After a woeful 2024 season that saw just four conference wins, Northwestern is back on the diamond and already charting a new course.
This weekend, the Wildcats won their first season-opening series win since 2008, defeating Long Beach State 2-1.
In coach Ben Greenspan’s second year at the helm, the ’Cats will look to bounce back from back-to-back years in the Big Ten’s basement, bolstered by key new additions — particularly in the pitching staff.
NU’s rotation posted a league-worst 6.95 ERA last year as it struggled to keep up with the big bats of its Big Ten foes.
But hope is on the horizon with new faces joining the roster.
The ’Cats picked up graduate transfers Sam Hliboki and Crawford Wade this offseason. Both have NCAA Tournament experience.
Hliboki hails from Vanderbilt, where he tossed 107 innings in four seasons, posting a 4.79 ERA. In his first few months in Evanston, he’s already become an outspoken leader on the team.
“At our very first team meeting (he was) speaking up, taking a leadership role and doing it in a way that players didn’t look at him like, ‘Why you? You haven’t been here. Why are you acting like that?’” Greenspan said. “It was a genuine, authentic leadership role.”
Hliboki appeared twice this weekend, picking up two saves. The graduate student pitched a total of four shutout innings, striking out four batters and only allowing one hit.
Wade’s 58.1 innings and 4.47 ERA during his four years at Wake Forest will also buttress Greenspan’s options on the mound. Wade did not have the start he hoped for on Opening Day, only throwing 2.2 innings and allowing six earned runs, but he will continue to be an important part of the staff moving forward.
NU’s most important returner to the rotation though, is sophomore right-hander Garrett Shearer.
Shearer was a large part of the pitching staff last season, appearing a team-high 21 times. Though he threw hard, he sometimes struggled with his command, finishing last season with a 6.22 ERA and averaging 4.74 walks per nine innings. But he has worked on refining his delivery in the offseason.
“Garrett, I think, cleaned up some things in his delivery that will allow him to command the fastball a little bit better and probably avoid some of the bigger misses with his slider that puts him in a better position to start,” Greenspan said. “Delivery changes will set him up to be a little bit more consistent this year.”
Saturday night, Shearer proved his coach right. The right-hander threw six big innings, only allowing three hits and two runs en route to the ’Cats’ first win of the season.
NU had another new name come up big this weekend. Freshman right-hander Matthew Kouser picked up the win in the Sunday rubber match against the Dirtbags. Kouser pitched six innings for the ’Cats, allowing one run on two hits. For his efforts, the right-hander was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
On the offensive side, NU will see continuity.
Five of the team’s top hitters return, led by senior catcher Bennett Markinson, who batted .337 and smashed six home runs last season. Markinson, who was recently named to D1 Baseball’s Top 50 Catchers list, is one of Greenspan’s most reliable contributors.
Junior infielder Owen McElfatrick will also be a key part of the offensive equation. Trailing only Markinson with a .290 batting average, NU’s success will hinge on his continued production.
“I just want to go out there and show all the hard work that I’ve put in, and just play the game to the best of my ability and see where it goes from there, and play hard for my teammates,” McElfatrick said.
Sophomore outfielder Jackson Freeman will also be back this season. En route to a Big Ten All-Freshman Team nod, Freeman started all 52 games, notching a team-high 11 home runs and batting .247.
Graduate student utility player Tyler Ganus was on a tear for NU early in 2024 before he was forced to take a medical redshirt.
“If you look at our season last year, we were a different team with and without him,” Greenspan said. “He’s so competitive. He’s so team-first that when your leader acts that way, I think guys fall in line.”
Even after the injury, Ganus is off to a hot start to the season. Ganus batted a team-high .545 this weekend, going 6-for-11 at the plate and racking up a team-high five RBI.
Three more new faces will be important to look out for in the field this season. The ’Cats recruited two sophomore infielders in Ryan Kucherak and Jack Counsell, who came to NU from LSU and Michigan, respectively.
Kucherak’s Wildcat debut was one to remember. Kucherak started all three games for the ’Cats at shortstop this weekend and batted .364 with a home run.
Seeking new additions beyond the transfer portal, Greenspan looked no further than Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
The team announced on Jan. 13 that Jack Lausch —- who started 10 games as NU Football’s quarterback —- will join the baseball team ahead of this season. A former top-250 MLB prospect, the junior outfielder has a chance to make a big impact for this team, and Greenspan said he will play a “prominent role.”
Lausch started in center field for all three of NU’s games against Long Beach State. The outfielder hit .300 this weekend with one double and one RBI.
According to Greenspan, the combination of veteran returners, promising newcomers and a coaching staff that is growing together is poised to provide a solid foundation for the team’s success.
“The biggest benefit, I think, is those guys have been in the dugout with me, and our coaches have all been in the dugout with me, and we’ve gone through it together,” Greenspan said. “I’m excited to get into year two with these guys.”
Email: annawatson2027@u.northwestern.edu
X: @adub_sports
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