CHICAGO – With the bases loaded and no outs in the third inning of a 2-0 ball game at U.S. Cellular Field, Northwestern cleanup hitter Tony Vercelli had a chance to blow open the game.
He ended up hitting a lazy fly ball to right field that failed to advance the runner from third base. His team finished the inning empty handed.
That was when Wildcats coach Paul Stevens, in front of the rest of the team, sent a message to his senior designated hitter in the dugout.
How did Vercelli respond to his coach’s words? Like any player would hope to answer after a coach gets on their case – a home run in the seventh inning and a game-changing two-run home run in the ninth.
“I was on him in the dugout after his first couple of at-bats because he does have the ability to be a difference maker in a ball game,” Stevens said. “You don’t give a guy on a 3-0 count a ‘swing the bat’ call with the bases loaded if you don’t think he can turn the ball game around in a heartbeat. He didn’t do it that time around, but it shows you the intestinal fortitude this guy has.”
Vercelli was not the only NU player who rose to the challenge in Wednesday night’s 5-1 win over Notre Dame on the South Side. The professional stage was set and the message to the team was clear.
NU (9-23, 1-7 Big Ten) has seen its fair share of leads and close games slip away this season at the hands of their bullpen. They have been on the wrong side of several games decided by two runs or less.
With the Cats leading 2-0 after five innings, Stevens decided to lift starting pitcher Eric Jokisch after only 53 pitches. He put the game in the hands of a struggling bullpen. With 2,101 fans on hand, relief pitchers David Jensen and Cole Livermore picked up right where Jokisch left off.
“Dave Jensen has been doing a better job every time he goes out,” Stevens said. “I think David has mentally started to take a hold of the role that he’s given when he goes out there.”
After a solid sixth inning, Jensen allowed a lead off home run in the seventh inning, narrowing the Cats’ lead to 3-1. Keeping his cool, Jensen retired the next two batters before being replaced by Livermore.
“Jensen really grew up out there today, ” Stevens said. “And the more he realizes he has the potential to do the thing we believe he can, David will be a big piece to the puzzle.”
Livermore induced an inning ending fly ball and allowed only one hit over the last two innings of the game to secure a NU lead. The victory marks only the second time this season that the Cats have defeated a team with a .500-plus record.
Over the last four games before it faced Notre Dame, NU allowed a combined 12 runs from the seventh inning on, leading to three losses. Holding a Notre Dame offense with five hitters batting over .300 to only one run in the last three innings shows the progress NU has made.
“Cole Livermore is the fiercest competitor you will ever see,” Stevens said. “He doesn’t have as great of stuff as he had before the injury, but nobody wants to compete more than Cole Livermore.”
With Livermore and the rest of the bullpen hitting their stride on a bigger stage than Rocky Miller Park, NU will look to take the same approach they had Wednesday into this weekend’s series versus Iowa CHICAGO – With the bases loaded and no outs in the third inning of a 2-0 ball game at U.S. Cellular Field, Northwestern cleanup hitter Tony Vercelli had a chance to blow open the game.
He ended up hitting a lazy fly ball to right field that failed to advance the runner from third base. His team finished the inning empty handed.
That was when Wildcats coach Paul Stevens, in front of the rest of the team, sent a message to his senior designated hitter in the dugout.
How did Vercelli respond to his coach’s words? Like any player would hope to answer after a coach gets on their case – a home run in the seventh inning and a game-changing two-run home run in the ninth.
“I was on him in the dugout after his first couple of at-bats because he does have the ability to be a difference maker in a ball game,” Stevens said. “You don’t give a guy on a 3-0 count a ‘swing the bat’ call with the bases loaded if you don’t think he can turn the ball game around in a heartbeat. He didn’t do it that time around, but it shows you the intestinal fortitude this guy has.”
Vercelli was not the only NU player who rose to the challenge in Wednesday night’s 5-1 win over Notre Dame on the South Side. The professional stage was set and the message to the team was clear.
NU (9-23, 1-7 Big Ten) has seen its fair share of leads and close games slip away this season at the hands of their bullpen. They have been on the wrong side of several games decided by two runs or less.
With the Cats leading 2-0 after five innings, Stevens decided to lift starting pitcher Eric Jokisch after only 53 pitches. He put the game in the hands of a struggling bullpen. With 2,101 fans on hand, relief pitchers David Jensen and Cole Livermore picked up right where Jokisch left off.
“Dave Jensen has been doing a better job every time he goes out,” Stevens said. “I think David has mentally started to take a hold of the role that he’s given when he goes out there.”
After a solid sixth inning, Jensen allowed a lead off home run in the seventh inning, narrowing the Cats’ lead to 3-1. Keeping his cool, Jensen retired the next two batters before being replaced by Livermore.
“Jensen really grew up out there today, ” Stevens said. “And the more he realizes he has the potential to do the thing we believe he can, David will be a big piece to the puzzle.”
Livermore induced an inning ending fly ball and allowed only one hit over the last two innings of the game to secure a NU lead. The victory marks only the second time this season that the Cats have defeated a team with a .500-plus record.
Over the last four games before it faced Notre Dame, NU allowed a combined 12 runs from the seventh inning on, leading to three losses. Holding a Notre Dame offense with five hitters batting over .300 to only one run in the last three innings shows the progress NU has made.
“Cole Livermore is the fiercest competitor you will ever see,” Stevens said. “He doesn’t have as great of stuff as he had before the injury, but nobody wants to compete more than Cole Livermore.”
With Livermore and the rest of the bullpen hitting their stride on a bigger stage than Rocky Miller Park, NU will look to take the same approach they had Wednesday into this weekend’s series versus Iowa (11-21, 2-7). Wednesday’s win will hopefully reverse the fortune of the Cats’ recurring late-inning break downs, with the help of a fresh arm with starting experience.
“To have him come back and be able to throw late innings for us definitely does fit a piece of the puzzle that has been missing for us,” Stevens said.
[email protected](11-21, 2-7). Wednesday’s win will hopefully reverse the fortune of the Cats’ recurring late-inning break downs, with the help of a fresh arm with starting experience.
“To have him come back and be able to throw late innings for us definitely does fit a piece of the puzzle that has been missing for us,” Stevens said.
