B1G Baseball Update 4/14 - 4/20

STANDINGS	CONF.	PCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	LAST 10	STREAK
Minnesota	7-2-0	.778	22-10-0	.688	10-5-0	12-5-0	0-0-0	8-2-0	W1
Maryland	9-3-0	.750	25-11-0	.694	15-1-0	6-8-0	4-2-0	7-3-0	W4
Michigan	6-3-0	.667	30-7-0	.811	17-2-0	7-3-0	6-2-0	9-1-0	W5
Nebraska	5-3-1	.611	21-14-1	.597	11-5-0	7-3-1	3-6-0	6-4-0	L1
Iowa	5-4-0	.556	22-13-0	.629	11-1-0	5-9-0	6-3-0	6-4-0	L2
Michigan State	5-4-0	.556	20-13-0	.606	6-5-0	10-6-0	4-2-0	5-5-0	L2
Indiana	6-5-1	.542	19-15-2	.556	7-6-1	10-7-1	2-2-0	5-4-1	L1
Purdue	6-6-0	.500	19-18-0	.514	3-4-0	16-14-0	0-0-0	4-6-0	W1
Ohio State	4-8-0	.333	15-22-0	.405	4-9-0	6-8-0	5-5-0	4-6-0	L1
Illinois	3-6-0	.333	15-19-0	.441	9-8-0	5-9-0	1-2-0	7-3-0	W2
Northwestern	3-6-0	.333	14-22-0	.389	8-10-0	6-12-0	0-0-0	6-4-0	W1
Rutgers	2-4-0	.333	13-21-0	.382	4-6-0	9-15-0	0-0-0	3-7-0	L2
Penn State	1-8-0	.111	12-24-0	.333	6-6-0	4-16-0	2-2-0	2-8-0	L4

Not a lot of movement this time around regarding RPI or rankings but the top is beginning to get interesting with every game mattering and the margin for error razor thin. RPI as of 4/20...maaaaaaannnn

Illinois 15-19 (3-6) RPI: 148

04/14/17 NORTHWESTERN W 4-3
04/15/17 NORTHWESTERN L 4-11
04/16/17 NORTHWESTERN W 10-8
04/18/17 WESTERN MICHIGAN W 13-3

Won the Lincoln's Cap series (because its for baseball you see) and picked up a mid-week win over the Broncos. The Illini will look to continue the winning trends this week in a trip to West Lafayette.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 @Purdue
4/25 @Bradley

Indiana 19-15-2 (6-5-1) RPI: 40

04/14/17 MINNESOTA L 0-11
04/15/17 MINNESOTA W 13-12
04/16/17 MINNESOTA W 4-0
04/19/17 BUTLER L 5-7

Picked up a good series win against the Gophers especially after how things looked in the Friday game. Those important Ws keep the Hoosiers in the fight for the top of the B1G although the tests keep on coming with a big matchup against Michigan this weekend.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 @Michigan
4/25 Ball State

Iowa 22-13 (5-4) RPI: 89

04/14/17 at Nebraska W 7-6
04/15/17 at Nebraska W 5-3
04/16/17 at Nebraska L 6-8
04/19/17 at Bradley L 4-6

Got a surprising series win over Nebraska in Lincoln which helped out in the B1G standings especially after dropping one to Northwestern last week. The Hawkeyes will try and improve their conference standing further hosting Rutgers this weekend.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 Rutgers
4/25 Milwaukee

Maryland 25-11 (9-3) RPI: 33

04/14/17 PENN STATE W 2-1
04/15/17 PENN STATE W 8-3
04/16/17 PENN STATE W 15-2
04/19/17 at William & Mary W 6-0

Terps were perfect on the week getting the sweep over PSU and a mid-week win over W&M. MSU comes to town this weekend in a decent test on Maryland's quest to be at the top.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 MSU
4/25 @James Madison

#13 Michigan 30-7 (6-3) RPI: 28

04/13/17 OKLAHOMA W 5-2
04/14/17 OKLAHOMA W 14-4
04/15/17 OKLAHOMA W 6-2
04/18/17 MICHIGAN STATE W 12-4

Didn't really move at all in the national rankings or RPI but the sweep over the Sooners doesn't hurt things at all and is a decent marquee win not only for Michigan but the B1G. Michigan will try to put themselves at the top of the heap in a big matchup with the Hoosiers.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 Indiana

Michigan State 20-13 (5-4) RPI: 74

04/14/17 OHIO STATE W 2-0
04/15/17 OHIO STATE W 6-5
04/16/17 OHIO STATE L 8-13
04/18/17 at Michigan L 4-12

Won the series against the Buckeyes which keeps MSU in the middle of the pack. They then dropped the mid-week game to Michigan so RPI fell about 20 spots. The Spartans will have an opportunity to build it back up with a trip to College Park.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 @Maryland
4/26 Toledo

Minnesota 22-10 (7-2) RPI: 49

04/14/17 at Indiana W 11-0
04/15/17 at Indiana L 12-13
04/16/17 at Indiana L 0-4
04/18/17 SOUTH DAKOTA ST. W 5-2

The Gophers lost the series to Indiana showing everyone they are mortal but are still clinging to the top spot as of now. A big battle coming up as the Huskers come to town where both teams are looking to stay near the upper tier.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 Nebraska
4/25 @Northeastern Illinois

Nebraska 21-14-1 (5-3-1) RPI: 48

04/14/17 IOWA L 6-7
04/15/17 IOWA L 3-5
04/16/17 IOWA W 8-6
04/18/17 at Creighton L 2-5

Probably not the week Nebraska wanted in losing a winnable home series with the Hawkeyes then dropping the mid-week battle with the Jays. No time to dwell on it too much though since a big trip to Minneapolis looms.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 @Minnesota
4/25 UNO

Northwestern 14-22 (3-6) RPI: 256

04/14/17 at Illinois L 3-4
04/15/17 at Illinois W 11-4
04/16/17 at Illinois L 8-10
04/18/17 MILWAUKEE W 6-4

Dropped the series with rival Illinois but made up for it in beating Brew Crew Jr. The Wildcats take on PSU this weekend where both squads are desperately looking for wins to avoid ending up in the basement.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 @PSU
4/26 @Chicago St.

Ohio State 15-22 (4-8) RPI: 156

04/14/17 at Michigan State L 0-2
04/15/17 at Michigan State L 5-6
04/16/17 at Michigan State W 13-8
04/19/17 NORTHERN KY. L 1-8

The Buckeyes avoided the sweep with a Sunday win in East Lansing but unfortunately that was their only W on the week. aOSU will take a break from B1G play this weekend and try to regroup against the Tobacco Road Spartans.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 UNCG

Penn State 12-24 (1-8) RPI: 197

04/14/17 at Maryland L 1-2
04/15/17 at Maryland L 3-8
04/16/17 at Maryland L 2-15
04/18/17 PITTSBURGH L 1-9

Came away with the short end of the stick this week getting swept by Maryland and dropping the mid-week game to Pit (who is it!). This is causing the Nits to creep toward the 200 RPI club which is NOT a club you want to be a part of. Will get a chance to redeem themselves in the Pillow Fight of the Week versus the Wildcats.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 Northwestern
4/26 Layfayette

Purdue 19-18 (6-6) RPI: 112

04/14/17 at Rutgers W 7-6
04/15/17 at Rutgers L 6-7
04/16/17 at Rutgers L 2-8
04/18/17 BALL STATE L 3-5
04/19/17 at Indiana St. W 10-7
Purdue had the opportunity to get themselves closer to the top of the conference but the Scarlet Knights had other plans. The Boilermakers will get another opportunity to grab some wins as Illinios comes to town.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 Illinois
4/26 IPFW

Rutgers 13-21 (2-4) RPI: 110

04/14/17 PURDUE L 6-7
04/15/17 PURDUE W 7-6
04/16/17 PURDUE W 8-2
04/18/17 SETON HALL L 6-9
04/19/17 at Seton Hall L 9-10

Rutgers picks up their first B1G series win this past weekend against Purdue but followed that up with dropping two to in state rival(?) Pirates. The Knights will try to prove that last week wasn't a fluke in their trip to Iowa City.

Up next:
4/21 - 4/23 @Iowa
4/25 Villanova
4/26 Columbia

Wisconsin -
S

Players of the Week

April 17th 2017

Player of the Week -

Joe Hoscheit Sr. Northwestern

Hoscheit became the first Wildcat POTW in four years by hitting a .588 AVG with 10 hits, 9 RBIs, 5 runs scored, and 2 HRs. This is his first player of the week award.

Pitcher of the Week -

Brian Shaffer Jr. Maryland

Got the series opening win over PSU by striking out a career high 11 batters while only allowing 4 hits and 1 earned run. Amazingly this is his third pitcher of the week award.

Freshman of the Week -

Jordan Kozicky Minnesota

Had a .615 AVG with 9 hits, 3 RBIs, 4 runs scored, and 1 HR. This is his first freshman of the week award.

I Want My BTN

All times EST

BTN/ BTN2Go 2017 Baseball Schedule

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Rutgers - Iowa 8pm

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Indiana - Michigan 12pm

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Illinois - Purdue 3pm

BTN/ BTN2Go 2017 Softball Schedule

Friday, April 21, 2017

aOSU - MSU 4pm

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Notre Dame - Northwestern 5pm

Schedules and players of the week courtesy of bigten.org

RPI courtesy of Boyd's World (http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/rpi/currentrpi.html)