Double Dip Saturday

Instead of plopping myself on my couch and watching this morning's F1 race, I'm going to provide both of my readers (who actually subscribe to a feed of BTH) with a recap of yesterday's Big Ten play. I realize you are impressed with my dedication.

Northwestern and Michigan maintained their tie atop the conference standings as both swept their doubleheaders yesterday. NU took game one from Penn State, 3-2. Tommy Finn's single in the bottom of the seventh won it for the 'Cats. Antonio Mule and Anthony Wycklendt each went yard for NU. PSU's Scott Gummo and Aaron Greenfield each homered, as well. Widcat Dan Brauer fanned eight in seven innings to improve to 4-1.

The second affair went to Northwestern in come from behind fashion. NU scored four times in the seventh to beat PSU, 5-4. Mule hit a three run double to tie the game and Caleb Fields brought Mule home to win it. Lance Thompson homered and drove in three for the Nittany Lions. NU's George Kontos notched his second win of the year.

The Wolverines kept pace with the 'Cats by beating Purdue twice. Michigan claimed the first game, 6-2. Michigan 3B A.J. Scheidt homered and had two RBI. Senior Paul Hammond pitched six innings giving up ten hits, but walking no one to post his third win. DH John Cummins went 3 for 3 for the Boilermakers.

7-2 was the final in the nightcap. Michigan's Eric Rose and Adam Abraham each homered and collected three hits. Abraham also drove in three. Chris Fetter (3-0) pitched five innings of two hit baseball and earned the win. Purdue's Mitch Hilligoss and Alex Jaffee each had a hit, run and RBI.

Michigan State moved up to third in the Big Ten standings with a split of their Saturday twinbill with Minnesota. The Spartans grabbed the opener from the Golden Gophers, 9-8. MSU came from two runs down in their final at bat to win. Adam Tripp's two-run single won it. Ryan Basham went yard twice for the Spartans. Mike Monterey posted the win in relief.

Apparently, the Gophers weren't too happy about coughing up a lead in the first game and pounded MSU in the second game, 20-6. Andy Hunter hit a pair of homers and drove in five for Minnesota. Gopher OF Mike Mee hit a grandslam. It was head coach John Anderson's 399th Big Ten triumph. His next win will make him the only coach in conference history with 400. MSU Kyle Day homered and drove in two.

Ohio State split it's pair of games with Indiana Saturday. IU won the opener over the Buckeyes, 5-3. IU 1B Ben Greenspan hit his first career homerun and had three RBI. Josh Lewis pitched six innings of six hit ball to move to 4-5. IU freshman Joe Vicini posted his third save. Ronnie Bourquin and Jason Zoeller each went yard for OSU.

The Buckeyes rebounded in game two, beating up the Hoosiers, 11-4. Jedidiah Stephen hit two homeruns and Bourquin hit another to pace OSU's offense. Stephen finished the day with four RBI. IU's Greenspan also drove in two more runs in the nightcap. OSU's Jake Hale (2-3) went six inning for the win.

Illinois swept Iowa and put itself back into the running for a Big Ten tournament slot. The Illini downed the Hawkeyes, 4-3, in the opener. Freshman Ben Reeser pitched six innings allowing five hits and three runs to improve to 3-1. Illini SS Shawn Roof was 2 for 2 with a RBI.

Another freshman arm led Illinois to a 10-2 triumph over Iowa in the nightcap. Tanner Roark pitched five innings yielding four hits, one walk and two earned runs to claim his second win against no defeats. Chase Kliment and Dave Schultz each homered for Illinois. Schultz drove in five runs in the game. Hawkeye SS Jason White had a hit, run and RBI.