Tuesday, April 22
Evanston, Ill.
3 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
UIC
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
'Cats Host Flames in Midweek
4/21/2025 4:52:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will host UIC for a midweek game on Tuesday at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park on B1G+. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT at Miller Park on B1G+.
INF Ryan Kucherak homered twice in last Friday's series opening win at Nebraska. Kucherak ranks second on the team in home runs behind Trent Liolios and his eight home runs in conference play are tied for fourth in the Big Ten. In conference play, he is slashing .264/.321/.639 with eight HRs and 16 RBI. Kucherak became the second Wildcat this season with multiple multi-homer games, joining Trent Liolios.
C Bennett Markinson came through with a clutch hit in the win over Nebraska on Friday, knocking a two-run single in the ninth inning of a 9-7 win to give Northwestern the lead for good. Markinson went 5-for-11 on the weekend with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
INF Owen McElfatrick logged his second career multi-homer game in Tuesday's midweek against Northern Illinois with a pair of solo homers.McElfatrick became the fifth different Wildcat to log a multi-homer game this season, joining Trent Liolios (2/15 at Long Beach State, 3/15 G2 vs. Penn State, and 3/28 at Maryland), Bennett Markinson (2/23 G2 at Fordham), Ryan Kucherak (3/21 G2 vs Illinois, 4/18 at Nebraska), and Jack Lausch (3/30 at Maryland). Northwestern (17-20, 8-10 Big Ten) is the only Big Ten team with five different players with a multi-homer game this season.
INF Trent Liolios leads all Wildcats in slugging percentage (.711), home runs (15), runs batted in (34), and runs scored (30). In Big Ten play, Liolios is slashing .275/.354/.739 with nine HRs and 18 RBI.
Liolios' 15 home runs rank tied for most in a single-season in program history with Bob Brucato (1988). Six of Liolios' 15 home runs have come in the eighth inning or later. When Liolios homers, Northwestern is 8-3 and has won five straight.
NU leads the Big Ten and ranks 25th nationally in fielding percentage (.979). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
The Wildcats are 7-4 in one-run games this season, their most one-run wins since 2017 (8). The Wildcats are also 3-0 in extra-inning games this season.
Northwestern is 72-34-1 all-time against UIC, splitting two midweek games this season, both at UIC.
UIC (11-26, 7-8 MVC) is led offensively by OF Luke Nowak, who is hitting .380. C Jackson Bessette leads the team in home runs with seven. UIC's pitching staff is led by LHP Colin Hawkins, who possesses a 3.27 ERA across 22 relief appearances.
Following Tuesday's game, Northwestern will resume Big Ten play with a three-game series against Washington from April 25-April 27. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m. CT, with Saturday and Sunday's games scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
INF Ryan Kucherak homered twice in last Friday's series opening win at Nebraska. Kucherak ranks second on the team in home runs behind Trent Liolios and his eight home runs in conference play are tied for fourth in the Big Ten. In conference play, he is slashing .264/.321/.639 with eight HRs and 16 RBI. Kucherak became the second Wildcat this season with multiple multi-homer games, joining Trent Liolios.
C Bennett Markinson came through with a clutch hit in the win over Nebraska on Friday, knocking a two-run single in the ninth inning of a 9-7 win to give Northwestern the lead for good. Markinson went 5-for-11 on the weekend with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
INF Owen McElfatrick logged his second career multi-homer game in Tuesday's midweek against Northern Illinois with a pair of solo homers.McElfatrick became the fifth different Wildcat to log a multi-homer game this season, joining Trent Liolios (2/15 at Long Beach State, 3/15 G2 vs. Penn State, and 3/28 at Maryland), Bennett Markinson (2/23 G2 at Fordham), Ryan Kucherak (3/21 G2 vs Illinois, 4/18 at Nebraska), and Jack Lausch (3/30 at Maryland). Northwestern (17-20, 8-10 Big Ten) is the only Big Ten team with five different players with a multi-homer game this season.
INF Trent Liolios leads all Wildcats in slugging percentage (.711), home runs (15), runs batted in (34), and runs scored (30). In Big Ten play, Liolios is slashing .275/.354/.739 with nine HRs and 18 RBI.
Liolios' 15 home runs rank tied for most in a single-season in program history with Bob Brucato (1988). Six of Liolios' 15 home runs have come in the eighth inning or later. When Liolios homers, Northwestern is 8-3 and has won five straight.
NU leads the Big Ten and ranks 25th nationally in fielding percentage (.979). In 2024, Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
The Wildcats are 7-4 in one-run games this season, their most one-run wins since 2017 (8). The Wildcats are also 3-0 in extra-inning games this season.
Northwestern is 72-34-1 all-time against UIC, splitting two midweek games this season, both at UIC.
UIC (11-26, 7-8 MVC) is led offensively by OF Luke Nowak, who is hitting .380. C Jackson Bessette leads the team in home runs with seven. UIC's pitching staff is led by LHP Colin Hawkins, who possesses a 3.27 ERA across 22 relief appearances.
Following Tuesday's game, Northwestern will resume Big Ten play with a three-game series against Washington from April 25-April 27. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m. CT, with Saturday and Sunday's games scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
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