Baseball To Open Conference Schedule
3/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 22, 2001
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TOP STORY: The Michigan State baseball squad travels to Illinois this weekend to take on the Fighting Illini in a four-game series to open its Big Ten schedule. MSU, 8-2 in its last 10 games, is coming off a 2-2 split at Ohio University last weekend, as the team rallied to win both games of Sunday's doubleheader.
Last season, the Illini took three of four from the Spartans, winning 9-7, 8-2 and 15-6. The Spartans won the second game of last year's doubleheader, 5-3.
CLASS STATEMENT: Sophomores Brady Burrill, Bob Malek and Brett Wattles enter the Illinois series one, two, thee in batting average. Burrill has started seven games for MSU (first base and catcher) and is hitting .483 with 12 RBI and five doubles. Malek has started all 15 games this year and is hitting .466 and is leading the team in slugging percentage (.672), on-base percentage (.536), hits (27), RBI (17) and doubles (9). Wattles, the lead-off hitter, is hitting .417 and leads the team in runs (19), total bases (40) and home runs (3) and has also started all 15 games. He had a six RBI performance this season in MSU's victory over Lynn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCOUTING REPORT: Illinois Fighting Illini (8-9) -The Illini enter the series with the Spartans coming off a 4-1 loss to Indiana State. Leading the Illini offensively is Rob Fischer, the team leader in RBI (14), home runs (5), total bases (41) and slugging percentage (.651). Andy Schutzenhofe is leading in batting average (.364) and hits (24). -The Illini probable rotation this weekend: Game One: Andy Dickinson-LHP Game Two: Josh Gold-RHP Game Three: Justin Olson-RHP Game Four: Reilly Smith-RHP ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG STEP: The Spartans are currently second to Ohio State in the conference in hitting with a .315 team batting average. Last year, MSU had a team batting average of .276. MSU is also second in slugging percentage (.454) and doubles (35).
DOMINATION: Junior closer Domanick Squires has made five appearances for the Green and White this season, saving two games in seven innings of work. He has an ERA of 2.57 and three strikeouts. Freshman reliever Bryan Gale has not allowed an earned run and is 1-0 with two saves and seven strikeouts. Each is tied for the conference lead in saves while MSU leads the Big Ten in saves with five.
