After Northwestern’s series opener against Ohio State, coach Paul Stevens looked over his shoulder to the scoreboard in right-center field at Rocky Miller Park. The next day he did the same thing, both days pointing out an identical neon-lit number in the column marked “E.” That number was “0.”
“E” stands for “errors,” and “0” meant the Wildcats didn’t make any through their first two games against the Buckeyes. Before its series against Ohio State, NU committed errors in all but one game, when it beat Loyola Marymount 3-0 over a month ago.
Senior catcher Chad Noble said making fewer miscues is crucial in being able to compete against top conference teams. The Cats, who ended their error-less streak Sunday when they committed four, will need to find that defensive groove again in order to have a strong showing at Penn State this weekend in University Park, Pa.
Stevens revealed the secret to good defensive play: making decisions.
“People that are out on the field have to find a way to make plays,” Stevens said. “(Chris Lashmet) got an error on a play, but it was a tough play. On those plays, we keep telling them to make a decision. Either come and get it or stay back. He came and got it. … That’s a do or die play and he got an error for it and so be it.”
Lashmet made an error, but only because he made the decision to go for the play. After committing a team-leading 18 errors last season, what has enabled the junior to cleanly field the ball more often?
Stevens said the third baseman’s newfound agility comes from his leaner frame.
“It’s amazing, 25 pounds lighter, how much more agile he is, what good defense he’s playing,” Stevens said. “Instead of him thinking he has to be Hulk Hogan at 250-some pounds, now he’s this lean little agile fielding machine over there.”
Lashmet said his offseason program centered on eating healthier foods with more protein and less carbohydrates. To maintain a healthy routine in a college environment, the Wilmette, Ill., native said he steered clear of restaurants with fatty foods, like Chipotle and Burger King.
“(Losing weight) has given me a quicker first step,” Lashmet said. “In plays down the line, it definitely helps. I love making those plays, those are fun.”
Position players aren’t the only ones responsible for keeping errors from paralyzing the Cats defensively. Stevens emphasized the role of the pitcher in keeping the rest of the team awake. He said players can get tired late in games, and guys on the mound need to “keep throwing up the zone.” Stevens said when the pitching staff goes as deep as it did Sunday-NU put six different hurlers on the mound in the rubber match with Ohio State-games can start to put other players to sleep.
But when the Cats are awake and making plays around the diamond, the whole team feels the boost. Senior southpaw David Jensen, who took the mound just before NU cleanly executed a double play Friday, said, “You just love that momentum, just had the double play. That’s awesome.”
After stealing one of three from the Buckeyes, the Cats (7-20, 1-2 Big Ten) feel prepared to take on the rest of the conference, starting with the Nittany Lions (12-15, 1-2 Big Ten) on Friday.
“Especially with it being in the beginning of the Big Tens, we can carry this momentum throughout the whole Big Ten (season),” sophomore rightfielder Chris Kontos said. “And maybe we can make a run for it.”
