Baseball

Northwestern’s 2020 season ended after just 13 games, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the Wildcats from playing a single conference opponent.

Still, those 13 games offered a glimpse of NU’s potential and insight into what the 2021 season might look like. The Cats finished with a 6-7 record in a season full of ups and downs. NU started off with consecutive losses to Omaha, pulled off multiple extra inning upsets against South Carolina, and ended the shortened season with an unexpected loss to South Carolina-Upstate.

Offensively, the Cats got huge production from junior infielder Shawn Goosenberg and then-senior infielder Charlie Maxwell. Sophomore catcher and first baseman Stephen Hrustich and infielder Evan Minarovic also had success in starting roles, with Hrustich becoming the first Northwestern player to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Week since 2017.

Junior transfer Tyler Uberstine performed well on the mound for NU, as the Cats’ ace went 2-0 in four appearances with a WHIP of just .86. Junior Mike Doherty also dominated in his four starts, giving up just two earned runs en route to a Big Ten best .86 ERA.

NU will be missing some key players next year, but the squad will likely have some returning seniors under their extra year of eligibility. And if the 2020 season is any indication, the Cats will have a real shot at their first winning record since 2000.

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