The 2025 baseball season has been a great big zero for Northern Illinois pitcher Adam Brouwer.
And the redshirt junior right-hander couldn’t be happier.
Through three starts this spring, Brouwer hasn’t allowed a run. The 2021 Chicago Christian graduate was named Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week for March 3, marking the first time a Huskie has received this award since March 12, 2019.
“It’s a little more special because Northern Illinois really hasn’t had that recognition in a while,” Brouwer said. “So being able to lead the way is really, really cool because NIU has historically just not been good. …
“Even last year, there were times that an NIU pitcher should have won it or could have won it, but they gave it to the Ball State guy because they’ve always been good.”
In a 5-4 victory over host SIU-Edwardsville in the first game of a nonconference doubleheader on Feb. 28, Brouwer became the first Huskie in almost 12 years to have at least 12 strikeouts in a game, fanning 13 Cougars in six innings. He allowed two unearned runs while giving up four hits and walking none.
“It was kind of a weird day because when we got there, it was super windy,” Brouwer said. “I think that actually worked out to our advantage because it was a crosswind.
“So we just threw a lot of curveballs with that wind and they kind of kept swinging. We recognized that early and then just kept throwing them.”
Brouwer has a 1-0 record, having defeated Southeast Missouri on Feb. 21. Through three starts, Brouwer — who pitched two seasons at Division II Illinois-Springfield — has 23 strikeouts in 17 innings. He is one of 21 qualifying pitchers in the country to have an ERA of 0.00 through the first three weeks of the season.
“The key (to not allowing an earned run) has been having a game plan as compared to last year,” Brouwer said. “That was my first year in Division I baseball and it was hard. Getting Division I hitters out is really difficult.
“So learning from last year and actually developing a game plan to know exactly how to get hitters out in different situations has helped a ton. Having that as well as the coaches learning along with me has been huge.”
● DePaul softball pitcher Kelly Greene was named to the Big East’s Honor Roll for the week ending Feb. 10.
In five appearances (four starts) for the Blue Demons, the junior gave up three earned runs and struck out nine. Greene, who prepped at Shepard, tossed complete-game victories against Valparaiso and Western Illinois.