Big Ten Baseball Blog: Saturday Conference Results (So Far)

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Saturday Conference Results (So Far)

IOWA 6
OHIO ST. 8

Buckeye reliever Drew Rucinski improves to 9-2 after giving up 2 runs on 2 hits in 2 innings of work. Closer Jake Hale also picked up his 15th save of the season after pitching a scoreless 9th inning and striking out one batter. Hawkeye reliever Mike Schurz drops to 1-2 after giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits in just one inning of work. Offensively the Buckeyes were led by 3B Justin Miller who finished 3-3 with 1 HR, 2 runs, and 2 RBI. The black and yellow were led by 1B Sean Flanagan who finished 2-4 with 2 runs, 1 HR, and 2 RBI. With the win, the Buckeye's title hopes are still alive (will clinch with a Minnesota loss). They improve to 39-15 (18-6) on the season. With the loss, the Hawkeyes finish the season with a record of 16-35 (4-19).

MICHIGAN 6
NORHTWESTERN 10 (Game 1)

Northwestern hurler Eric Jokisch gave up 6 runs on 9 hits and struckout 4 Wolverines in his 8-inning winning performance which moved him to 4-7 on the season. Wolverine reliever Tyler Burgoon drops to 4-2 after giving up 4 runs on 4 hits in just 0.2 innings of work. Offensively the Wildcats were led by 3B Chris Lashmet who finished 2-4 with 2 RBI. 1B Tony Vercelli also added a HR, and finished the day 1-5 with 3 runs and 3 RBI. The Wolverines were led by LF Kenny Fellows who finished the day 3-5 with a run and 2 RBI. Ryan LaMarre and Mike Dufek each added a HR for the blue and maize. With the win, Northwestern improved to 13-35 (4-17), while Michigan dropped to 30-24 (9-14), which eliminates them from the Big Ten Tournament.

ILLINOIS 8
PURDUE 12

Purdue starter Matt Morgan improves to 6-4 on the season after giving up 3 earned runs on 10 hits in 6.1 innings of work. Illini starter Bryan Roberts drops to 5-4 on the year after giving up 4 runs on 7 hits in just 2.1 innings pitched. Offensively, the Boilermakers were led by LF Alex Jaffee, who finished a perfect 4-4 with 1 HR, 2 runs, and 3 RBI. 2B Eric Charles also finished an impressive 4-5 with 4 runs, and Cummins and Haveman each added 3 hits of their own. Illinois was led by RF Pete Cappetta who finished 4-5 with 1 HR, 2 runs, and 2 RBI. SS Brandon Wikoff also collected three hits, and finished 3-5 with a run. With the win, Purdue secures the sixth and final spot in the Big Ten Tournament, and improves to 24-24 (11-12). The loss drops the Illini to 33-18 (16-8).

MICHIGAN ST. 7
INDIANA 3

Spartan starter Tony Bucciferro imrpoves to 5-2 on the year after giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and striking out 9 Hoosier hitters in 7.1 innings. Spartan reliver Max Miller picked up his first save of the season after pitching 1.2 scoreless innings. Hoosier reliever Igel recieves the loss and drops to 1-1 after giving up 3 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings of work. Offensively the Spartans were led by DH Eric Roof, who finished 2-4 with a homerun, 2 runs, and 2 RBI. LF Johnny Lee and 1B Jeff Holm also finished with two hits a piece for the green and white. Indiana was led offensively by SS Jake Dunning who finished 1-3 with a HR and 1 RBI. With the win, Michigan State improves to 23-29 (13-11), while the Hoosiers drop to 28-25 (16-7).

MINNESOTA 8
PENN ST. 5 bottom of 4, rain delay

With Minnesota and Penn State in a rain delay, the Big Ten crown has not yet been decided. With Illinois and Indiana losses, they are eliminated from 1st place contention. Ohio State's win keeps them alive, but they need a loss from Minnesota to be named conference champions. Minnesota, on the other hand, will win the conference if they win, or the game gets rained out. If Minnesota loses, the crown goes to the Buckeyes.

Stay tuned for the results of the Minnesota vs. Penn State game..... it can also be seen on the Big Ten Network if you have that channel in your cable package.

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Big Ten Baseball Blog

Hello everyone and thanks for checking out my Big Ten Baseball Blog! This website is a great resource for anyone and everyone who is interested in not only Big Ten baseball, but baseball in general. Obviously, the main topics of discussion will be Big Ten baseball, but there will also be discussion of other levels of baseball as well. I will try to faithfully update the blog with scores, statistics, standings, and discussions as much as possible.

If you are unfamiliar with Big Ten baseball, or the Big Ten conference in general, here is a quick overview:

The Big Ten Conference was established in 1895, and originally included seven midwestern universities (University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, Purdue University, and the University of Wisconsin.). In 1899, Indiana University and Iowa University joined the Big Ten while in 1912, Ohio State joined. In 1946, Chicago withdrew from the Big Ten and later in 1949 Michigan State University was added. For a period of 40 years, the Big Ten remained with its 10 members until 1990 when the Big Ten agreed to add Pennsylvania State University. Since this addition, the Big Ten has become the 11-team elite athletics conference it is today. In recap, today's Big Ten conference includes Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan St., Iowa, Penn St., Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Ohio St., and Wisconsin.

The Big Ten athletics conference competes in 12 men's sports and 13 women's sports, and has become one of the strongest collegiate athletics conferences in the nation. Among these is baseball, this blog's focus.

Big Ten baseball has a long and rich tradition which sadly has gone "under the radar" due to the lack of popularity of not only baseball in the midwest, but college baseball in general. It is my goal to gain more attention to this great conference and sport which is always filled with extremely gifted student athletes and exciting competition.

Currently, 10 of the 11 teams in the Big Ten conference compete in men's baseball. Wisconsin is the only team which does not participate, cutting their program in the late 1980's. These 10 teams play a full 50-60 game schedule each spring, and ultimately strive to become not only Big Ten champions, but NCAA champions. Each season, teams play a handful of non-conference games against various opponents across the nation, as well as 24 games against conference opponents (this determines who wins the Big Ten regular season championship). Once the 24 conference games have completed, the top 6 teams in the conference recieve spots in the Big Ten tournament, which has been held at the regular season champion's home field in the past, but this year will be held at a neutral site in Columbus, OH (Huntington Park). The winner of this tournament recieves an automatic bid into the NCAA baseball tournament which ultimately determines the national champion.

Each year, Big Ten teams are getting more talented and are creating a more exciting situtation for fans and followers. The Big Ten has produced some very quality major league baseball players, and will continue to do so.

I hope that this blog will serve as a great resource for you to follow, learn, and enjoy the great sport of baseball, and more specifically, in the great Big Ten Conference.