{"id":76705,"date":"2019-02-26T11:55:06","date_gmt":"2019-02-26T17:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=76705"},"modified":"2019-02-28T09:44:45","modified_gmt":"2019-02-28T15:44:45","slug":"despite-back-to-back-no-decisions-northwesterns-christie-right-where-he-wants-to-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/despite-back-to-back-no-decisions-northwesterns-christie-right-where-he-wants-to-be\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite back-to-back no decisions, NU\u2019s Christie right where he wants to be"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Andre Toran<\/strong>
\nMedill Reports<\/em><\/p>\n

With a full count, a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Northwestern University pitcher Hank Christie came to balance, glanced over at the Duke runner and began his delivery to the plate.<\/p>\n

Spinning off his right hand, Christie\u2019s breaking ball swept across the strike zone, diving toward the left-handed batter at the plate, and induced a lamentable swing-and-miss from Duke second baseman Tyler Wardwell .<\/p>\n

That was supposed to the dagger. The knee-buckling curve Christie threw helped him to strikeout the side and preserve the 3-1 Northwestern lead going into the sixth.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Instead, Northwestern (3-4) went on to fall to No. 20 Duke 5-4 in extra innings Saturday night, after blowing the lead in the eighth inning for a second straight week. This is the second consecutive time Christie watched a win slip away from his column, \u00a0his efforts returned with the sting of a no decision.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Northwestern pitcher Hank Christie began his delivery to the plate Friday vs. Duke University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yet every pitch Christie threw Saturday in Durham hit the glove with purpose. And, despite another no decision, Christie is sticking true to a promise he made to himself in the off-season: \u201ctaking more of a leadership position, focusing on the little things every day, and overall being more than just a pitcher on the staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

A year ago, Christie began the 2018 campaign as the ace of Northwestern\u2019s pitching staff, coming off a successful freshman season that netted him All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors. After assuming the role of the ace for the first three weekends of the 2018 season, complacency kicked in and Christie was removed.<\/p>\n

Christie accredits this breakdown in performance to a lack of maturity, but says he was humbled by the experience; it was necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing in that role, I was very excited, but at the time I was a hot-headed sophomore,\u201d said Christie, the Oak Park native . \u201cI didn\u2019t really remember what put me in that position and the work that I needed to do. So, I was a little over-confident.\u201d<\/p>\n

“That\u2019s just the nature of the game. Things even out —\u00a0 reversion to the mean, I would say. So, if you\u2019re not really working hard and paying attention to the little things, they can spiral out of control.\u201d<\/p>\n

With every pitch he\u2019s thrown thus far, Christie is out to prove he\u2019s matured and can be a consistently dominant force in the Big Ten and beyond.<\/p>\n

Want evidence? Look no further than Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\"\"
NU pitcher Hank Christie prepares to pitch with a runner on first vs. Duke Friday night. (Carolyn Katz\/Carolyn Katz Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Christie went pitch for pitch with Duke\u2019s Graeme Stinson — the No. 1 ranked pitching prospect in the country, according to D1Baseball \u2013 with his only blemish being a second inning solo shot off the bat of Duke catcher Rudy Maxwell.\u00a0 Aside from that, Christie pitched six strong innings of three-hit baseball, striking out 10 and not allowing a single walk.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s simple for Christie. He said he felt he has something to prove. And walking the fine line between confidence and arrogance is a part of that larger narrative; it’s a controlled credence in one\u2019s ability.<\/p>\n

\u201cI take it personally that this guy I\u2019m throwing against gets all the hype,\u201d Christie said about facing Stinson. \u201cI know the name, I\u2019m not ignorant about it. I know he\u2019s the No. 1 pitching prospect in the nation. But I feel like there\u2019s nobody I can\u2019t beat when I\u2019m throwing my best stuff. And that\u2019s how I have to feel when I\u2019m on the mound.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stinson ended the duel early on a pitch-count restriction, exiting after four commanding innings of pitching that produced seven K\u2019s and no earned runs. His departure placed the spotlight solely on Christie\u2019s efforts and eventually gave Northwestern an opportunity to put a dent in the scoreboard.<\/p>\n

An offensive explosion by the Wildcats at the top of the fifth seemed to suck the air out of the undefeated Blue Devil\u2019s and gave NU a 3-1 lead after trailing 1-0. Christie was in position to earn his first win of the year, and a strong statement in the fifth and sixth offered the beginnings of that reality.<\/p>\n

After giving up double to begin the bottom of the fifth, Christie settled down and struck out the side. He walked off the mound flexing, pumping his fist and embraced teammates at the edge of the dugout with hi-fives.<\/p>\n

However, Christie\u2019s strong effort returned void.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Northwestern University pitcher Hank Christie comes set and prepares to throw to the plate versus BYU Feb. 15, 2019. (Carolyn Katz\/Carolyn Katz Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As he did a week earlier, Christie put up an identical line versus Brigham Young University — six innings pitched, three hits, one earned run. And the results were just as similar: Christie doesn\u2019t return to the mound in the seventh, the Northwestern bullpen gives up the lead in the eighth, the Wildcats lose in extra innings and Christie goes home with the no decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a team game and he (Christie) understands that,\u201d said Head Coach Spencer Allen, in reference to the team\u2019s bullpen breakdowns. \u201cWe\u2019re still trying to figure out exactly how to handle late game situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

With any measure of luck or support from the NU bullpen, Christie could easily be 2-0. But as A. Bartlett Giamatti — the seventh Commissioner of Major League Baseball — once put it: \u201c[Baseball] breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though there\u2019s a zero in his win column, Christie\u2019s growth is evident, and his efforts have been dominant. In two starts this year, Christie has posted 1.50 ERA, struck out 14, and has only walked 1 batter in 12 innings pitched.<\/p>\n

If Christie can sustain this level of production, the wins will come, and Big Ten honors will be in sight once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just keeps coming after hitters,\u201d Allen said. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be days where guys get him, but he did a really good job against a good Duke team\u2026I\u2019m really proud of how Hank keeps attacking.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cHank will get his wins as long as he keeps pitching as he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though his physical efforts have come back void in the statistical sense of wins and losses, Christie has shown improvement and growth in attitude and mentality – \u00a0its seen, it\u2019s noticed, and Christie is right where he wants to be.<\/p>\n

Photo at top:\u00a0NU pitcher Hank Christie throws a pitch against Duke Friday night. (Carolyn Katz\/Carolyn Katz Photography)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Andre Toran Medill Reports With a full count, a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Northwestern University pitcher Hank Christie came to balance, glanced over at the Duke runner and began his delivery to the plate. Spinning off his right hand, Christie\u2019s breaking ball swept across the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":538,"featured_media":76718,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,4559],"tags":[192],"class_list":["post-76705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","category-winter-2019","tag-promo"],"yoast_head":"\nDespite back-to-back no decisions, NU\u2019s Christie right where he wants to be - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/despite-back-to-back-no-decisions-northwesterns-christie-right-where-he-wants-to-be\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Despite back-to-back no decisions, NU\u2019s Christie right where he wants to be - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Andre Toran Medill Reports With a full count, a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Northwestern University pitcher Hank Christie came to balance, glanced over at the Duke runner and began his delivery to the plate. 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