By Jake SimpsonThe Daily Northwestern
After tossing a career-high 156 pitches in Northwestern’s 5-3 win over Indiana last Sunday, senior Ryan Myers did what any exhausted athlete would do.
He went for a run.
The idea might seem backward, but it is part of Myers’ between-starts program, a regimen of cardiovascular workouts, pool exercises and light toss sessions designed to rejuvenate his tired arm.
The key to his practice schedule, Myers said, is the bullpen session he has each week, during which he works on his mechanics and loosens up his throwing arm.
“I’m going to take it a little more careful,” he said of this week’s session. “I don’t want to get hurt.”
Despite his caution, Myers said he will be ready when the Wildcats (8-17, 2-4 Big Ten) take the field against Illinois this weekend.
“(The schedule) is set up so that I only pitch once a week,” he said. “So I’ll be ready.”
finN Looks for Groove
When asked about his 0-for-14 weekend at the plate, second baseman Tommy Finn gave a rueful smile.
“I struggled big time,” the sophomore said. “It was a rough weekend.”
Finn, who came into the series hitting .299, said as the weekend went on, he began to force things, which only increased his hitting woes. He said he was a little too aggressive and was swinging at pitchers’ pitches.
This week in practice, Finn said he plans to work on hitting to all fields in an attempt to find his stroke.
“Indiana got me out on a lot of outside pitches,” he said. “So I really need to focus on going the opposite way.”
Coach Paul Stevens expressed confidence that Finn would regain his sweet swing from earlier in the season.
“I’m not concerned about (Finn) at all,” he said. “We know he’s just as likely to hit .400 like he did against Michigan.”
Sweet relief
Coming off a weekend during which they saw no action at all, NU’s relief pitchers are looking forward to getting some time on the mound.
“We’re going to throw live against our hitters in practice a couple times this week,” freshman David Jensen said. “So we should be ready to go this weekend.”
Jensen and his mates in the pen are coming off a rocky series two weeks ago against Michigan, in which they allowed 12 runs in 11 1/3 innings of work.
Last weekend, Stevens chose not to use his relievers at all, letting his starters go the distance in each game.
Jensen said he hopes the long break will signal a change of fortune for the bullpen.
“When we come in with runners on base this weekend, we want to leave them there,” he said.
When asked about the lack of live opposition for the relievers, Stevens offered a light-hearted solution.
“We’re bringing in the ’27 Yankees to swing against them,” he said with a grin.
Snowed Out
