EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern will open up a seven-game homestand this weekend, May 6-8, when Purdue visits Rocky and Berenice Miller Park for a three-game series.
The weekend's action will get underway on Friday with first pitch taking place at 3 p.m. CT. Saturday's game will begin at 2 p.m. and Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m. Saturday's contest will be broadcasted nationally on the Big Ten Network.
Northwestern enters the weekend with a 10-34 overall record and 2-16 mark in conference play. The Wildcats have dropped four consecutive one-run games, including a walk-off loss to cross-town foe UIC, 5-4, on Wednesday.
THE OPPONENT
After suffering a sweep against Ohio State last weekend (April 29 – May 1), Purdue stands at 7-34 overall and 2-16 in Big Ten games. This will be the Boilermakers first trip to Evanston since the 2012 season.
Purdue ranks 14th in the Big Ten Conference for batting average with a .249 clip at the dish. Senior center fielder Kyle Johnson leads the club with 51 hits and a .309 average. Kyle Wood has been the source for a majority of the Boilermakers' offensive production, leading the team in extra-base hits (21), home runs (10) and RBIs (29).
On the bump, Northwestern is slated to face a trio or right-handed pitchers in Gavin Downs (1-4, 5.06 ERA), Matt Frawley (1-5, 3.05 ERA) and Shane Bryant (0-3, 5.72 ERA).
Last weekend versus Ohio State, Bryant matched a career-high with nine strikeouts, while the bullpen tacked on six more Ks to finish the game with 15 strikeouts – tied for third most in program history.
As a staff, Purdue boasts a 5.55 ERA.
ON THE BUMP
Northwestern will enter the weekend's games with the same probable starters as it did last weekend.
Senior LHP Reed Mason (2-6, 4.17 ERA) will make his 12th start of the season on Friday afternoon. Last time out, Mason posted a quality start against the Hoosiers, going 6.0 innings, striking out three and only allowing two runs. Mason leads the team in innings pitched (58.1) and strikeouts (42).
Head coach Spencer Allen has tabbed Joe Schindler (1-1, 4.15 ERA) as the starter for Saturday's game. Schindler has starter in three games this season, including the nightcap of last Friday's doubleheader at Indiana. Against the Hoosiers, Schindler went a scoreless 5.2 innings, only allowing four hits while striking out three. The righty sat down 15 consecutive batters at during the game.
Sunday's starter has not yet been announced.
OF NOTE...
CHASING 200
Senior first baseman Zach Jones is just two hits shy of reaching the 200-hit plateau for his career. The Glenview, Illinois native is batting .256 on the season with 44 hits, including 11 extra-base knocks.
Jones entered the week with a .303 batting average for his career.
HOPPY BEING HOPPY
Since the Wildcats opened Big Ten Conference play on March 25, junior Matt Hopfner has ranked in the Big Ten's top 10 for batting averages every week.
Currently, the Edina, Minn., native has a team-best .368 average, which places him seventh in the Big Ten. For the season, Hopfner has 21 multiple-hit games and a total of 60 knocks.
AS OF LATE
Entering the week, five members on the roster are hitting above the .300 mark in the Wildcats' last ten games. Jake Schieber has been hitting .333 during the stretch with 11 hits and five runs scored, while Hopfner and Hoscheit have 12 and 11 knocks, respectively.
IRON 'CATS
Northwestern's left side of the infield has not changed its look this season. Sophomore third baseman Connor Lind and freshman shortstop Jack Dunn have started and played in all 44 of the #B1GCats games.
Freshman second baseman Willie Bourbon has started 43 games and played in all 44, while junior Matt Hopfner has started and played in 42 contests.
The weekend's action will get underway on Friday with first pitch taking place at 3 p.m. CT. Saturday's game will begin at 2 p.m. and Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m. Saturday's contest will be broadcasted nationally on the Big Ten Network.
Northwestern enters the weekend with a 10-34 overall record and 2-16 mark in conference play. The Wildcats have dropped four consecutive one-run games, including a walk-off loss to cross-town foe UIC, 5-4, on Wednesday.
THE OPPONENT
After suffering a sweep against Ohio State last weekend (April 29 – May 1), Purdue stands at 7-34 overall and 2-16 in Big Ten games. This will be the Boilermakers first trip to Evanston since the 2012 season.
Purdue ranks 14th in the Big Ten Conference for batting average with a .249 clip at the dish. Senior center fielder Kyle Johnson leads the club with 51 hits and a .309 average. Kyle Wood has been the source for a majority of the Boilermakers' offensive production, leading the team in extra-base hits (21), home runs (10) and RBIs (29).
On the bump, Northwestern is slated to face a trio or right-handed pitchers in Gavin Downs (1-4, 5.06 ERA), Matt Frawley (1-5, 3.05 ERA) and Shane Bryant (0-3, 5.72 ERA).
Last weekend versus Ohio State, Bryant matched a career-high with nine strikeouts, while the bullpen tacked on six more Ks to finish the game with 15 strikeouts – tied for third most in program history.
As a staff, Purdue boasts a 5.55 ERA.
ON THE BUMP
Northwestern will enter the weekend's games with the same probable starters as it did last weekend.
Senior LHP Reed Mason (2-6, 4.17 ERA) will make his 12th start of the season on Friday afternoon. Last time out, Mason posted a quality start against the Hoosiers, going 6.0 innings, striking out three and only allowing two runs. Mason leads the team in innings pitched (58.1) and strikeouts (42).
Head coach Spencer Allen has tabbed Joe Schindler (1-1, 4.15 ERA) as the starter for Saturday's game. Schindler has starter in three games this season, including the nightcap of last Friday's doubleheader at Indiana. Against the Hoosiers, Schindler went a scoreless 5.2 innings, only allowing four hits while striking out three. The righty sat down 15 consecutive batters at during the game.
Sunday's starter has not yet been announced.
OF NOTE...
CHASING 200
Senior first baseman Zach Jones is just two hits shy of reaching the 200-hit plateau for his career. The Glenview, Illinois native is batting .256 on the season with 44 hits, including 11 extra-base knocks.
Jones entered the week with a .303 batting average for his career.
HOPPY BEING HOPPY
Since the Wildcats opened Big Ten Conference play on March 25, junior Matt Hopfner has ranked in the Big Ten's top 10 for batting averages every week.
Currently, the Edina, Minn., native has a team-best .368 average, which places him seventh in the Big Ten. For the season, Hopfner has 21 multiple-hit games and a total of 60 knocks.
AS OF LATE
Entering the week, five members on the roster are hitting above the .300 mark in the Wildcats' last ten games. Jake Schieber has been hitting .333 during the stretch with 11 hits and five runs scored, while Hopfner and Hoscheit have 12 and 11 knocks, respectively.
IRON 'CATS
Northwestern's left side of the infield has not changed its look this season. Sophomore third baseman Connor Lind and freshman shortstop Jack Dunn have started and played in all 44 of the #B1GCats games.
Freshman second baseman Willie Bourbon has started 43 games and played in all 44, while junior Matt Hopfner has started and played in 42 contests.