March 9, 2011
Northwestern (2-5) at Saint Louis (8-2)
Thursday, March 10, 2011, 3 p.m.
Friday, March 11, 2011, 1 p.m. (DH)
Saturday, March 12, 2011, Noon
Billiken Sports Center (500)
St. Louis, Mo.
Gametracker: NUsports.com
EVANSTON, Ill. -- After having Mother Nature impose on last week's schedule, the Northwestern baseball team returns to action Thursday through Saturday as it travels to Saint Louis for a four-game set.
The Wildcats and the Billikens open their series at 3 p.m. Thursday followed by a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Friday. First pitch for Saturday's finale is set for noon.
NU was slated to play three games in Evansville, Ind., a week ago, but steady rain in the forecast forced the Wildcats to cancel the trip.
The Wildcats have been paced by the trio of juniors Chris Kontos and Trevor Stevens and senior Chris Lashmet. Kontos leads the squad with a .400 batting average and four doubles. Stevens is batting .375 and has hit safely in all seven games to start the season. Lashmet sports a .370 average and is tied for first on the squad with four doubles and five RBI.
On the mound, sophomore Luke Farrell is off to a solid start, earning victories in each of his first two starts. The right-hander has a 2.25 ERA and has struck out 14 batters in 12 innings pitched. Junior reliever Michael Jahns sports a 2.08 ERA with opposing batters hitting just .172 off of him.
Saint Louis has won six straight contests, including winning a trio of close games against Le Moyne last weekend. Jordan Hammerman paces all regulars with a .333 batting average, while Nick Becker is batting .319 with five doubles, seven RBI and six stolen bases.
Alex Alemann, who is slated to get the start in the first game of Friday's twinbill, has a stellar 1.06 ERA and a 1-0 record in 17 innings pitched thus far this season. Billiken pitchers are limiting opposing batters to a .218 average through 10 games.
Darin Hendrickson is in his third season as the head coach at SLU, leading the team to the Atlantic-10 title a year ago.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Thursday - RHP Francis Brooke vs. RHP Zack Smith
Friday (Game 1) - RHP Luke Farrell vs. RHP Alex Alemann
Friday (Game 2) - LHP Dan Tyson vs. RHP Brett Vanover
Saturday - LHP Jack Havey vs. RHP Jerry Mancuso
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