April 27, 2010
Northwestern (15-23, 7-5 Big Ten) vs. Milwaukee (17-17, 7-5 Horizon)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Miller Park (41,900)
Milwaukee, Wis. 4 p.m.
Streaming Video: NUsports.com
Audio: 89.3 FM WNUR and sports.wnur.org
Gametracker: NUsports.com
In-game Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern competes at a Major League Baseball stadium for the second consecutive season as it travels to Miller Park in Milwaukee to take on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a doubleheader Wednesday. The first game is set to begin at approximately 4 p.m., or an hour following the completion of the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Admission to the two games between the Wildcats and the Panthers and parking are free of charge anytime after the eighth inning of the game between the Brewers and the Pirates. Otherwise, admission is included with the cost of the Major League contest.
A year ago, the Wildcats faced Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox. NU also played a Big Ten series against Minnesota at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the now former home of the Minnesota Twins.
NU enters Wednesday's twinbill as winners of five of its last six games, including taking two of three from Purdue last weekend to earn its third straight Big Ten series win. The hot stretch has helped the Wildcats move into a four-way tie for first place in the conference standings.
Following an 11-6 loss to Ohio State April 4, the Northwestern pitching staff has been excellent. The crew has lowered its team ERA nearly a point over the last 11 games and has allowed more than six runs in a game only once over that span. In Big Ten play this season, the Wildcats rank first in the league with a .278 opponents batting average.
The offense has also done it part during NU's current hot streak. The Wildcats have collected 10 or more hits in 10 of their last 13 games. Senior catcher Chad Noble, who was recently named as an addition to the 2010 Johnny Bench Award Watch List, has hit safely in a team season-best 12 straight games to raise his team-leading average to .392.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee has won four of its last five, including posting a 6-5 at Cleveland State last Sunday. The Panthers boast an impressive .332 team batting average. Sam Sivilotti leads the way with a .432 average, while Tim Patzman is close behind at .422 with a team-high nine stolen bases. Ben Long paces UWM with six home runs and 34 RBI.
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