By Jake SimpsonThe Daily Northwestern
Young pitchers getting much-needed experience on the hill. Hitters looking to continue a hot streak or snap out of a funk. An unfamiliar team in the opposing dugout.
Yes, it’s midweek baseball at Northwestern, where the Wildcats (6-15, 0-4 Big Ten) take a break from grueling four-game weekends and test their mettle against teams from outside the Big Ten.
The Cats, coming off an 0-4 weekend against Michigan, look to get back in the win column against Division I doormat Chicago State (1-26).
“We’re going to get a lot of players some action and try to get a win,” coach Paul Stevens said.
Traditionally, NU has used these Tuesday and Wednesday games to give its reserves – especially its younger pitchers – playing time.
The results have been less than stellar. Last year, the Cats went 1-6 in midweek contests, falling to schools like Northern Illinois and Robert Morris. Among those losses was the Cats’ worst defeat of the season, a 23-5 shellacking at the hands of Horizon League member Illinois-Chicago.
As much as the losses might sting, however, the experience gained by the Cats’ bench players leads to victories in much bigger games. Pitchers who otherwise wouldn’t start all season get a chance to throw multiple innings against live opposition, an experience that helps the hurlers get big outs on the weekends.
Dan Schwartz may not pitch a single inning in a non-conference game the rest of the season. But the senior southpaw remembers a time when midweek games were his only opportunities to take the mound.
“Those were the only starts I got back then,” Schwartz said. “It was a chance to compete and prove myself.”
Stevens plans to employ the same method against Chicago State, hoping to get his young bullpen some innings before this weekend’s series against Big Ten rival Indiana.
“Right now, we’ve got to look to get some of these other relief guys some work,” the coach said. “We’ve got to see if we can get them some innings and get their confidence up.”
One of those “other relief guys” is junior Matt Havey, one of the Cats’ many middle relievers. With a 6.75 ERA in his 10 relief appearances, Havey said he was eager to get back on the mound.
“It’s a great opportunity to go out and get some quality innings,” Havey said of the midweek games.
While NU will be starting a less polished lineup than it fielded against Michigan, the team will play with no less intensity than they would on the weekend.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing a Big Ten opponent or not,” Havey said. “You’ve got to bring the same mentality to every game you play.”
The Cats hope that winning mentality can help them snap their four-game losing streak and give them some momentum heading into this weekend’s series with the Hoosiers. Schwartz outlined the biggest concern the players – reserves or starters – have going into their first midweek tilt.
“Against a team like Chicago State, we’re just trying to get a win and some confidence,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who’s out there on the field.”
Reach Jake Simpson at [email protected]
