Two Big Ten teams (Illinois, Iowa, were swept this week, with only one (Nebraska) doing the sweeping.
This is a fairly abbreviated version of the weekly review as a nasty head cold has me a little more tired than I'd like to be.
Big Ten |
Overall |
|||
Team |
Record |
Pct. |
Record |
Pct. |
Iowa |
0-0 |
.000 |
9-4 |
.692 |
Nebraska |
0-0 |
.000 |
8-5 |
.615 |
Ohio State |
0-0 |
.000 |
8-5 |
.615 |
Minnesota |
0-0 |
.000 |
7-5 |
.583 |
Indiana |
0-0 |
.000 |
7-6 |
.538 |
Michigan State |
0-0 |
.000 |
7-7 |
.500 |
Illinois |
0-0 |
.000 |
6-7 |
.462 |
Michigan |
0-0 |
.000 |
6-10-1 |
.382 |
Penn State |
0-0 |
.000 |
4-8 |
.333 |
Northwestern |
0-0 |
.000 |
3-10 |
.231 |
Purdue |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-10 |
.091 |
Illinois |
0-3 |
Western Kentucky 4, Illinois 3 Western Kentucky 5, Illinois 3 Western Kentucky 1, Illinois 0 |
Illinois had their four game win streak snapped by the Hilltoppers and were swept in a series for the first time since 2012. In the first two games the Illini held leads, but they couldn't hold up. In the last Drasen Johnson allowed only 7 hits and a run, but it wasn't enough as the Illinois offense managed only four hits on the day. |
||
Indiana |
3-1 |
Indiana 2, Xavier 1 Jacksonville 4, Indiana 3 Indiana 9, Jacksonvile 2 Indiana 7, Jacksonville 6 |
Indiana got bad news this week as closer Ryan Halstead is out for the season due to injury. Halstead holds the school record for career saves and single season record for saves (11 - 2013). The Hoosiers won their home opener against Xavier as Kyle Hart went 7 innings, giving up four runs, then took a series from Jacksonville. Lack of timely hitting late cost Indiana the first game, even as ace Joey DeNato went 7 IP, giving up 3 earned runs. In the second game, the Hoosiers rattled off 13 hits to force the Sunday rubber match. Sunday they scored two runs in the top of the ninth to save the series. Indiana has dropped in the polls, but remains at #16 from Baseball America. |
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Iowa |
0-3 |
Kansas State 3, Iowa 2 Kansas State 5, Iowa 2 Kansas State 12, Iowa 8 |
Iowa was off to their best start since 1940 until they headed to Manhattan and were swept by the Wildcats. |
||
Michigan |
2-2 |
Princeton 7, Michigan 3 Michigan 8, Princeton 2 Princeton 6, Michigan 5 Michigan 4, Princeton 2 |
Michigan State |
2-1 |
Michigan State 2, TCU 1 Michigan State 4, TCU 1 TCU 6, Michigan State 2 |
The Spartans took a series from TCU in Forth Worth, knocking the Horned Frogs from Baseball America's rankings. In game one, Blaise Salter hit a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth to get the win for the Spartans, while in game two, pitcher Mick VanVossen moved to 3-0 as he went 8 innings, giving up 6 hits and one earned run. In game three, Michigan State managed only eight hits to TCU's 12. |
||
Minnesota |
1-2 |
Elon 5, Minnesota 2 Minnesota 5, Coastal Carolina 2 UNC Greensboro 4, Minnesota 1 |
Elon and UNC Greenboro pitchers both threw complete games against Minnesota. Against UNC Greensboro, both starting pitchers gave up a single run, but Minnesota's Lance Thonvold gave up three runs in the final two frames. Minnesota appears to be in the same mold they were last season - good pitching (Third in Big Ten with a 3.58 ERA) - but having problems scoring runs (10th in team batting at .238). |
||
Nebraska |
3-0 |
Nebraska 12, St John's 4 Nebraska 7, St John's 6 Nebraska 14, St John's 7 |
Nebraska got good news this week as starting pitcher Kyle Kubat started Friday's game, going 4.2 innings giving up 4 earned runs and 7 hits, and the Huskers won their 36th straight home opener dating back to 1979. Michael Pritchard's nation-leading on-base streak stretched to 55 games as he hit 3 doubles in the final game in the series. 33 runs over three games - the Nebraska offense is humming. Nebraska currently sits at top of the conference in team batting at .313. The Huskers are 7th in pitching with a 4.38 ERA and are tops in team fielding with a .976 percentage. |
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Northwestern |
1-2 |
South Florida 7, Northwestern 0 South Florida 4, Northwestern 2 Northwestern 6, South Florida 4 |
The win in the final game against South Florida snapped a six-game losing streak for the Wildcats. |
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Ohio State |
1-2 |
Oregon 8, Ohio State 2 Ohio State 5, Oregon 0 Oregon 20, Ohio State 4 |
In the first game of the series, the Buckeyes gave up seven runs in the fourth inning. The good news - Ryan Riga tossed a complete game shutout as the Buckeyes beat highly ranked #9 Oregon in the second game. The bad news - Ohio State used seven pitchers in the 20-4 loss, none of which made it to two innings. The Ducks managed 20 runs on 13 hits as the Buckeye pitching staff gave up nine walks while managing only six strike outs. |
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Penn State |
1-2 |
St Mary's 6, Penn State 2 St Mary's 4, Penn State 0 Penn State 9, St Mary's 6 |
Saint Mary's freshman pitcher Cameron Neff tossed his first shutout and complete game of his career in the 4-0 win, allowing just two hits and striking out 10 in the performance. Penn State's Steve Snyder is one bright spot for the Blue and White, hitting .400 |
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Purdue |
0-3 |
LSU 10, Purdue 0 LSU 4, Purdue 2 LSU 7, Purdue 3 |
Purdue remains at the bottom of the conference in team batting at .194, and having scored only 20 runs all season. Pitching is also worst, with a 8.39 ERA (!!!!). Things are not good. There's an understatement. |
Player of the Week
Jackson Glines, Michigan
Jr., OF, Coarsegold, Calif./Yosemite
- Had a hand in nearly half of Michigan's offensive production last week, driving in eight runs and scoring six more as the Wolverines scored 29 runs during their six-game week
- Went 9-of-17 from the plate and recorded three multi-hit games and six extra base hits, including five doubles
- Opened the week with a 2-for-4 effort against Florida Gulf Coast in which he drove in a career-high five runs
- Scored two runs in each of the final three contests of the four-game set against Princeton, recording two doubles in the series' second game and a triple in the finale
- Wins his first career Big Ten Player of the Week honor
- Last Michigan Big Ten Player of the Week: Michael O'Neill (March 4, 2013)
Pitcher of the Week
Ryan Riga, Ohio State
Jr., LHP, Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield
- Tossed a complete-game shutout against nationally ranked Oregon on Saturday, helping Ohio State to a 5-0 victory
- Set a career record with 10 strikeouts, while surrendering just five hits and one walk
- Marks Ohio State's first complete-game shutout since March 2013, and first double-digit strikeout game since February 2013
- Wins his second career Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor and second this season
- Last Ohio State Big Ten Pitcher of the Week: Ryan Riga (Feb. 18, 2014)
Freshman of the Week
Ryan Boldt, Nebraska
OF, Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing
- Finished the weekend with six runs and six hits, both team highs, in helping the Huskers to a three-game sweep over St. John's
- Batted .600 for the week and recorded multiple hits in the first two games of the series, including a 3-for-4 effort in the series opener
- Scored two runs in the second game and finished with three runs and a triple in the finale to help Nebraska to the sweep
- Wins his first career weekly honor
- Last Nebraska Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Pat Kelly (May 14, 2012)