Friday, May 9
Chicago, Ill.
6 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Ohio State
Northwestern to Host Ohio State at Wrigley Field and Miller Park
5/8/2025 4:11:00 PM | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern will host Ohio State in its final home series of the regular season this weekend. The series will open on Friday night at Wrigley Field with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. The series will return to Rocky and Berenice Miller Park for Saturday and Sunday, with both games at 1 p.m. CT.
Saturday's game at Miller Park is Fan Appreciation Day. Wildcat fans are invited to enjoy free admission to the game and take advantage of $1 hot dogs throughout the contest. Sunday's game will be Senior Day at Miller Park, with festivities set to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. CT.
Northwestern (21-24, 10-14 Big Ten) took Friday's series opener from Purdue last weekend before falling in a pair of close contests in a Saturday doubleheader. After trailing 6-1, Northwestern rallied with six runs in the top of the seventh inning to take game one, 8-6. In the seventh inning of Friday's opener, C Bennett Markinson hit a three-run double to give Northwestern an 8-6 lead in the win. LHP Crawford Wade tossed 3.0 scoreless innings to earn his fourth save of the season.
Friday's game at Wrigley will mark the third straight season that Northwestern has hosted an opponent at the Friendly Confines. Last season, the Wildcats fell to Purdue 9-3 at the iconic ballpark. Playing their first game at Wrigley Field in 10 years, the 'Cats took down Notre Dame 8-7 in an extra-inning thriller in 2023. Then-future Cub Luke Farrell tossed a complete game shutout for the Wildcats in a 6-0 win over Michigan in 2013.
INF Ryan Kucherak hit his 13th home run of the season against Butler. Kucherak ranks second on the team in home runs behind Trent Liolios and his 10 home runs in conference play ranks second in the Big Ten. In conference play, he is slashing .283/.365/.663 with 10 home runs and 21 runs batted in. Kucherak and Liolios became the first Northwestern duo ever to homer at least 13 times in the same season. Kucherak and Liolios are the only Big Ten players with a three-homer game this season and are the only Big Ten teammates with 9+ home runs each in conference play.
Against Northern Illinois on April 15, INF Owen 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). NU is the only Big Ten team with five different players with a multi-homer game this season.
C Bennett Markinson drove in six runs in the series against Purdue, including four in Friday's win. Markinson has recorded an RBI in six consecutive games. In his last 14 games, Markinson is batting .300 with five doubles and 12 runs batted in.
Northwestern ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally in fielding percentage (.978). In 2024, NU led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
Graduate Student UTL Tyler Ganus was selected to the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team. The Allstate NACDA Good Works Team is made up of 60 student-athletes (20 per season) across all sanctioned men's and women's college sports and divisions who go above and beyond in volunteerism and civic engagement, complementing their achievements in academics and sports.
Ohio State (11-33, 3-21 Big Ten) leads the all-time series against Northwestern, 104-55. Last season, Ohio State took the series in Columbus before the Wildcats won Sunday's finale, 3-1 behind a standout day on the mound from Wildcat pitching.
INF Tyler Pettorini leads the offense for Ohio State. Pettorini leads all Buckeyes with a .311 batting average. He leads the team in home runs (10), runs batted in (41), and is tied for second on the squad in doubles (10). Trey Lipsey and Nick Giaramusti have each stolen 14 bases for Ohio State.
Following the weekend, Northwestern will close out its home season with a Tuesday midweek against Valparaiso before hitting the road to close out the regular season at UCLA next weekend.
Saturday's game at Miller Park is Fan Appreciation Day. Wildcat fans are invited to enjoy free admission to the game and take advantage of $1 hot dogs throughout the contest. Sunday's game will be Senior Day at Miller Park, with festivities set to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. CT.
Northwestern (21-24, 10-14 Big Ten) took Friday's series opener from Purdue last weekend before falling in a pair of close contests in a Saturday doubleheader. After trailing 6-1, Northwestern rallied with six runs in the top of the seventh inning to take game one, 8-6. In the seventh inning of Friday's opener, C Bennett Markinson hit a three-run double to give Northwestern an 8-6 lead in the win. LHP Crawford Wade tossed 3.0 scoreless innings to earn his fourth save of the season.
Friday's game at Wrigley will mark the third straight season that Northwestern has hosted an opponent at the Friendly Confines. Last season, the Wildcats fell to Purdue 9-3 at the iconic ballpark. Playing their first game at Wrigley Field in 10 years, the 'Cats took down Notre Dame 8-7 in an extra-inning thriller in 2023. Then-future Cub Luke Farrell tossed a complete game shutout for the Wildcats in a 6-0 win over Michigan in 2013.
INF Trent Liolios broke the Northwestern single-season home run record with his 16th blast of the season against Butler, surpassing Bob Brucato (1988). Six of Liolios' 16 home runs have come in the eighth inning or later. When Liolios homers, Northwestern is 9-3 and has won six straight games. This season, Liolios is slugging .636 with 16 home runs and 36 runs batted in.In honor of this Friday's game at Wrigley Field, we're throwing it back to 2013, when then-future Cub @Luke_T_Farrell tossed a complete-game shutout in a 6-0 win over Michigan at the Friendly Confines! pic.twitter.com/7a6i8RBaH7
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) May 7, 2025
INF Ryan Kucherak hit his 13th home run of the season against Butler. Kucherak ranks second on the team in home runs behind Trent Liolios and his 10 home runs in conference play ranks second in the Big Ten. In conference play, he is slashing .283/.365/.663 with 10 home runs and 21 runs batted in. Kucherak and Liolios became the first Northwestern duo ever to homer at least 13 times in the same season. Kucherak and Liolios are the only Big Ten players with a three-homer game this season and are the only Big Ten teammates with 9+ home runs each in conference play.
Against Northern Illinois on April 15, INF Owen 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). NU is the only Big Ten team with five different players with a multi-homer game this season.
C Bennett Markinson drove in six runs in the series against Purdue, including four in Friday's win. Markinson has recorded an RBI in six consecutive games. In his last 14 games, Markinson is batting .300 with five doubles and 12 runs batted in.
Northwestern ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally in fielding percentage (.978). In 2024, NU led the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.980).
Graduate Student UTL Tyler Ganus was selected to the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team. The Allstate NACDA Good Works Team is made up of 60 student-athletes (20 per season) across all sanctioned men's and women's college sports and divisions who go above and beyond in volunteerism and civic engagement, complementing their achievements in academics and sports.
Ohio State (11-33, 3-21 Big Ten) leads the all-time series against Northwestern, 104-55. Last season, Ohio State took the series in Columbus before the Wildcats won Sunday's finale, 3-1 behind a standout day on the mound from Wildcat pitching.
INF Tyler Pettorini leads the offense for Ohio State. Pettorini leads all Buckeyes with a .311 batting average. He leads the team in home runs (10), runs batted in (41), and is tied for second on the squad in doubles (10). Trey Lipsey and Nick Giaramusti have each stolen 14 bases for Ohio State.
Following the weekend, Northwestern will close out its home season with a Tuesday midweek against Valparaiso before hitting the road to close out the regular season at UCLA next weekend.
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C/1B
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballBaseball - 'Cats Take Down No. 14 UCLA, 9-4 (5/15/25)
Friday, May 16
Baseball - Wildcats Top Beacons, 12-4 (5/13/25)
Wednesday, May 14
Baseball - Northwestern Run-Rules Ohio State to Secure Series (5/11/25)
Sunday, May 11
Baseball - Wildcats Run-Rule Buckeyes at Wrigley Field (5/9/25)
Saturday, May 10
