Friday Night Fireworks

Friday is often the day of the week premier pitching match-ups occur. However, last night was exception to that rule. A number of Big Ten teams and, unfortunately, their opponents, had impressive offensive showings. Iowa (Jeff Maitland) and Purdue (Jay Buente) did slow the Friday night hit parade, but their are plenty of big boxscores around the rest of the conference for you to review.

Illinois outslugged Louisiana-Lafayette, 14-12. Big Ten batting average leader Lars Davis collected three more hits, as did Ryan Snowden, pacing the Illini's thirteen hit attack. Luke Obokowicz earned the win.

Texas-San Antonio downed Iowa, 3-1. Hawkeye starter Jeff Maitland went seven innings allowing only four hits, but didn't figure in the decision. 2B Travis Sweet had the only RBI for Iowa.

It was the Amos Ramon Show in Louisiana Tech's win over Michigan, 13-7. Ramon, had four hits including his fourth homer, scored three times, drove in two, stole a base and picked up the save for LTU. Derek VanBuskirk went 3 for 3 for Michigan. Doug Pickens and Nate Recknagel homered for the Wolverines.

Minnesota defeated Vermont, 11-5, in the first game of the Metrodome Tournament. Gopher freshman LF Matt Nohelty had two hits, two RBI, scored three and stole three bases. Fellow freshmen Bryan Jost (3 RBI) and Nate Hanson (2 for 3, 2 RBI, 2 runs) also had big nights for Minnesota. Brian Bull notched his first win of the year going six innings while allowing a single run.

Ohio State swept a doubleheader from Lehigh. The Buckeyes won game one, 17-10. CF Matt Angle had five RBI and stole two bases for OSU. Buckeye RF Wes Schirtzinger went 4 for 5. Cory Luebke, the defending Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, got roughed up a bit, but earned his second victory of 2006.

Game two was another hit fest. OSU prevailed in the finale, 13-6. Eric Fryer had three Buckeye RBI. 3B Ronnie Bourquin had three hits in the nightcap. Bourquin went six for ten with four runs scored and four RBI in the twinbill. Jedidiah Stephen also had two strong performances going 5 for 8 with six runs and two RBI.

Jay Buente made his claim for Big Ten Pitcher of the Week in leading Purdue past Missouri, 7-0. Buente allowed four hits over eight innings while fanning nine Tiger batters. 2B Eric Osborn had two more hits raising his average to .478.

It took eleven innings, but Penn State topped Bethune Cookman, 6-5. Matt Cavagnaro drove in the winning run for the Nittany Lions in the 11th. Sophomore Paul Hawkins got the win for PSU.