April 13, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -
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The Game
Northwestern enters this weekend's series at Illinois tied with Ohio State for first place in the Big Ten standings. Everyone knows there are six weeks left in the season and anything can happen. That's why head coach Paul Stevens has stressed to his team the importance of every single game.
Every game from NU's last visit to Champaign will be on all the returning players minds.
Last season, the Wildcats were swept in convincing fashion by the 2005 Big Ten regular season champions. Oddly enough, NU had won three-of-four in 2004 and swept the Illini in 2003. Both took place in Evanston.
Both teams enter the weekend after mid-week losses. NU fell to Robert Morris 14-8 and Illinois lost 8-7 to Bradley. At the plate, the Illini are led by outfielder Ryan Snowden. The junior leads the squad with a .333 batting average, starting 27 games. He has 13 doubles and 13 RBI. First baseman Dave Schultz tops the squad with 25 RBI, playing in all 28 games this season.
As a team, Illinois is fourth in the Big Ten with a .303 batting average.
The Wildcats are led by sophomore Antonio Mulé. The New Jersey native continues to beat up the opposition, ending the Indiana series with a .500 (6-for-12) batting average. He is currently hitting .388 and leads the team with 16 RBI. He has been walked a team high 15 times. Sophomore second baseman Jake Owens has scored 19 runs and has turned 21 double plays. His counterpart, shortstop Tommy Finn, is hitting .313 (5-for-16) in his last five games.
Since the beginning of Big Ten play, the NU pitching staff has done an about-face when it comes to ERA. In eight Big Ten games, the team has a 2.29 ERA, compared to 6.87 in nonconference affairs.
The two biggest contributors to NU's pitching success are junior lefty Dan Brauer and senior right-hander Julio Siberio. Brauer is 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two conference starts, both complete games. Siberio is only 1-0, but boasts a 2.63 ERA in his two league games. He has thrown 13.2 innings, struck out 13 and walked none.
Projected Starters
C Geoff Dietz (.227, 2 2B, 5 RBI, Jr.)
1B Pat McMahon (.250, 11 Runs, 3 SB, 2 HR Sr.)
2B Jake Owens (.266, 19 Runs, 2 3B, HR, So.)
3B Caleb Fields (.253, 10 Runs, Jr.)
SS Tommy Finn (.229, 10 RBI, Fr.)
LF Anthony Wycklendt (.230, 3B, 2 HR, Sr.)
CF Aaron Newman (.257 16 Runs, HR, So.) OR
Dan Brauer (.333, 3B, 7 RBI, Jr.)
RF Antonio Mulé (.388, 2 HR, 16 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.143, So.)
DH Antonio Mulé (.388, 2 HR, 16 RBI, So.)
-OR- Max Mann (.143, So.)
The Series With Illinois: Illini leads 144-74-1
The Last Time: NU is traveling to Champaign for the second-straight season. The Wildcats were swept in 2005.
Dead-Eye Dietz
Junior Geoff Dietz has become one of the Big Ten's most prolific catchers when it comes to throwing out runners. Take for example, last weekend against Indiana. The Hoosiers entered the weekend as one of the nation's most run-oriented teams, having stolen 76 bases in its first 23 games. In the four-game series, Dietz threw out all five of Indiana's attempted base stealers, thwarting IU's ability to run.
The K King
In 46.0 innings pitched, junior Dan Brauer is atop the Big Ten standings with 48 Ks. Penn State's Alan Stidfole is second with 45 strikeouts in 48.1 innings pitched. Brauer and Ohio State's Dan DeLucia share the lead in Big Ten game only with 14. DeLucia has pitched 16.0 innings in conference play, compared to 14.0 for Brauer.
Team Leaders
After a rough start to the season, Northwestern's pitching staff has really started to find itself since league contests began. In NU's eight conference matchups, the Wildcats are boasting the best team ERA in the league at 2.29. Ohio State is a close second at 2.49. NU has thrown a total of 63.0 innings and struck out 53 in the process, two behind Ohio State's strikeout total of 55. Northwestern also has given up the least amount of runs, both total (21) and earned (16) runs.
Copy 'Cats
In week one of the Big Ten season Northwestern traveled to Ann Arbor, Mich., and won three-of-four games. The following weekend, NU took three-of-four from Indiana at home in Evanston. This is the first time in Paul Stevens' career the Wildcats have opened the Big Ten season with a 6-2 record.
Sweep or Be Swept
Northwestern swept Illinois in 2003 and won three-of-four in 2004 at Rocky Miller Park in Evanston. In 2005, Illinois swept Northwestern at Illinois Field in Champaign.
Twice as Good
Junior Dan Brauer threw his second-straight complete game last weekend in a 12-1 win over Indiana. In week one, Brauer pitched a complete-game, five-hit shutout at Michigan. In both games, the junior left-hander struck out seven.
The Siberio Scenario
Senior right-hander Julio Siberio set career highs in every major per-game pitching category with his eight-plus innings vs. Indiana last weekend. As the game four (Sunday) starter, Siberio struck out seven, threw 99 pitches and went farther in any of his previous five career starts. Not to mention the fact he picked up his first collegiate save in NU's 4-2 game one victory (vs. Indiana). Since taking over NU's fourth-starter role, Siberio has averaged over six-innings per outing and has a miniscule 2.84 ERA. Having pitched a total of 19.0 innings as a starter, Siberio has struck out 17 and walked only two. Of the 19 hits he has given up, only two have gone for extra bases (both doubles).