The non-conference NCAA baseball season has come and gone, and the 10 members of the Big Ten conference have begun league play. Here is a look at how the Big Ten stacks up.
Illinois: The Fighting Illini struggled in non-conference play, starting the season 6-10, and then dropped three of four to the Ohio State Buckeyes to open league play. Scrappy leadoff man Vince DiMaria sets the tone for Illinois at the top of the order. A versatile player, DiMaria has the ability to play both infield and outfield — where he saw plenty of action for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League this summer. In the heart of the order, head coach Richard “Itch” Jones looks to 3B/1B Chad Fryk, SS Eric Eymann, OF Drew Davidson and C Chris Robinson for run production. Eymann has not missed a start in his U of I career.
On the mound, right-handers Joe Ziemba, Jimmy Conroy and Ted Rowe have solidified the top three spots in the rotation, while 6-foot-9 righty Andy Sigerich and Jeff Paarlberg are battling for the fourth spot.
Indiana: After a sixth-place conference finish a year ago, the Hoosiers are looking to move up the ladder in 2004. Indiana entered the Big Ten portion of its schedule riding the wave of an eight-game winning streak and then split four meetings with Northwestern.
SS Seth Bynum has opened the season on a tear, hitting at a .424 clip, while double-play partner Corby Heckman checks in at a more than acceptable .364. CF Reggie Watson has speed to burn at the top of the order and is always a threat to steal a base. Bynum and Watson currently rank 1-2 in the conference in stolen bases. The heavy Hoosier hitters are OF Kevin Mahar and 1B Joe Kemp.
The pitching staff is led by RH Josh Lewis and RH Nick Vitiellis, who missed all of 2003 due to Tommy John surgery. RH Brian Lortz has a 1.78 ERA this year while swinging between the starting rotation and the pen.
Iowa: The Hawkeyes struggled in 2003, finishing the season 18-29 and 10-21 in league play. This season under first-year coach Jack Dahm, they have gotten off to a 6-16 start and have begun the Big Ten schedule 0-4, the most recent loss being a 12-1 drubbing at the hands of Michigan State Sunday. Offensively Dahm will look to his outfield for production. LF Jesse Brownell is the only Iowa regular to hit over .300 this season and he will look for some help from CF L.J. Mims and RF Nate Yoho, who also possesses a strong arm in the field. SS Jeff Gremley adds speed to the mix.
The pitching staff is headed up by a pair of righties: Austin Seward and Nathan Johnson. Reliever Chris Maliszewski is a workhorse southpaw who will see plenty of late-game action against left-handed batters.
Michigan: The Wolverines took two of four games from conference favorites Minnesota to begin league play and currently sit right at .500 with an 11-11 mark. OF Matt Butler’s 10-game hitting streak has powered the Wolverine offensive attack as of late. Joining Butler in the Michigan outfield is Eric Rose, who leads the club with a .426 batting average. The infield is also pulling its weight, as 3B A.J. Scheidt (.348), SS Jeremy Goldschmeding (.361) and 1B Kyle Bohm (.402) are all batting above .300. Only 2B Chris Getz is below that mark, checking in at .277. Bohm has given the team a boost since transferring from Auburn.
Three right-handers — Michael Penn, Bobby Garza and Jim Brauer — have made the lion’s share of the starts on the hill for new Wolverines head coach Rich Maloney.
Michigan State: Thanks to a four-game sweep of Iowa, Michigan State owns an early lead in the Big Ten race. RF Travis Gulick has begun the season on fire, hitting .372 while cranking out five home runs and three triples and driving in 19 runs. The Spartan attack is anything but a one-man show, though, as 2B Oliver Wolcott, 3B James Moreno, 1B Scott Koerber and C Erik Morris have all tallied at least 13 RBI this season. Morris brings a famous bloodline with him to the Spartan lineup, as he is the son of former big-league ace Jack Morris.
On the mound, RH Bryan Gale is the main man for Michigan State. A second-team All-Big Ten choice in 2003, Gale was named conference Pitcher of the Week last week. Joining Gale in the rotation are RH Jeff Gerbe and Koerber, who has made five starts as a left-handed hurler.
Minnesota: Viewed as conference favorite by many experts, John Anderson’s Golden Gophers have a powerful lineup featuring 1B Mike Mee, OF Sam Steidl and SS Matt Fornasiere.
Madison native and one-time walk-on David Hrncirik brings solid contact hitting and defensive prowess to the diamond. Picked by Baseball America as the conference’s best defensive third baseman, Hrncirik has struggled at the plate early this season, hitting .233 in the early goings, but has started conference play 6-18.
The Minnesota rotation consists of LH Glen Perkins, RH Craig Molldrem, RH Matt Loberg and RH Josh Krogman. Cole DeVries has led the bullpen thus far, compiling a 2-0 record and picking up two saves in six appearances.
Northwestern: The Wildcats came into Big Ten play winning five of their last seven non-conference games and have begun league competition 2-2. After a complete-game shutout of Indiana last week, LH J.A. Happ earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors. So far this season, Happ has a 3-1 record and a sparkling 1.99 ERA. Equally impressive are his 56 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched. Another southpaw, Dan Brauer, gives Northwestern a strong left-handed tandem. Brauer has a 3-2 mark in 2004 and a 2.51 ERA. He has rung up 53 strikeouts in his 43.0 innings of work.
At the back end of the staff is righty reliever Chris Hayes, who has made 14 appearances and owns a 2.35 ERA.
Offensively, RF Jason Krynski has been the early-season star. Krynski has hit four home runs and tallied 20 RBI thus far. Other fixtures on the Wildcat lineup card are CF Matt Brimmer, SS Jon Mikrat and 2B Caleb Fields, who also has driven in 20.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes are expected to give Minnesota a run for their money in 2004. The 2003 Big Ten tournament champions, Ohio State has begun Big Ten play 3-1.
Leading the way offensively and defensively is the keystone combo of SS Brett Garrard and 2B Drew Anderson. Teammates since high school, Garrard is hitting .382 and his double-play partner is checking in at .333. Behind the plate is Derek Kinnear, a Johnny Bench Award candidate. CF Mike Rabin has great range in the field, and LF Steve Carvati and 3B Jedidiah Stephen add offensive firepower to the lineup. DH Ronnie Bourquin has come on as of late and is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week.
On the hill, LH Trent Luyster, LH Josh Newman and RH Mike Madsen take the ball to start, with RH Trey Fausnagh closing things out.
Penn State: The Nittany Lions have started the season 12-11, including a 2-2 conference opening mark. In addition to handling the pitching staff, C Matt Harter has supplied some pop at the plate, hitting four home runs and driving in 16 Lions. SS Mike Milliron leads Penn State in batting, with DH/backup catcher Aaron Greenfield also contributing.
The starting four on the mound are a quartet of right-handers: Jim Farrell, Sean Stidfole, Aaron Tressler, Josh Palm. The Nittany Lion bullpen has been in top form this season, and at the forefront has been LH Clint Eury, who has a 1-0 record, two saves and a 1.08 ERA in six appearances. He’s also batting .284 with two home runs and 17 RBI.
Purdue: The 11-12 Boilermakers took two of four from the Nittany Lions this weekend and will now prepare for the Buckeyes of Ohio State. Leadoff man and CF Mike Coles keys the Boilermaker attack. Not only is he hitting .370, but he has also flexed his muscle at the dish with four home runs and 16 RBI. LF Mitch Hilligoss leads Purdue in hitting with a .418 average, and 1B Eric Wolfe (.373 batting average) and C Ben Fritz (.329, three home runs, 17 RBI) round out the heart of the order.
Brian Karpel and right-handers Scott Byrnes, Dan Sattler and Chris Toneguzzi will head to the mound every fourth game, and if they should falter, it is up to stalwart bullpen righties Trae Dauby and Jason Driscoll.
