By Chris GentilvisoThe Daily Northwestern

After freshman Cole Livermore’s 10-inning, complete game victory Sunday, Northwestern coach Paul Stevens was ready to let his bullpen loose against Valparaiso on Tuesday afternoon.

But the result didn’t match his expectations.

The Crusaders (11-19) feasted on a committee of six Wildcats arms, handing NU a 10-1 defeat in its first midweek game of the season. Starter Andrew Smith, who was pulled after two innings with the Cats trailing 1-0, took the loss.

“They put the ball in play and got a couple of weak base hits,” he said. “It’s frustrating. I did what I could.”

But three innings after Smith departed, Valparaiso broke the game open. Third baseman Matt Manthei smashed a three-run homer off NU freshman Jonathan Purcell to extend the Crusaders’ lead to 6-0. The shot was off the third pitch thrown by Purcell, who hadn’t seen action since a three-inning relief appearance against Michigan on April 1.

“I wasn’t very impressed with what I saw,” Stevens said. “There were some real disappointing innings from a few of our young kids who I was hoping would show us something. That just didn’t happen today.”

Valparaiso sealed the game in the seventh. After an intentional walk to Manthei to load the bases, NU reliever David Jensen walked in a run. First baseman Matt Schoeck followed with a two-run single, prompting Stevens to pull Jensen with the Cats down 10-0.

While Stevens’ hurlers each saw no more than three innings on the hill, the Cats entered the ninth inning with only two hits at the plate.

NU’s offense appeared poised for a fast start, loading the bases off a Jake Owens double, Antonio Mul