Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, March 13
Evanston, Ill.
3 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
#25 USC
Northwestern Welcomes No. 25 USC to Open Big Ten Play
3/12/2026 4:54:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern baseball opens up Big Ten play this weekend when it hosts No. 25 USC at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park for a three-game series.
Friday's series opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT, Saturday's game is slated for 1 p.m. CT and Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m. CT. All three games can be streamed on B1G+.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, March 13: NU – LHP Ryan Weaver vs. USC – LHP Mason Edwards
Saturday, March 14: NU – RHP Garrett Shearer vs. USC – RHP Grant Govel
Sunday, March 15: NU – RHP Matt Kouser vs. USC – RHP Andrew Johnson
Northwestern pitching struck out 10 batters against the Flames, marking its second consecutive game with double-digit punchouts after striking out 10 batters against UNLV on Sunday. NU has recorded 10+ strikeouts in back-to-back games for the first time since April 30, 2023, against Michigan State (11) and May 2, 2023, vs. UIC (11).
OF Jackson Freeman leads all Wildcats this season with a .441 batting average, .492 on-base percentage, .678 slugging percentage, three home runs and 13 runs scored. Freeman's .441 AVG ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 36th nationally. The Ladera Ranch, Calif., native has reached base safely in all 14 games in 2026.
Last weekend in Minneapolis, OF Jack Lausch paced all Wildcats at the plate, going 5-for-10 with a home run, two doubles, a triple, three RBI and five runs at the Cambria Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium.
In his most recent start, LHP Ryan Weaver rang up a career-high nine strikeouts against South Dakota State on Friday, March 6, at U.S. Bank Stadium. Weaver surrendered two runs on five hits and one walk in 6.0 innings pitched, turning in his second quality start of the season.
RHP Matt Kouser leads all Wildcat pitchers with a 3.24 earned-run average in 16.2 innings pitched. Kouser has surrendered just six earned runs over five appearances.
No. 25 USC (17-0) is off to its best start in program history and is one of two teams nationally (No. 2 Texas, 16-0) with an unbeaten record. The Trojans pitching staff leads the country with a 1.44 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP and just 5.00 H/9. LHP Mason Edwards is one of five qualified starting pitchers nationally who has not allowed an earned run in 2026. USC leads the all-time series against NU, 3-0. The Trojans swept a three-game series in Los Angeles in 2014 in the only prior meetings in program history.
Northwestern continues Big Ten play when it begins a seven-game west coast swing, trekking to Oregon for a three-game set from Friday, March 20, to Sunday, March 22.
Friday's series opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT, Saturday's game is slated for 1 p.m. CT and Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m. CT. All three games can be streamed on B1G+.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, March 13: NU – LHP Ryan Weaver vs. USC – LHP Mason Edwards
Saturday, March 14: NU – RHP Garrett Shearer vs. USC – RHP Grant Govel
Sunday, March 15: NU – RHP Matt Kouser vs. USC – RHP Andrew Johnson
Last time out, Northwestern played UIC to a 3-3 tie in its home opener on Tuesday. The game was called due to darkness after nine innings. INF Noah Ruiz collected his fifth multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-4 with two doubles.B1G Weekend on deck ??
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) March 12, 2026
See you at Miller Park. pic.twitter.com/qw8hATOnp5
Northwestern pitching struck out 10 batters against the Flames, marking its second consecutive game with double-digit punchouts after striking out 10 batters against UNLV on Sunday. NU has recorded 10+ strikeouts in back-to-back games for the first time since April 30, 2023, against Michigan State (11) and May 2, 2023, vs. UIC (11).
OF Jackson Freeman leads all Wildcats this season with a .441 batting average, .492 on-base percentage, .678 slugging percentage, three home runs and 13 runs scored. Freeman's .441 AVG ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 36th nationally. The Ladera Ranch, Calif., native has reached base safely in all 14 games in 2026.
Last weekend in Minneapolis, OF Jack Lausch paced all Wildcats at the plate, going 5-for-10 with a home run, two doubles, a triple, three RBI and five runs at the Cambria Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium.
In his most recent start, LHP Ryan Weaver rang up a career-high nine strikeouts against South Dakota State on Friday, March 6, at U.S. Bank Stadium. Weaver surrendered two runs on five hits and one walk in 6.0 innings pitched, turning in his second quality start of the season.
RHP Matt Kouser leads all Wildcat pitchers with a 3.24 earned-run average in 16.2 innings pitched. Kouser has surrendered just six earned runs over five appearances.
No. 25 USC (17-0) is off to its best start in program history and is one of two teams nationally (No. 2 Texas, 16-0) with an unbeaten record. The Trojans pitching staff leads the country with a 1.44 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP and just 5.00 H/9. LHP Mason Edwards is one of five qualified starting pitchers nationally who has not allowed an earned run in 2026. USC leads the all-time series against NU, 3-0. The Trojans swept a three-game series in Los Angeles in 2014 in the only prior meetings in program history.
Northwestern continues Big Ten play when it begins a seven-game west coast swing, trekking to Oregon for a three-game set from Friday, March 20, to Sunday, March 22.
Players Mentioned
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/ BaseballJack Lausch to the Upper Deck 💥🤯
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