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March 17, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. - After a 13-day layoff, the Northwestern baseball team is back in action as they depart on a nine-day, seven-game Spring Break road trip to California. Following a tough week of final exams, the Wildcats open up with a three-game series on the campus of Santa Clara (which is near San Francisco), before heading south to Los Angeles. NU will play one game at Loyola Marymount before taking on No. 26 Pepperdine in a three-game series.
The Wildcats are looking to rebound against the Broncos of Santa Clara after losing its last four games, the last three a sweep by SEC foe Kentucky.
Santa Clara is looking to get back in the win column as well, after suffering a three-game sweep at the University of Washington last weekend and a 9-1 setback to UC-Davis on Wednesday.
Despite a 9-0 series finale loss to UW, Santa Clara's offense had a huge weekend, scoring 29 runs and pounding out 36 hits.
Eric Newton paced the big offensive week as he batted .429 in going 6-for-14 with a pair of homers, a double, six RBIs and five runs scored.
On the mound, the Broncos are led by Matt Wickswat. He leads the pitching staff with a 3.64 ERA in five starts, which equals a 3-1 record. Daniel Demarco also has a 3-1 record, while Mark Willinsky has appeared in 11 games and has four saves.
Following the three games at SC, the 'Cats will take on Loyola Marymount. The Lions are hitting .284 in 22 games with 33 (out of 47) stolen bases. Eric Farris and Chris Pettit have eclipsed the 20-RBI plateau and have combined for 18 extra-base hits.
The pitching staff is led by right-hander Brad Myers. Myers has a team-leading 3.87 ERA and is tied for the team lead with two wins.
After LMU, NU heads to beautiful Malibu to take on nationally ranked Pepperdine. The Waves will play Dartmouth and Cal-State Fullerton the week preceding NU's visit to Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Pepperdine's (12-10) offense is led by Chad Tracy and his .326 batting average. Donald Brown leads the squad with 24 RBI in the first 22 games.
The pitching staff is headlined by Paul Coleman (3-1, 2.52 ERA) and Barry Enright (4-1, 5.06 ERA). Reliever Brett Hunter is 2-1 with four saves in nine appearances. He boasts a miniscule 0.49 ERA in 18 and one-third innings pitched. The team has a 3.91 ERA.
Projected Starters
C Pat McMahon (.214, 8 RBI, 2 2B, Sr.)
1B Stanley Finch (.282, 4 Runs, 4 SB, Sr.)
2B Jake Owens (.408, 10 Runs, 2 2B, So.)
3B Caleb Fields (.143, 6 Runs, Jr.)
SS Tommy Finn (.175, 4 RBI, Fr.)
LF Anthony Wycklendt (.175, 3B, Sr.)
CF Aaron Newman (.250 10 Runs, So.)
RF Antonio Mulé (.455, 2 HR, 8 RBI, So.)
DH Antonio Mulé (.455, 2 HR, 8 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.043, So.)
The Series With....
Santa Clara: Broncos lead 3-0
Loyola Marymount: Lions lead 7-4
Pepperdine: Waves lead 2-0
NOTES
Versus the South Paw
As a team, Northwestern is hitting .311 against left-handers. Right-handed hitter Jake Owens is leading the squad with an unbelievable .667 (10-for-15) batting average versus opposing south paws. Catcher Pat McMahon is second with a .429 average (6-for-14), followed by the left-handed hitting Antonio Mulé at .357 (5-for-14).
Hot Start
Second baseman Jake Owens is hitting a blistering .408. Hitting safely in each of NU's 11 games, Owens is only one of two Wildcats to hit a home run and went 8-for-14 in NU's last three-games. So far this season, Owens is 20-for-49 with a team high 10 runs scored.
Even Hotter Start
Left-handed Antonio Mulé continues to swing a hot bat to start the 2006 season. The junior leads the team with a .455 average starting all 11 games, six as the right-fielder and five as the designated hitter. He has eight RBI and is one of two Wildcats to hit a home run. He has two. He has a Big Ten best 29 total bases and has been walked a team high six times.
Kleptomaniacs
In 2005, NU stole just 37 bases in 54 chances. So far in 2006, the Wildcats are 10-for-13 in 11 games. Last season's leading base stealer, Aaron Newman has just two steals in three chances, while first baseman Stanley Finch leads NU with four swipes in five opportunities.
The Millennium Falcon
Head coach Paul Stevens has been a coach at Northwestern since 1985 and the head coach since 1998. In his time as the Wildcat skipper, NU has played 1,002 games. The Wildcats' first game at Kentucky on March 3 was Stevens' 1,000 at the helm. That's 302 more games than the next highest Wildcat coach, George McKinnon. McKinnon coached 701 games from 1962-81. McKinnon is also second to Stevens in career wins with 304. Stevens topped McKinnon's mark back on April 11, 1999 with a 9-6 win over Illinois.
How Indecisive
Left-hander Dan Brauer can't seem to win a decision this year. He can't lose for that matter either. In four starts this season, Brauer has yet to earn a win or loss.The Illinois native has pitched 21.0 innings, struck out 23 and has an ERA of 3.00. Opponents are hitting .192 in 73 at-bats against him.