With its conference tournament beginning on May 24, the Big Ten possesses some of the most competitive baseball units in the country. Almost any team has the power to make a late-season run and shake up the tournament seeding. Headed into the last few weekends of conference play, here’s how each Big Ten team stacks up in The Daily Iowan’s baseball power rankings.
13. Penn State
The Nittany Lions have a lowly two wins in conference play, the fewest in the Big Ten, en route to earning the bottom spot in our power rankings. They’ve won only 14 games this season and currently ride their second six-game losing streak. Penn State has lost three or more games in a row six times and managed to only win two contests out of its last 14. The Nittany Lions don’t have much going for them as the season winds down.
12. Ohio State
After making the Big Ten title game last season, Ohio State has not had a successful follow-up performance. The Buckeyes have only won six games in conference play, which is above only Rutgers and Penn State. Dominic Canzone has led the charge for the Scarlet and Gray with a .352 batting average, but other than that, there is no one batting over .300. The Buckeyes will continue to be tested with Iowa and Indiana still on the docket.
11. Rutgers
Despite a losing record, Rutgers has beaten some teams it shouldn’t have. The Scarlet Knights took a game against Michigan on April 28, won their series against Iowa and Purdue, and also clobbered Miami in their third game of the season. Mike Carter’s .348 batting average ranks sixth in the Big Ten, and Jawuan Harris remains tied for the conference lead in stolen bases, with 23.
10. Northwestern
The Wildcats started the season a seven-game losing streak but have picked things up for the most part since then. Northwestern had a four-game series loss against Central Michigan in the middle of March, but have taken series over Iowa and Purdue since then. In conference play, the Wildcats are on par with Illinois, but losing two out of three to the Illini proved to be a major blow for Northwestern in the rankings.
9. Illinois
Illinois’ 7-11 conference record positions it 10th in the Big Ten, but the Illini are on a roll, having won six games of their last eight, including series wins over Minnesota and Maryland, which has 31 wins on the season. Pat McInerney’s bat leads the charge on most occasions; the senior ranks second in the Big Ten in home runs (13), three shy of Iowa’s Jake Adams.
8. Michigan State
Along with Northwestern and Illinois, Michigan State is on the cusp of a Big Ten Tournament berth. Currently sitting at eighth in the conference standings, the Spartans basically have the chance to control their own destiny, but it won’t be easy with remaining series against Nebraska and Michigan. A lot will be on the shoulders of Brandon Hughes, who is leading the team in RBIs to go along with a .337 average.
7. Indiana
The Hoosiers enter the power rankings as the only team possessing a winning record in conference play in this portion of the rankings. An 8-2 stretch over the last 10 bodes well for late-season momentum, including four-game winning streak. Craig Dedelow sits right behind McInerney for third in the Big Ten in home runs (12). Indiana’s last three Big Ten wins come over teams ranked in the conference’s top four positions: Maryland, Minnesota, and Michigan.