May 12, 2008

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Justin Miller, Ohio State
Jr., 1B, Dayton, Va./Turner Ashby
Miller takes home his first weekly conference honor after helping his Buckeyes take two of three games from third-place Illinois over the weekend. Miller batted .538 (7-for-13) with a .571 on-base percentage and a .692 slugging average, recording at least two hits and an RBI in each game of the series. In a Game 1 that began on Friday and finished on Saturday, the junior went 2-for-4 with a run scored, two RBI and a walk. In Saturday's regularly-scheduled doubleheader, the Dayton, Va., native went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a double in the opener before recording his fourth three-hit game of the season in the nightcap. In the series, Miller combined to score three runs and drive in nine, upping his team-best RBI total to 52. He is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .486 (17-for-35) with 15 RBI. Behind Miller's efforts, the Buckeyes improved to 13-13 in the conference standings and remain in the hunt for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.

Last Ohio State Player OTW: Cory Kovanda (3/24/08)

CO-PITCHERS OF THE WEEK
Matt Bashore, Indiana
So., LHP, Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe
Bashore earns his third Pitcher of the Week accolade this season after tossing a complete-game shutout against Northwestern in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader. The sophomore allowed just one unearned run on three hits and two walks while striking out five as the Hoosiers earned the 2-1 victory. Bashore's win helped Indiana split the four-game set with the Wildcats, putting IU in contention for a spot in the conference tournament with one weekend of Big Ten play remaining. The left-hander improved to 6-3 on the season with a conference-best 79 strikeouts, which ranks as the eighth-highest total in school history and the best Indiana mark since 1999. Bashore and Michigan's Chris Fetter are the only two pitchers to take home three Pitcher of the Week honors this season and are the first two hurlers to accomplish the feat since Northwestern's Dan Brauer in 2006.

Last Indiana Pitcher OTW: Matt Bashore (4/28/08)

Chris Fetter, Michigan
Jr., RHP, Carmel, Ind./Carmel
Fetter receives his third weekly honor of the season after pitching Michigan to a win in Game 1 of the Wolverines' three-game sweep over Minnesota. With the wins, Michigan clinched its third consecutive Big Ten Championship and earned the right to host the 2008 Big Ten Baseball Tournament. In his start, the junior tossed 8.1 innings and fanned 10 batters while allowing just three hits and three walks with his only mistake coming on a two-run home run. The 10 strikeouts improved his season total to 61, while the outing also lowered his overall ERA to 2.41 and his opponents' batting average to .211, which are both best in the conference. The victory gives Fetter a 9-1 record this season and 20 wins in his career, tying him for 13th on Michigan's all-time list. Fetter and Indiana's Matt Bashore are the only two players this season to earn three Pitcher of the Week honors and are the first two hurlers to accomplish the feat since Northwestern's Dan Brauer in 2006.

Last Michigan POW: Chris Fetter (4/8/08)