If Northwestern loses its series against Michigan State, a perfectly understandable event considering the Spartans are the Big Ten’s top team, then coach Paul Stevens can break out his five-iron and hit the golf course. The Wildcats need at least two wins to make the Big Ten Tournament.
If the Cats win two games against the Spartans, they still need to pass two teams to earn a spot in the postseason. Essentially, they will need two of these four things to happen:
1. Penn State loses its series against Michigan.
2. Purdue gets swept by Iowa.
3. Indiana gets swept by Illinois
4. Ohio State gets swept by Minnesota
Even if NU pulls off a stunner, sweeping Michigan State in East Lansing, the Cats would still need help. They would need two of these four things to happen:
1. Penn State loses at least one game against Michigan.
2. Purdue loses two of three to Iowa.
3. Indiana loses two of three to Illinois.
4. Ohio State loses two of three to Minnesota.
Let’s be honest, passing two teams in the final weekend of the season is a long shot.
NU’s pitching staff will have to jump through hoops to hold Michigan State in check. The Spartans lead the Big Ten with their .318 team batting average, and the Cats’ pitching staff is one of the worst in the league, surrendering a .288 average to opposing hitters.
And NU will need plenty of help from the teams above them.
The Cats need to gain a game on the Nittany Lions in order to pass them, a difficult prospect considering that Penn State takes on last-place Michigan this weekend. The Wolverines have the worst batting average in the conference going against the Nittany Lions’ top-ranked pitching staff.
NU would have to gain two games on Indiana, but this still might be one of the Cats’ best chances to pass a conference foe. The Fighting Illini are red-hot, having won their past three Big Ten series. Of course, the Hoosiers are also red-hot, coming off an impressive sweep of Michigan State.
The Cats could also receive some help from the Golden Gophers this weekend, as they host the Buckeyes. Minnesota has a lot to play for, as it fends with Illinois for a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. The Golden Gophers have been hampered by an anemic offense that ranks last in the conference in runs scored, but a visit by the Buckeyes’ shaky pitching staff could be just what the doctor ordered.
NU could also rely on help from Iowa, but that seems unlikely, since that would require shutting down a Purdue team that leads the Big Ten in virtually every offensive category.
Despite the odds, one shouldn’t count NU out. Last season also came down to a season-ending series against Michigan State, culminating in then-sophomore Paul Snieder’s walk-off home run to send the Cats to the Big Ten Tournament. We’ll see if history can repeat itself for the purple and white.
