The drought persists for Northwestern — this time at Michigan.

The Wolverines (26-22, 13-8 Big Ten) swept the Wildcats (8-38, 3-18 Big Ten) this weekend, outscoring them 32-12 in the three-game series. After its latest 0-3 weekend, NU stretched its conference losing streak to 15.

The Cats trailed from the outset in Game 1. Graduate student right-hander Michael Farinelli struggled on Friday, allowing six runs in three innings of work.

Despite a pair of two-run home runs from senior outfielder Stephen Hrustich and senior outfielder Luke Tanner in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, NU faced an insurmountable deficit. The Wolverines scored runs in each of the first four innings, building an 8-2 advantage entering the fifth inning.

Coupled with issues on the mound, NU also faced difficulties limiting the number of errors on the field. The Cats committed two errors Friday, with both causing multiple runs to score across the game. As a result, NU faced an uphill battle all game and ultimately dropped the opener 12-5.

The Cats put on a far more resilient effort Saturday. Graduate student outfielder Kevin Ferrer put the offense on his back, ensuring that NU responded whenever the Wolverines took the lead.

After an early 1-0 first-inning deficit, Ferrer’s second-inning sacrifice fly following two leadoff hits helped to level the score at one apiece. With the Cats trailing 2-1 in the seventh inning, the outfielder’s RBI single equalized the scores once again.

Meanwhile, freshman left hander Sam Garewal kept NU in the contest all afternoon, pitching five and one-thirds innings and surrendering two runs. Garewal tallied 10 strikeouts Saturday.

Yet even when everything looked promising for NU, the squad still ended up on the losing side of the scoreline. The Wolverines’ three-run eighth inning propelled them to a 5-2 win, handing the Cats their second loss of the weekend.

While NU had already lost the series entering Sunday’s finale, the team showed promise of snapping its lengthy conference losing streak.

The Cats stormed in front in the first inning. With the bases loaded, graduate student catcher Cooper Foard’s two-run single gave NU its first lead of the series. The Cats extended their lead in the third through crafty baserunning. Tanner and Hrustich’s double steal led to a Wolverine error that brought in another run.

However, from the bottom half of the third inning, everything went immediately south for the Cats. After pitching two scoreless innings, junior right-hander Luke Benneche allowed seven runs in his following two innings of work. As a result, the Wolverines scored 8 unanswered runs in the ensuing three innings.

NU suddenly faced a 8-3 deficit entering the seventh inning.

While Ferrer continued to show the fight he displayed all weekend on a two-run home run in the seventh, the Cats’ pitching proved to be their Achilles heel. The Wolverines immediately responded with a six-run seventh inning and brought NU’s deficit to nine after seven innings.

With only two innings remaining in the contest, the Cats couldn’t conjure a comeback and ultimately fell in their fifth consecutive sweep to a conference foe.

This weekend’s series is a testament to NU’s struggles all season long, and there will be many questions raised in the offseason on the future of the program.

The Cats will face Notre Dame on Tuesday at Wrigley Field, hoping that the opportunity to play at a MLB ballpark will help cure their struggles.

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