When Northwestern pitcher J.A. Happ threw a complete-game, two-hit shutout against Michigan State on Sunday, the Spartans took note. Apparently, they weren’t the only ones. For the second time this season, the Big Ten awarded Happ conference Pitcher of the Week honors.
He struck out eight Spartans (7-18, 1-5 Big Ten) on Sunday, improving his ERA to 2.85 and his record to 4-2.
“It’s awesome for him,” Konecny said. “The kid went out there and pitched a huge game.”
Happ is one of two NU (10-10, 3-3) hurlers to earn the accolade this season. Konecny won it on Feb. 18.
“With pitching, it fluctuates between certain guys having big weeks and others not as big weeks,” Stevens said. “But if you can do it one day, you should be able to do it every other day.”
The coach said he wants his team to focus on future games — not on past victories.
“We just hope they perform at the best of their ability once they cross that white line,” Stevens said. “That’s all we can ask.”
WEATHER OR NOT: In 16 years as NU’s baseball coach, Paul Stevens can’t recall a year with as many rainouts as have already occurred halfway through this season.
Monday’s snowfall forced NU to cancel its Tuesday afternoon game at Valparaiso (6-14-1).
So far this season, bad weather caused NU to cancel six games and postpone several others.
Stevens said he is planning to make up games at the end of the regular season.
“It’s frustrating to have so many games rained out, but it comes with playing Big Ten baseball and staying in the Midwest,” junior pitcher Dan Konecny said.
Although the players are disappointed about missing games, Konecny said Stevens might take the rainouts the most personally.
“He’s the most competitive guy I know,” Konecny said. “It uspets him to have to sit in a hotel room instead of playing.”
But Stevens believes the rainouts could be good in the long run.
Konecny said that having a few extra days off can be beneficial for the Cats’ upperclassmen.
“Maybe for us, it’s been good to have time to save our pitching,” he said. “It’s only a bad thing for our younger guys who might not get as much experience.”
ROAD TO RECOVERY: After pulling his hamstring during NU’s spring break trip to Florida, junior Josh Lieberman has been playing on-and-off for the past couple of weeks.
“I think he’s at a point where he’s able to do some more things than he could before,” Stevens said. “His agility is much better.”
Lieberman saw playing time at third base during the Cats’ first contest at Michigan State this weekend.
Stevens said that the infielder’s prognosis is good, but he didn’t know how long it will take for Lieberman to heal completely.
