Illinois Baseball Report

Indiana defeated Penn State 11-8 and Michigan continues their winning ways by defeating Purdue 6-1.  You can read my recap of the games at The College Baseball Blog. Indiana’s Celebration… Penn State’s Disbelief I will say that the PSU-IU game was one of the best games I’ve seen at the Big Ten Tournament.  Never had [...]

Filed under: 2008 Big Ten Baseball Tournament on May 23rd, 2008 | Leave a Comment! »

The newly renovated home of the Michigan Wolverine baseball team with the complicated name of “The Wilpon Baseball Complex home of Ray Fisher Stadium”.  Too much like Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Anyway, it IS nice. Joe Blackburn has once again gotten a mohawk like last year. Speaking of hair and ballplayers, it looks like [...]

Filed under: 2008 Big Ten Baseball Tournament on May 21st, 2008 | Leave a Comment! »

I just rolled into Ann Arbor this evening on the aptly named “Wolverine” Amtrak line.  I’m staying at the Lamp Post Inn.  It’s a budget motel but it has the important amenity I need.  Wireless access. When I told the motel owner my reason for being here he told me knew a few of Michigan [...]

Filed under: 2008 Big Ten Baseball Tournament on May 20th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

No game on Sunday between Illinois and Ohio State.  Rain washed away any chance of the Illini to tie Ohio State for the weekend.  As frustrating as that probably is, Ohio State had the momentum after their amazing comeback in Game 2 on Saturday (they scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth after [...]

Filed under: Analysis on May 12th, 2008 | Leave a Comment! »

Thoughts on the Penn St series etc: Boy, that was a rough and wild ride.  A total of 92 runs were scored by both teams for the four games.  A total of 49 were scored by the Illini.  The funny thing is that they did with only two homeruns (Hastings and Cappetta). But the important [...]

Filed under: Analysis on April 28th, 2008 | Leave a Comment! »

Illinois got their revenge for yesterday’s sweep and evened the weekend series up by blasting the Penn State Nittany Lions 17-6.  Casey McMurray continued to put up the big numbers as he went 4 for 4 with 3 runs.  Kyle Hudson (right) was 3 for 4 with 3 runs and 2 rbis. For the weekend, [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 27th, 2008 | Leave a Comment! »

Saturday, the Illini went 1-2. Not every day that’s going to happen. My plan was to go the ballpark to see the Illini finish up Friday’s game with the Nittany Lions and play their regularly scheduled doubleheader and was pleasantly surprised to see my buddy Brando had shown up to root on the Illini. I [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 27th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

When then wind is blowing out like this you’re going to expect a high scoring game.  In this case, it might contribute to bad weather.  In this case, rain which suspended that game in the eighth inning.  Friday’s game will be be picked up at 2pm Saturday to be followed by the regularly scheduled doubleheader.  [...]

Filed under: Game Recaps on April 26th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Next Game: Games #38-41 Fri April 25 6:05pm Sat April 26 3:05pm (DH) Sun April 27 12:05 Record: 23-14 Big Ten 9-7 vs Penn State at Illinois Field, Champaign, IL Yes, I say every Big Ten series is important but this one kind of is.  PSU is a game back in the standings and soooo [...]

Filed under: Awards, Game Previews on April 24th, 2008 | Leave a Comment! »

During today’s Penn State-Minnesota game at the Big Ten baseball tournament, I saw someone who looked very familiar. I nudged Brian from Big Ten Hardball, who was sitting next to me and said, “Isn’t that Jon Saraceno from USA Today? It sure looks like him.” We discussed it and decided that no, it couldn’t be. [...]

Filed under: 2007 Big Ten Tournament, Media on May 26th, 2007 | Leave a Comment! »