Matt Szczur started for the Cubs on Tuesday night for a couple of reasons.
First, he was continuing to fill in for an injured Javier Baez on the 15-day DL with an injured thumb. But more importantly, Szczur was repping Villanova Wildcats everywhere.
A former Nova baseball player, Szczur was given his second starting nod of the season against the Los Angeles Angels in part due to his alma mater's win over UNC in the NCAA national championship game on Monday night, per NBC Sports' Bill Baer.
"Villanova wins the national championship, I thought it was a good bet for tonight again," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon about starting Szczur.
And damn if he wasn't right.
After hitting a three-run double on Monday night, Szczur followed up his big first start with a solo shot on Tuesday. That the first of Szczur's big moments counted for three points is, as Maddon pointed out, pure poetry.
"It was poetic justice, wasn't it?" Maddon said after the game, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers.
"Give him an opportunity to get out there and play a little bit. We have to check him out."
Translation: "throw him the ball and watch what he do with it."
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