BTN.com staff, February 20, 2012

The Big Ten Conference handed out the season's first Big Ten Baseball Players of the Week for Feb. 13-19 action on Monday. There were a handful of winners, so see who they all are what they did to earn the honors in this post.

Player of the Week: Josh Dezse, Ohio State, 1B/RHP - So. - Powell, Ohio - Olentangy Liberty

  • Hit .500 (7-for-14), reached base at a .533 clip and slugged .714 as Ohio State went 2-1 in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge with wins over Seton Hall and Connecticut
  • Recorded multiple hits in all three contests, including a 3-for-5 performance against USF in the season-opener
  • Combined to drive in five runs and scored four times over the weekend
  • Earns his second career Player of the Week award
  • Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Josh Dezse (May 2, 2011)

Co-Pitcher of the Week: Tony Bucciferro, Michigan State, RHP - Sr. - Joliet, Ill. - Minooka Community

  • Tossed six shutout innings to lead Michigan State to an opening day win over nationally ranked St. John?s on Friday at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge
  • Allowed just one hit and struck out six in the outing, retiring the first 13 batters he faced
  • Picked up his 21st career victory, moving into a tie for sixth in program history
  • Earns his second career Pitcher of the Week honor
  • Last Michigan State Pitcher of the Week: Tony Bucciferro (April 11, 2011)

Lance Breedlove, Purdue, RHP - Sr. - Long Beach, Calif. - Los Alamitos

  • Threw seven scoreless innings to lead Purdue to a win over Cincinnati on Saturday in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge
  • Struck out 11 batters and allowed just two base hits in the start
  • Eleven strikeouts marks a career high and is the highest total by a Purdue pitcher since March of 2010
  • Picks up his first career Pitcher of the Week accolade
  • Last Purdue Pitcher of the Week: Joe Haase (April 4, 2011)

Co-Freshman of the Week: John Kravetz, Illinois, RHP - Lansing, Ill. - Mount Carmel

  • Threw 6.2 innings of shutout ball to lead Illinois to a win over nationally ranked St. John?s in the team?s closing game of the Big Ten/Big East Challenge
  • Allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out six in a relief appearance
  • Entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in the first and induced an inning-ending double play with his first pitch
  • Earns his first career weekly honor
  • Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Thomas Lindauer (March 21, 2011)

Luke Dauch, Northwestern, OF - Bloomfield Hills, Mich. - Lahser

  • Hit .714 (5-for-7), reached base at a .778 clip and slugged 1.286 to combine for an OPS of 2.064 over three games at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge
  • Hit safely in each of his first three collegiate games, recording multiple hits in each of his first two contests
  • Slugged a double and a triple in Northwestern?s win over Pittsburgh, scoring two runs and driving in a pair
  • Collects his first weekly conference award
  • Last Northwestern Freshman of the Week: Ethan Bramschreiber (April 11, 2011)