It was a beautiful night for baseball, but the Chicago Cubs were 90 miles away in Milwaukee.

Northwestern took the field instead to battle Southern California in NU’s final regular-season game, and the Friendly Confines took on a very Wildcat feel.

Purple NU flags adorned both foul poles, and white ones lined Wrigley’s upper awning. Purple and white pennants flew above the center field scoreboard where the National League standings are usually arrayed.

The playing field was oriented east to west, with the east end line stretching from the Cubs’ dugout to the end of the bullpen, and the west end line running the length of the right field wall. About a third of the eastern half enveloped the infield dirt.

Completing the Wrigley atmosphere, the organ blared NU’s fight song after every Cats goal and a scoreboard operator kept the score of the game on the stadium’s iconic manual display.

And, as expected, Chicago’s Big Ten team brought home a victory.

(Lacrosse: Northwestern prevails against USC in historic Wrigley Field game)

The contest was part of a now year-old partnership between the NU athletic department and the Cubs to market and promote NU sports. The game was the second of the agreement, following the baseball team’s victory over Michigan last year.

Purple-clad fans packed in along the first-base side despite the nighttime chill, and numerous recruits were on hand to witness a major moment for the program and the sport. Total announced attendance was 5,145.

And the team, for its part, was excited to have played in one of sport’s most storied venues.

“This was a really really special experience for our players,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “It was a great opportunity for them to play on a big stage and experience that kind of pressure. … Walking out here, we didn’t really want to leave.”

Giddiness aside, the players seemed to understand the gravity of their elevated stage.

“I think NU did a really great job of promoting it,” senior midfielder Kate Macdonald said. “It really goes to show how much the sport is growing in the Midwest.”

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