth-most in a single-season in program history, just two home runs behind single-season record holder Bob Brucato (1988, 15).
Northwestern is 107-144 all-time against Iowa. The Hawkeyes swept the Wildcats in Iowa City last season. In 2023, the last time the 'Cats and Hawkeyes met in Evanston, Iowa won the series two games to one.
Iowa (18-9, 10-2 Big Ten) sits atop the conference standings and carries a seven-game win streak into Evanston. C Reese Moore leads the Hawkeyes in home runs (9) and runs batted in (30), possessing the highest batting average (.376) among qualified hitters.
Following this weekend, Northwestern will travel to Notre Dame on Tuesday for a midweek before heading up to East Lansing, Michigan, for a three-game set against Michigan State.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 3/28: Iowa – LHP Cade Obermuller vs. NU – RHP Cole Mascott
Saturday, 3/29: Iowa – RHP Aaron Savary vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Saturday, 3/30: Iowa – RHP Reece Beuter vs. NU – TBD
Friday's series opener is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+. Saturday's game will be broadcast on BTN with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. Sunday's finale will be streamed on B1G+ at 1 p.m. CT.
Northwestern (13-13, 5-4 Big Ten) enters the weekend fresh off a 2-1 extra-inning victory over UIC Tuesday. INF Trent Liolios hit a 10th-inning go-ahead home run, his 13th of the season, to put the 'Cats up 2-1 before RHP Sam Hliboki slammed the door in the bottom of the 10th to seal the victory. Liolios' 13 home runs are tied for most in the Big Ten and rank fifth nationally.
The Wildcats earned their second-consecutive series win for the first time since April 1-10, 2022 after winning two games at Maryland last weekend. NU's 5-4 conference record is its best start since 2021, when the 'Cats started 6-3 in league play. The series win marked Northwestern's first series win at Maryland since May 12-14, 2017.
Northwestern's bats were hot in College Park as the 'Cats recorded 10+ hits in all three games. Nine different Wildcats logged at least one hit on Friday and Saturday, and seven different 'Cats recorded a hit on Sunday. As a team, the Wildcats hit .389 with 12 home runs and nine doubles, scoring 35 runs over three games.
NU ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in fielding percentage (.982). In 2024, the 'Cats led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
Northwestern's pitching staff has held opponents to four or fewer hits on five occasions so far in 2025, its most in a season since 2019 (five). The Wildcats are 4-1 in such games and 7-1 when holding opponents to three or fewer runs.
OF Jackson Freeman went 8-for-16 at Maryland, slugging 1.308 with two home runs, three doubles, nine RBI, six runs, a stolen base, and a walk over three games. Freeman recorded multiple hits and at least one run in all three weekend games.
UTL Tyler Ganus hit 6-for-10 against Maryland, slashing .600/.636/.900 with two RBI and a home run. Ganus' solo shot in the top of the 10th inning during the series opener served as the go-ahead run.
In a Big Ten-high 13 appearances this season, RHP Sam Hliboki has logged an earned-run average of 3.89, earning a pair of saves and posting a 2-2 record. Hliboki's 1.30 BB/9 ranks third in the B1G. Hliboki ranks sixth in the Big Ten in IP (33.1).
INF Trent Liolios has been a force in the batter's box, leading all Wildcats in batting average (.352), on-base percentage (.431), slugging percentage (.864), home runs (13), runs batted in (28), and runs scored (24). Liolios leads the Big Ten and ranks 14th nationally in slugging percentage (.857), ranks third in the conference in on-base plus slugging percentage (1.295). Liolios' 13 home runs rank tied for fourth-most in a single-season in program history, just two home runs behind single-season record holder Bob Brucato (1988, 15).
Northwestern is 107-144 all-time against Iowa. The Hawkeyes swept the Wildcats in Iowa City last season. In 2023, the last time the 'Cats and Hawkeyes met in Evanston, Iowa won the series two games to one.
Iowa (18-9, 10-2 Big Ten) sits atop the conference standings and carries a seven-game win streak into Evanston. C Reese Moore leads the Hawkeyes in home runs (9) and runs batted in (30), possessing the highest batting average (.376) among qualified hitters.
Following this weekend, Northwestern will travel to Notre Dame on Tuesday for a midweek before heading up to East Lansing, Michigan, for a three-game set against Michigan State.
Players Mentioned
OF
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UTL
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RHP
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INF
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RHP
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