Conference title up for grabs

The Big Ten Baseball Tournament w ill be held starting today at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. Here is a preview of each team in the tournament.

No. 1 seed: Ohio State

Record: 39-15 overall, 18-6 Big Ten

The Buckeyes will be thankful for their home-town advantage, although they might not need it. Ohio State led the Big Ten Conference with a .329 team batting average, .505 slugging percentage, 62 home runs and 431 runs — 57 runs more than the next best.

Ohio State has a talented pitching staff and the conference’s best pitcher on its roster in right-handed Alex Wimmers. Wimmers led the Big Ten with a .197 opponent batting average, 122 strikeouts and a 2.58 ERA. But the Buckeyes don’t have many talented relievers to turn to if their starters can’t stay in games for long.

No. 2 seed: Minnesota

Record: 35-15, 17-6

Teams better be comfortable in pitchers’ duels when they face the Golden Gophers, who had Big Ten best 4.50 ERA and tied Illinois for the conference’s top fielding percentage. Minnesota’s three main starting pitchers — right-handers Tom Buske, Chauncy Handran and Seth Rosin — are a combined 21-6 this season. A solid hitting team with a .316 team batting average, Minnesota could come out victorious if its starting pitchers can go late into games. The Golden Gophers, though, won’t be able to beat the bracket relying on their bats alone.

No. 3 seed: Indiana

Record: 28-25, 16-7

The Hoosiers boast a team full of baseball bashers, as they came in second in the Big Ten with a .322 batting average, 59 home runs and a .483 slugging percentage. Indiana showcased its superior stroke against MSU in the final series of the regular season, hitting three home runs including a walk-off. Indiana is also home to catcher Josh Phegley, the conference home run leader with 17 dingers.

Indiana’s weak spot is its bullpen, with the team’s best reliever, right-hander Chris Squires, owning a 4.34 ERA and an opponent batting average of .323 in 47 2/3 innings of work. Teams will have an easier time handling the heavy hitting Hoosiers if they can get to the bullpen quickly.

No. 4 seed: Illinois

Record: 33-18, 16-8

The Fighting Illini won’t knock the cover off the ball, but they can get around the bases. They stole a conference-best 78 bases and drew a respectable 200 walks en route to posting the conference’s third highest on base percentage of .397.Although its offense doesn’t hit many home runs, Illinois pitchers surrendered 53 home runs, second worst in the Big Ten.

Starting pitchers Phil Haig and Bryan Roberts were the main culprits, each allowing 11 home runs. Just one pitcher — right-hander Mike Sterk — didn’t give up a home run all season.

No. 5 seed: MSU

Record: 23-29, 13-11

The Spartans maintain an aggressive approach at the plate and on the basepaths, pinning small ball play as the offense’s main strategy. When your team’s offense puts up a conference-worst 26 home runs and .380 slugging percentage, you better hope the players can engineer runs. MSU has found ways to win all year, and the team’s pitching has been an integral part of its success.

The Spartans had the third lowest ERA in the conference at 4.97 and the team’s three main starting pitchers — freshman Tony Bucciferro, sophomore A.J. Achter and senior Nolan Moody — have ERAs of 3.15, 3.48 and 4.04, respectively.

No. 6 seed: Purdue

Record: 24-24, 11-12

The Boilermakers showed they can hit the ball, as they scored 23 runs in a three-game series with MSU earlier this month. Third baseman Dan Black is the team’s most feared hitter, knocking out 13 doubles and 14 home runs while driving in 49 runs with a .303 batting average.

Purdue’s starting pitchers have been hit hard, though, as right-handers Matt Morgan and Matt Bischoff and left-hander Matt Jansen have ERAs of 4.32, 5.38 and 6.52, respectively.

Teams have to be able to rough up the Boilermakers pitching staff early to ensure a win, even though the team’s bullpen has a slightly more respectable ERA.