Big Ten softball midseason glance
A quick glance at Big Ten schools prior to the opening of the league's softball season this weekend:
Illinois (28-12)
Top hitter–Janna Sartini, Fr., C (.322, 3 HRs)
Top pitcher–Kathryn Nevard, Fr., RH (14-7, 1.21)
Comment–Strong defensively in the infield where the same four have started 39 of 40 games
Indiana (10-19)
Top hitter–Brooke Monroe, Jr., Inf., (.344, 7 HRs)
Top pitcher–Alison Cooke, Jr. (7-11, 3.36)
Comment–Hoosiers have lost four extra-inning games and three others by one run
Iowa (21-6)
Top hitter–Katy Jendrzejewski, Sr., C, (.424, 3 HRs)
Top pitcher–Kristi Hanks, Jr., RH (16-3, 0.53)
Comment–Defending Big Ten champions have beaten No. 3 California, No. 6 Arizona State (twice), No. 20 Texas A&M.
Michigan (11-9)
Top hitter–Melissa Taylor, Sr., OF (.456)
Top pitcher–Marissa Young, So., RH (6-5, 1.42)
Comment–Five losses are to schools ranked in the top 15 nationally.
Michigan State (9-21)
Top hitter–Tiffany Wallace, So., OF (.303)
Top pitcher–Jessica Beech, Fr., RH (4-6, 2.63)
Comment–Spartans started the season with a 10-game losing streak but have won three of their last four.
Minnesota (19-9-1)
Top hitter–Angel Braden, Sr., Inf., (.388, 5 HRs)
Top pitcher–Piper Marten, Fr., RH, (11-5, 0.82)
Comment–Pitchers have a cumulative 0.88 ERA and have held opposing hitters to a .189 average.
Northwestern (7-11)
Top hitter–Carri Leto, Fr., Inf., (.300)
Top pitcher–Brie Brown, So., RH (7-9, 2.81)
Comment–Assistant Kate Drohan will replace 23-year coach Sharon Drysdale, who has won 691 games in 26 years, after this season
Ohio State (21-9)
Top hitter–Jennifer Link, So., 2B (.402)
Top pitcher–Kristi DeVries, Fr., RH (9-3, 0.75)
Comment–Buckeyes compiled a school-record 12-game winning streak
Penn State (16-10)
Top hitter–Karen Gulini, Sr., OF (.424)
Top pitcher–Kelly McCann, Sr., RH (10-5, 1.62)
Comment–Eight starters return from a 38-win team which made the NCAA regionals
Purdue (22-8-1)
Top hitter–Andrea Roush, So., OF (.329)
Top pitcher–Leighann Burke, So., LH (8-4, 0.83)
Comment–Three pitchers have started at least nine games and have at least six wins
Wisconsin (17-12)
Top hitter–Jade Gosse, Jr., SS (.297)
Top pitcher–Andrea Kirchberg, So., RH (12-8, 1.09)
Comment–Sixth-year program under direction of former Argo H.S. coach Karen Gallagher
Comments
IlliniHQ.com embraces discussion of Illini sports. We welcome you to contribute your ideas, opinions and comments, but we ask that you avoid personal attacks, vulgarity and hate speech. we reserve the right to remove any comment at its discretion, and we will block repeat offenders' accounts. To post comments, you must first be a registered user, and your username will appear with any comment you post. Happy posting.