Friday, April 11
East Lansing, Mich.
4:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Michigan State
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Set for Three-Game Series at Michigan State
4/10/2025 5:21:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Following a 9-7 midweek win at Notre Dame, Northwestern is set to resume Big Ten play with a three-game series at Michigan State this weekend.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 4/11: Michigan State – RHP Logan Pikur vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Saturday, 4/12: Michigan State – LHP Joseph Dzierwa vs. NU – TBD
Sunday, 4/13: Michigan State – RHP Nolan Higgins vs. NU – RHP Matthew Kouser
Friday's series opener is slated for 4:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. Saturday's game is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. CT on B1G+. Sunday's series finale is set for 12:05 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Northwestern (15-15, 6-6 Big Ten) is off to its best start to conference play through 12 games since 2022, when the 'Cats also started 6-6 in league play.
On Tuesday, the Wildcats defeated Notre Dame 9-7 at Frank Eck Stadium for Northwestern's first win in South Bend since April 11, 2018. 1B Trent Liolios matched the NU single-season home run record with his 15th home run of the year as Northwestern downed Notre Dame 9-7 on Tuesday, April 8. LF Preston Knott went 2-4 with a double and home run, scoring three runs and driving in three. RHP Jack Grunkemeyer (1-0) earned his first career win, allowing two runs on one hit in 2.1 innings pitched. LHP Crawford Wade worked 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit en route to his second save of the season.
NU's pitching staff has held opponents to four or fewer hits on five occasions, its most in a season since 2019 (five). NU is 4-1 on such occasions. The Wildcats are 12-5 when holding its opponents to five or fewer runs.
The Wildcats rank second in the Big Ten and 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.982). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
INF Trent Liolios has been on fire to start the 2025 campaign, leading all Wildcats in batting average (.333), on-base percentage (.421), slugging percentage (.837), home runs (15), runs batted in (30), and runs scored (27). Liolios leads the Big Ten in slugging percentage (.843), is tied for the conference lead in home runs (15), and ranks second in the league in on-base plus slugging percentage (1.258). In conference games only, Liolios' nine home runs stands two clear atop the league leaderboard, despite playing three fewer conference games than the players ranked second through 10th. Northwestern has an 8-3 record and has won five games in a row when Liolios homers.
Liolios' home run at Notre Dame, his 15th of the season, brought him even with Bob Brucato (1987) for the Northwestern single-season home run record. Liolios currently ranks sixth with 25 home runs in his Wildcat career, two shy of Joe Hieptas (27, 1998-2001) for fifth place all-time.
Northwestern is 55-104-1 all-time against Michigan State. The two teams last met in 2023, a three-game sweep for the Spartans in East Lansing.
The Spartans (17-14, 4-8 Big Ten) rank sixth in the league in batting average against, with opposing hitters hitting just .262 against MSU. LHP Joseph Dzierwa leads the Big Ten with a 1.89 earned-run average. INF Ryan McKay leads MSU with a .339 batting average and 33 runs scored.
Northwestern returns home for a midweek contest at Miller Park against Northern Illinois on Tuesday, April 15 at 3:30 p.m. CT on B1G+ before traveling to Lincoln for a three-game series at Nebraska next weekend.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 4/11: Michigan State – RHP Logan Pikur vs. NU – RHP Sam Hliboki
Saturday, 4/12: Michigan State – LHP Joseph Dzierwa vs. NU – TBD
Sunday, 4/13: Michigan State – RHP Nolan Higgins vs. NU – RHP Matthew Kouser
Friday's series opener is slated for 4:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. Saturday's game is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. CT on B1G+. Sunday's series finale is set for 12:05 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Northwestern (15-15, 6-6 Big Ten) is off to its best start to conference play through 12 games since 2022, when the 'Cats also started 6-6 in league play.
On Tuesday, the Wildcats defeated Notre Dame 9-7 at Frank Eck Stadium for Northwestern's first win in South Bend since April 11, 2018. 1B Trent Liolios matched the NU single-season home run record with his 15th home run of the year as Northwestern downed Notre Dame 9-7 on Tuesday, April 8. LF Preston Knott went 2-4 with a double and home run, scoring three runs and driving in three. RHP Jack Grunkemeyer (1-0) earned his first career win, allowing two runs on one hit in 2.1 innings pitched. LHP Crawford Wade worked 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit en route to his second save of the season.
NU's pitching staff has held opponents to four or fewer hits on five occasions, its most in a season since 2019 (five). NU is 4-1 on such occasions. The Wildcats are 12-5 when holding its opponents to five or fewer runs.
The Wildcats rank second in the Big Ten and 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.982). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
INF Trent Liolios has been on fire to start the 2025 campaign, leading all Wildcats in batting average (.333), on-base percentage (.421), slugging percentage (.837), home runs (15), runs batted in (30), and runs scored (27). Liolios leads the Big Ten in slugging percentage (.843), is tied for the conference lead in home runs (15), and ranks second in the league in on-base plus slugging percentage (1.258). In conference games only, Liolios' nine home runs stands two clear atop the league leaderboard, despite playing three fewer conference games than the players ranked second through 10th. Northwestern has an 8-3 record and has won five games in a row when Liolios homers.
Liolios' home run at Notre Dame, his 15th of the season, brought him even with Bob Brucato (1987) for the Northwestern single-season home run record. Liolios currently ranks sixth with 25 home runs in his Wildcat career, two shy of Joe Hieptas (27, 1998-2001) for fifth place all-time.
Northwestern is 55-104-1 all-time against Michigan State. The two teams last met in 2023, a three-game sweep for the Spartans in East Lansing.
The Spartans (17-14, 4-8 Big Ten) rank sixth in the league in batting average against, with opposing hitters hitting just .262 against MSU. LHP Joseph Dzierwa leads the Big Ten with a 1.89 earned-run average. INF Ryan McKay leads MSU with a .339 batting average and 33 runs scored.
Northwestern returns home for a midweek contest at Miller Park against Northern Illinois on Tuesday, April 15 at 3:30 p.m. CT on B1G+ before traveling to Lincoln for a three-game series at Nebraska next weekend.
Players Mentioned
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