A little late this morning, but.. here we are.
These are your Big Ten baseball series this weekend:
Nebraska at Michigan State
This is an extremely important series for Nebraska if they wish to keep their NCAA tourney hopes alive. The RPI is on the edge of what it would take to get an at-large bid out of the Big Ten, and the Huskers are ranked in a poll for the first time this season.
Schedule is below, note that Christian DeLeon has still not returned to the weekend starting rotation.
Saturday, May 10 – 2:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: RHP Sinclair (7-1) vs. RHP VanVossen (6-2)
Sunday, May 11 – 12:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: LHP Bummer (5-3) vs. RHP Alleman (5-1)
Monday, May 12 – 12:05 p.m. (CT)
Probable Starters: LHP Kubat (3-2) vs. LHP Vieaux (6-3)
Illinois at Iowa
The Illini should win this series 2-1. Iowa still struggling to get up a bit, and the Illini are playing pretty good baseball.
Game 1 Pitching Matchup |
ILL: Drasen Johnson (RHP, r-Jr., 4-5, 3.25 ERA) IOWA: Blake Hickman (RHP, So., 2-1, 3.68 ERA) |
Game 2 Pitching Matchup |
ILL: John Kravetz (RHP, Jr., 5-1, 3.09 ERA) IOWA: Sasha Kuebel (LHP, Jr., 6-3, 4.35 ERA) |
Game 3 Pitching Matchup |
ILL: Kevin Duchene (LHP, So., 2-1, 1.80 ERA) IOWA: Tyler Peyton (RHP, r-Fr., 4-0, 4.50 ERA) |
Indiana at Penn State
Really. Indiana 3-0.
Ohio State at Michigan
Both of these teams should make the Big Ten tournament, although if the Buckeyes lose this series (again) you have to ask where the hell this program is going. I'll take Michigan to win it, though, because I've given up on Ohio State.
Fri.: LHP Tanner Tully (5-2, 2.02 ERA)
vs. LHP Trent Szkutnik (1-5, 3.76)
Sat.: LHP Ryan Riga (4-2, 3.86)
vs. LHP Evan HIll (3-6, 3.99)
Sun.: RHP Greg Greve (6-3, 3.39)
vs. TBA
Purdue at Minnesota
I was going to say that Minnesota should smash Purdue in this series, but the Gophers lost a midweek game to Concordia-Moorehead despite outhitting them 9-3. They are not a Division I team. I suppose you could chalk that up to "this happens sometimes", but it's not a good time for Minnesota to slump. Still, Minnesota should take this series 2-1.
Southern-Illinois Edwardsville at Northwestern
Where is SIU Edwardsville?
Well, they're above the Wildcats in the RPI, 222 versus 237, respectively, which is kind of sad, really.
Nebraska Softball
The Big Ten softball tournament started yesterday, and today your Nebraska regular season tied for conference championship team will be playing on BTN at 2:30 pm. Nebraska has won 15 of their last 16 conference games, and will be playing Ohio State today, and any time we can beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in any sport, it's a good day.
I'm sure community member and sweetheart redvalley will be able to tell you anything you know about the Nebraska softball team in the comments section.
Huskers Hope to Sweep Conference Titles - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
After earning a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship, the No. 18 Nebraska softball team sets its sights on a conference tournament title this weekend in Evanston, Ill.
Other
2014 Draft Preview: Track Record Lands Rodon Atop First Mock - BaseballAmerica.com
Projected Pick: Monte Harrison
3 big economics problems with the NCAA's talking points - SBNation.com
Tthe NCAA's picture of the potential failure of collegiate athletics isn't just dangerous legal ground. It also wouldn't work in econ class.