Thursday, May 15
Los Angeles, Calif.
6 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
#14 UCLA
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Set to Close Regular Season with Three-Game Series at No.14 UCLA
5/14/2025 6:29:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern travels to Los Angeles to close out the regular season this weekend with a three-game series at No. 14 UCLA. All three games at UCLA will be broadcast on BTN.
Probable Pitchers
Thursday, 5/15: UCLA – LHP Ian May vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Friday, 5/16: UCLA – RHP Michael Barnett vs. NU – TBD
Saturday, 5/17: UCLA – RHP Landon Stump vs. NU – TBD
Northwestern's (24-25, 12-15 Big Ten) 24 wins are tied for its most in a season since 2017 (27), matching its win totals from 2019 and 2024.
NU broke its single-season home run record in a 12-4 win over Valparaiso on Tuesday in its regular season home finale. NU's 68 home runs passed its previous mark of 66, set in 2021.
RHP Matthew Kouser was dominant in the midweek start, retiring all nine batters faced in 3.0 innings pitched, striking out three.
The Wildcats rank fourth in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally in fielding percentage (.978). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
Northwestern is the only team in the Big Ten with five different players with a multi-homer game on the season. Trent Liolios (2/15 at Long Beach State, 3/15 vs. Penn State, 3/28 at Maryland), Bennett Markinson (2/23 vs. Fordham), Ryan Kucherak (3/21 vs. Illinois, 4/18 at Nebraska, and 5/11 vs. Ohio State), Jack Lausch (3/30 vs. Maryland), and Owen McElfatrick (4/15 vs. Northern Illinois) have all gone deep at least twice in the same game, with Kucherak and Liolios each recording three multi-homer games.
INF Trent Liolios broke the Northwestern single-season home run record with his 16th home run of the season against Butler (4/29). Six of Liolios' 16 home runs have come in the eighth inning or later. When Liolios homers, Northwestern is 9-3 and has won five straight.
Big Ten Player of the Week INF Ryan Kucherak's 12 home runs in Big Ten play ranks second in the conference. Ryan Kucherak ranks third in the Big Ten in SLG (.725) and OPS (1.137) in conference play. The Wildcats are 9-2 when Kucherak homers.
Kucherak's 15 home runs rank tied for second-most in single-season program history with Bob Brucato (1988), trailing only Liolios. Kucherak and Liolios are the only NU teammates to hit 15+ home runs in the same season ever. Kucherak and Liolios are the only Big Ten teammates with 9+ home runs each in conference play. Kucherak and Liolios are the only two players in the Big Ten with a three-homer game this season.
RHP Sam Hliboki went the distance in Northwestern's 12-2 run-rule victory over Ohio State in Friday night's series opener at Wrigley Field, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in 7.0 innings pitched.
LHP Blake MacMillan earned the win in NU's 17-2 run-rule rout on Sunday, tossing 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three.
This weekend's series will mark the first ever meeting between the Wildcats and Bruins. UCLA (37-14, 24-6 Big Ten) is led offensively by INF Roch Cholowsky, high school teammate of Northwestern INF Ryan Kucherak. Cholowsky is slashing .359/.498/.729 with 18 home runs, 58 runs batted in, and 68 runs scored.
The top 12 Big Ten teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the Big Ten Baseball Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning on Tuesday, May 20. Northwestern currently sits in a three-way tie for 11th place with Michigan State and Illinois at 12-15 in conference play.
Probable Pitchers
Thursday, 5/15: UCLA – LHP Ian May vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Friday, 5/16: UCLA – RHP Michael Barnett vs. NU – TBD
Saturday, 5/17: UCLA – RHP Landon Stump vs. NU – TBD
Northwestern's (24-25, 12-15 Big Ten) 24 wins are tied for its most in a season since 2017 (27), matching its win totals from 2019 and 2024.
NU broke its single-season home run record in a 12-4 win over Valparaiso on Tuesday in its regular season home finale. NU's 68 home runs passed its previous mark of 66, set in 2021.
CF Jack Lausch led the 'Cats at the plate in the victory, notching a career-high four hits in four at bats, with a home run, a double, a walk, two RBI and three runs scored. RF Jackson Freeman went 2-for-4 with a homer, a walk, two runs, and two RBI in the win.RECORD YEAR ??
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 13, 2025
Program record 6??7?? home runs and counting for the 'Cats! pic.twitter.com/3zWBny1Nxe
RHP Matthew Kouser was dominant in the midweek start, retiring all nine batters faced in 3.0 innings pitched, striking out three.
The Wildcats rank fourth in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally in fielding percentage (.978). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
Northwestern is the only team in the Big Ten with five different players with a multi-homer game on the season. Trent Liolios (2/15 at Long Beach State, 3/15 vs. Penn State, 3/28 at Maryland), Bennett Markinson (2/23 vs. Fordham), Ryan Kucherak (3/21 vs. Illinois, 4/18 at Nebraska, and 5/11 vs. Ohio State), Jack Lausch (3/30 vs. Maryland), and Owen McElfatrick (4/15 vs. Northern Illinois) have all gone deep at least twice in the same game, with Kucherak and Liolios each recording three multi-homer games.
INF Trent Liolios broke the Northwestern single-season home run record with his 16th home run of the season against Butler (4/29). Six of Liolios' 16 home runs have come in the eighth inning or later. When Liolios homers, Northwestern is 9-3 and has won five straight.
Big Ten Player of the Week INF Ryan Kucherak's 12 home runs in Big Ten play ranks second in the conference. Ryan Kucherak ranks third in the Big Ten in SLG (.725) and OPS (1.137) in conference play. The Wildcats are 9-2 when Kucherak homers.
Kucherak's 15 home runs rank tied for second-most in single-season program history with Bob Brucato (1988), trailing only Liolios. Kucherak and Liolios are the only NU teammates to hit 15+ home runs in the same season ever. Kucherak and Liolios are the only Big Ten teammates with 9+ home runs each in conference play. Kucherak and Liolios are the only two players in the Big Ten with a three-homer game this season.
RHP Sam Hliboki went the distance in Northwestern's 12-2 run-rule victory over Ohio State in Friday night's series opener at Wrigley Field, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in 7.0 innings pitched.
LHP Blake MacMillan earned the win in NU's 17-2 run-rule rout on Sunday, tossing 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three.
This weekend's series will mark the first ever meeting between the Wildcats and Bruins. UCLA (37-14, 24-6 Big Ten) is led offensively by INF Roch Cholowsky, high school teammate of Northwestern INF Ryan Kucherak. Cholowsky is slashing .359/.498/.729 with 18 home runs, 58 runs batted in, and 68 runs scored.
The top 12 Big Ten teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the Big Ten Baseball Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning on Tuesday, May 20. Northwestern currently sits in a three-way tie for 11th place with Michigan State and Illinois at 12-15 in conference play.
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/ BaseballBaseball - 'Cats Take Down No. 14 UCLA, 9-4 (5/15/25)
Friday, May 16
Baseball - Wildcats Top Beacons, 12-4 (5/13/25)
Wednesday, May 14
Baseball - Northwestern Run-Rules Ohio State to Secure Series (5/11/25)
Sunday, May 11
Baseball - Wildcats Run-Rule Buckeyes at Wrigley Field (5/9/25)
Saturday, May 10
