Northwestern
17-18, 0
Nebraska
17-21, 0
'Cats Homer Five Times in 9-7 Series Opening Victory at Nebraska
4/18/2025 11:50:00 PM | Baseball
Northwestern's five home runs marked its third time this season hitting five homers, all in Big Ten games (March 21 G2 vs. Illinois, March 29 at Maryland). NU's three five-homer games are its most in Big Ten play since 2021 (five). The Wildcats' nine runs are their most at Nebraska since an 11-3 win on April 10, 2016.'CATS WIN! ?? pic.twitter.com/x6YJOpRbkF
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 19, 2025
DH Preston Knott opened up the scoring in the top of the second with a solo shot to right-center, putting the 'Cats up 1-0. Nebraska (17-21, 5-11 Big Ten) responded with a pair of back-to-back solo homers in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the second, the Wildcats (17-18, 8-8 Big Ten) used back-to-back jacks of their own to retake the lead. RF Jackson Freeman's two-run blast scored C Bennett Markinson to put the 'Cats back in front. Next batter, SS Ryan Kucherak went deep to extend the 'Cats advantage to 4-2. Nebraska scratched one run across in the bottom of the second to cut the Wildcat lead in half.
3B Owen McElfatrick slugged his third homer in the last two games, a two-run shot to left field, scoring Knott, to stretch the NU lead to 6-3. The Huskers continued to chip away at the deficit, scoring another on an RBI double in the bottom of the third to make it 6-4.
In the top of the fourth, Kucherak hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot to right field, his ninth of the season and eighth of Big Ten play, second-most in the league behind only teammate Trent Liolios.
Nebraska 3B Joshua Overbeek hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to trim the deficit to one and a solo blast in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at seven.
In the top of the ninth Northwestern loaded the bases for C Bennett Markinson, who singled to right field, scoring 2B Jacob Hand and Knott put Northwestern ahead for good.
LHP Crawford Wade (4-4) slammed the door in the ninth to earn the win in 3.0 innings pitched. Wade allowed one run on five hits, punching out four.BARK. CLUTCH. https://t.co/SOCd4IYg6u pic.twitter.com/d3p6KFdYyc
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 19, 2025
Game Notes
- Northwestern hit back-to-back homers for the second time this season (March 30 at Maryland).
- Preston Knott extended his reached base streak to 10 games and his hit streak to seven games.
- Jackson Freeman's 34 RBI are tied for the team-lead with Trent Liolios.
The Wildcats and Huskers will wrap up the series with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. CT. The series finale will begin approximately 45 minutes following the conclusion of Saturday's first game. Both games will be streamed on B1G+.
B1G Time. pic.twitter.com/LbbzlzBviV
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) April 19, 2025
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wade, Crawford (4-4)
L: Daiss, Casey (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Freeman, Jackson 1
HR: Knott, Preston 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 2
RBI: Knott, Preston 1 ; McElfatrick, Owen 2 ; Markinson, Bennett 2 ; Freeman, Jackson 2 ; Kucherak, Ryan 2
SH: Ganus, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knott, Preston 3 ; McElfatrick, Owen 1 ; Markinson, Bennett 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 1 ; Kucherak, Ryan 2 ; Hand, Jacob 1
CS: Ganus, Tyler 1
PO: McElfatrick, Owen 1
Batting:
2B: Brumbaugh, Cayden 2 ; Stone, Tyler 2 ; Swansen, Gabe 1
HR: Buettenback, Max 1 ; Stone, Tyler 1 ; Overbeek, Joshua 2
RBI: Buettenback, Max 1 ; Stone, Tyler 2 ; Overbeek, Joshua 4
SF: Overbeek, Joshua 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brumbaugh, Cayden 1 ; Buettenback, Max 1 ; Stone, Tyler 1 ; Bolin, Robby 1 ; Swansen, Gabe 1 ; Overbeek, Joshua 2
SB: Buettenback, Max 1
HBP: Swansen, Gabe 1
