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May 2, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Games 36-39 vs. Iowa
Site: Evanston, Ill.
Field Rocky Miller Park (1,000)
Radio WNUR (89.3 FM) Friday and Saturday
(Saturday's second game is internet only)
Internet NUsports.com (Gametracker)
Events Friday-WNUR Day; Dollar Dog Weekend
Go Figure
Wouldn't you know it ... after sweeping its first Big Ten series since 1998, who comes to town to face Northwestern? The last team the Wildcats swept, the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa enters the weekend with a 13-21 overall record and a 5-14 Big Ten mark. Last weekend they traveled to East Lansing, Mich., splitting a four-game series with the Spartans. NU is coming off a four-game sweep of Illinois -- the first time it has swept the Illini since 1984.
The Stretch Run
It is getting to be that time of year again, the stretch run for postseason play. The Wildcats can set their own table with a good showing this week before they take to the road for the final two weekends of the Big Ten season. As of May 2, NU sits alone in third place, one game ahead of three teams tied for fourth.
Chart Topping
Northwestern's pitching staff has an overall ERA of 3.83 (3.18 in Big Ten games); both of those numbers are among the conference bests. The pitching consistency has been quite a surprise, considering the team lost three senior starters who logged more than 74 innings apiece last year. Two of those three seniors own numerous school pitching records, and the third was an All-Big Ten honoree last season. Two now throw in the Major League Baseball minor league system. As of May 2, NU's 3.18 Big Ten ERA is almost a full point ahead of the No. 2 team, Penn State (4.08).
Fore!
As of May 2, four of the eight lowest ERA's in the Big Ten belong to Northwestern pitchers. Junior Dan Konecny trails Ohio State's Scott Lewis (1.24, 65.1) and Minnesota's Chris Behrens (2.05, 44.0) for the conference's top spot with a 2.24 ERA in 68.1 innings pitched. Freshman Dan Brauer and sophomore J.A. Happ are not far behind, placing fifth and sixth with ERA's of 2.80 and 2.82. Freshman Mark Ori, who is also hitting .286, is eighth with a 3.40 earned-run average. Happ, who has thrown 60.2 innings, is third in the league with 64 strikeouts.
Production Level
Since April 15 (11 games ago), junior David Gresky has hit safely in 20 of his 43 at bats (.465), including four home runs and six doubles. In those 11 games, the Ohio native has scored 13 runs, driven in 19 and stolen three bases. Not to mention the fact he raised his overall average from .253 to .323. Gresky leads the team with seven home runs and 35 RBI, and both are also among the conference bests.
NCAA History
Anthony Wycklendt's record-setting performance against Chicago State turned into a bit of a history lesson. After conferring with Sean Straziscar of the NCAA, Wycklendt's seven hits in one game is the third best single-game hit total in NCAA history. Wycklendt joins 14 others on the list, but is the first player to accomplish the feat since Jeff Davis of Campbell Univeristy on May 10, 2000. Wycklendt is also the only Big Ten player listed in the NCAA record book for having seven hits in a game.