| Northwestern (5-16) vs. St. Mary's (15-8) |
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| Date (Time) | Tuesday, March 24 (5:00 p.m. CST) |
| Location | Louis Guisto Field | Moraga, Calif. |
| Media Center |
Live Stats: SMCGaels.com Video: SMCGaels.com |
| Social | @NUCatsBaseball | @NU_SportsLIVE |
| Pitching Matchups | Game 1: NU TBA vs. Jake Valdez Game 2: NU TBA vs. SMC TBA |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will head to the Golden State for a two-game midweek matchup against St. Mary's College, beginning Tuesday, March 24, at 5:00 p.m. CST. The Wildcats will wrap up the series in Moraga, Calif., with a 5:00 p.m. contest on Wednesday, March 25.
NU heads to California fresh off a four-game series against UNLV. The `Cats went 1-3 against the Rebels as Zach Jones led the squad with 12 hits in 22 plate appearances. In the 15-inning series opener, Jones tallied seven hits to tie a school record for hits in a single game. The last Wildcat to accomplish the feat was Anthony Wycklendt who registered seven hits against Chicago State on April 15, 2003.
Northwestern has yet to play a game at home this season and is 2-5 in true road games. Kyle Ruchim leads the team with a .362 batting average and has two of the squad's four home runs. The fifth-year senior went 9-for-22 this past weekend with four runs and five RBI. Scott Heelan (.333), Matt Hopfner (.310), and Jones (.310) are also hitting over .300 this season. Jones leads the Wildcats in RBI (13) and doubles (11). Led by Heelan and Jones, who have 26 hits apiece, four Wildcats have recorded 20 or more hits so far this season as Ruchim (25) and Joe Hoscheit join the duo in the 20-hit club.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will face St. Mary's for just the third time in program history with the overall series tied, 1-1. The two teams last met for a pair of games in 2001 during the Rawlings/Oakland Athletics Spring Training Tournament. The Wildcats shut out the Gaels, 3-0, on Feb. 17, before dropping a 5-3 decision the following day.
Winner of eight of its last 11 games, St. Mary's enters the week with a 15-8 overall record. The Gaels are led by first baseman Collin Ferguson who is hitting .371 through 23 games. The senior has registered 33 hits in 89 at-bats and leads the team in runs (21) and doubles (11).
Up next, the Wildcats open Big Ten play with at three-game series at Minnesota, beginning Friday, March 27. First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m. CST.
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