North by Northwestern

Ferguson Jenkins, Rick Sutcliffe, Greg Maddux...Luke Farrell?

In its 99-year history, Wrigley Field has seen some legendary pitching performances. Farrell might not quite match up with the Hall-of-Famers that stood on that mound before him, but the 6-6 senior put on quite a show in front of over 4,000 fans Saturday evening.

While he tossed a nine-strikeout, three-hit complete game, his teammates contributed plenty of offense on the way to a 6-0 win over Michigan. It was a picture-perfect result for Northwestern baseball’s first game at Wrigley, especially considering how awestruck the team was to call such a historic venue home for a night.

“Absolutely unbelievable. The amount of people, the yelling, the screaming, the energy, the enthusiasm. I don’t know if it gets any better than what I just saw in the last few hours,” said head coach Paul Stevens. “I was absolutely mesmerized, and I know our guys were.”

When the winningest coach in the program’s history is giddy, that’s saying something. Stevens has been coaching the ‘Cats for 26 years and even he couldn’t contain his excitement, saying, “I wanted to be that little kid running out on the field. That was something special.”

Ask any baseball fan: Wrigley is more than just a stadium. It’s an icon. The second-oldest MLB venue still in use (behind only Boston’s Fenway Park) has seen many of baseball’s all-time greats, making it a unique thrill for the players on the field.

As the Wildcats got off the bus, it was a mad dash to the locker room to claim the most famous Cubs’ pre-game space as their own. Senior second baseman Zach Morton, who batted 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs Saturday, didn’t get his first choice but was happy just for the opportunity to be in the clubhouse.

“I have Travis Wood. Starlin Castro, [Jeff] Samardzija, those guys are all taken. I came in late, being a senior, sitting in the back of the bus,” Morton laughed before the game. “Freshmen get first takes. I don’t like it, but you’ve got a seat in there, it’s great.”

After getting settled in, the Wildcats went out onto the field for batting practice. It was still early, and Michigan hadn’t shown up, so they had the Friendly Confines all to themselves in a one-of-a-kind intimate moment.

Not only were they playing on a legendary field, but they were doing it under the bright stadium lights. Most Cubs games are played in the early afternoon, so for Northwestern to be able to play a night game was something special.

“If you don’t think that these guys are sitting down in that locker room so excited that they can’t stand themselves, you’re kidding yourself,” Stevens said before the first pitch. “This is just a tremendous opportunity for them, and what a great opportunity for Michigan and us to compete on such a tremendous venue.”

All this was happening because of a partnership between NU and the Cubs organization, announced in Chicago back on Feb. 5. Excited athletic director Jim Phillips talked before the game about what a great opportunity the night would be for Northwestern.

“Maybe a majority of these guys won’t play professional baseball and will never get the chance to play at Wrigley, so for us to be able to put this game together, it’s pretty cool,” he said. “Any time that you can have terrific partners and get into the city and get into a venue like this, I’ve said it repeatedly: it’s really important. And I think it’s paid dividends.”

Despite being in a unique situation and fighting pre-game jitters, the Wildcats didn’t show it. Instead, they came out with the energy of a group that looked ready to seize the moment.

Farrell kept the Wolverines without a hit until the fifth inning as the NU offense raced out to a 3-0 lead. They tacked on three more in a dominant eighth inning, and Farrell closed things out in the top of the ninth. It was a game that the Wildcats had control of from the early stages, capitalizing on the energy and emotion of their surroundings.

“The people around you are what make you energized,” Stevens said. “I thought they all got shots of adrenaline, and I think they played like it...I just saw tremendous energy from our guys, and I really believe that this ballpark created that.”

If anyone was right for the situation, it was Farrell. His father, John, is a former major league pitcher and the current manager of the Boston Red Sox. Stevens calls him a student of the game, and coming from a family like his, it’s hard not to be.

Farrell showed the poise of a veteran during his first complete game of the season. As he got closer and closer to finishing the Wolverines off, the crowd got progressively more raucous. While he was definitely excited, Farrell was completely unfazed by the pressure.

“That might be the best I’ve thrown,” he said. “I’m happy with it. No better place to do it.

“I was a little fired up. It’s fun pitching in front of big crowds, so thanks to all these people that came out.”

The fans were just as grateful for the show that he and the team provided them. Purple-clad supporters were coming up to the Wrigley walls, trying to celebrate with the joyful players after they had sealed the win.

The Wildcats went around exchanging high-fives and hugs with smiles on their faces after recording the final out. For all of the hype surrounding the game, the result had validated the anticipation, even if the players couldn’t quite find the words.

“It hasn’t really set in yet,” Morton said. “I just want to celebrate with the team right now, but definitely on par, if not better than what I expected.”

The best part is that it’s only just the beginning. The deal between Northwestern and the Cubs means that there will be more of these games to come, in both baseball and football. If they can garner the attention that they’re worthy of, it’ll be a great decision for both sides of the agreement.

Saturday was a historic day for Northwestern baseball. There’s a visible newfound energy around the program, energy that hopefully will bring more attention to the team and create similar experiences moving forward. Stevens has been around for a long time, but rather than looking into the past, he’s getting excited for the future. And it’s all thanks to Wrigley.

“I would love to have a stage like this every single night we play, with the lights and the energy and the atmosphere,” Stevens said. “I think that’ll happen sooner or later at Northwestern, but obviously, it’s not going to create the Wrigley experience.”