‘Cats baseball might be in store for brighter days after showing some success against Long Beach State.
Ben Greenspan’s Wildcats may finally be turning a corner.
After yet another all-too-characteristic rough season last year that saw NU finish 18-34, it seems the ‘Cats might start to be figuring things out with a re-bolstered roster and a second year under coach Greenspan.
Northwestern began its season with a welcome change in scenery (and weather) in its three-game series against Long Beach State out in California. The Wildcats were in search of their first opening weekend series victory since 2008 against Cal State Northridge.
Against a Long Beach State team looking to get back into the win column after experiencing its first losing season since 2019, Wake Forest transfer Crawford Wade got the nod for Northwestern for the first of three games on Friday night.
The Dirtbags’ offense got out to a hot start on Friday, quickly shelling Wade as they put up five runs through just the first two innings. A Bennett Markinson sacrifice fly and Tyler Ganus RBI single put things back in striking distance in the top of the third. But the Dirtbags continued to pile on, responding with a three-run triple in the bottom of the inning before a nine-run fifth inning put the game out of contention.
The Wildcats could do little to rebound from a 15-run deficit, eventually losing 19-6 in what was a lost cause from quite early on.
Sophomore Garrett Shearer was on the bump for Saturday’s matchup, pitching admirably through six innings as he gave up just two runs on three hits alongside a trio of strikeouts. DH Trent Liolios got things going after a slow start, smacking a solo shot to put the ‘Cats up 1-0 in the top of the third. Long Beach State first baseman Nathan Cadena responded with a big-time two-run double in the fourth, but Ganus answered right back two innings later, whacking a 1-2 pitch into the outfield to score a pair of runs and retake the lead. Reliever Sam Hliboki came up big for the ‘Cats, replacing Shearer and tossing three near-perfect innings where he allowed no runs and just one hit while striking out four.
But the MVP of the day had to be Liolios, who came up big once again in the ninth with a massive three-run homer to add some much-needed insurance headed into the bottom of the ninth. The ‘Cats made quick work of the Dirtbags to end the game, coming away with a 6-2 win and their first victory of the season.
TRENT. AGAIN. @LioliosTrent‘s second blast of the day extends the lead! pic.twitter.com/l44rypULLV
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 16, 2025
Momentum was with the purple and white headed into the third and final game of the series. The final game had a very similar feeling to the second — after Long Beach State took an early lead off a solo shot, Northwestern’s offense stormed back. Shortstop Ryan Kucherak’s homer in the fifth tied things up, but a three-run seventh inning put the Wildcats ahead for good.
Although Long Beach State got back into striking distance with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, another dominant effort from Hliboki put things to bed, giving the ‘Cats a resounding 4-3 victory and the series win.
The ‘Cats looked extremely improved on both ends of the diamond, producing more consistent play with the bats while showing steady pitching after Friday night’s struggles, something foreign to NU for much of last year.
Northwestern travels to the East Coast next, playing a quartet of games against Indiana, Harvard and Fordham in Cary, North Carolina starting Feb. 21.