Rocky Miller Park, Northwestern University

The second game of the weekend was my first Big 10 conference game. I drove up to Evanston to see Purdue University vs Northwestern University play the final game of their series. Purdue was ranked 19th in the nation before the series.

The Wildcats pitcher Zach Morton started out well, before the Boilermakers just waiting him out, and got a four run inning in the fourth. Three errors didn't really help that much, but against a good team like Purdue you just can't give them runs. After that they would continue to add on runs against the Wildcat bullpen and end up with a 8-4 win.

The ballpark is 54 years old and looks it, besides the field. It is in a sports complex along with Ryan Field (football) and Welsh-Ryan arena (Basketball). plus the softball field. The whole complex is northwest of the university. It is 7.00 to get in for baseball, parking is free. There is a big lot to north of the stadiums. The part that i liked was the little restruant just off of the parking lot. It is called Mustard's Last Stand, it is a little dinky place. I had the hotdogs, they were ok, the fries were missing something.

Rocky Miller Park has a lot of purple in it, of course since it is the Wildcats color. Press box is behind a half dozen rows of benches, that really are not that comfortable. The scoreboard is operated by players down right behind home plate at a table. The park underwent a lot of improvements and a rededication in 1984. The field itself was just replaced this past fall. The park seats 600 fans. The concession stand is a trailer with an outdoor grill. The bathrooms are way out beyond the outfield fence in the Wildcat training building. The have a lot of posters and schedules.