BTN.com staff, March 11, 2012

The Big Ten Conference released its Big Ten Baseball Players of the Week for March 5-11 action Monday. See all the winners and check out what they did to earn the distinctions in this post.

Player of the Week: Stephen Talbott, Purdue, OF - Jr. - Freehold, N.J. - Freehold Township

  • Hit .588 and combined for an OPS of 1.647 as Purdue swept a three-game series against Murray State to improve to 11-1 on the season
  • Recorded multiple hits in each game, including two four-hit performances
  • Four of his eight hits went for extra bases, as he slugged a double, two triples and a home run over the weekend
  • Scored five runs, including at least one in each game, and drove in five during the series
  • Earns his first career Player of the Week award
  • Last Purdue Player of the Week: Eric Charles (Feb. 27, 2012)

Pitcher of the Week: Kevin Johnson, Illinois, RHP - Jr. - Midlothian, Ill. - Mount Carmel

  • Tossed his third career complete game lead Illinois to a win over No. 18 Oregon at the Nike College Showcase
  • Struck out a season-high five batters, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk
  • Held the Ducks to a .133 average in the game, allowing just one runner past second base and throwing almost 70 percent of his pitches for strikes
  • Earns his first career weekly honor
  • Last Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Will Strack (March 30, 2009)

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

  • Earned the win in Illinois? 5-1 victory over Connecticut at the Nike College Showcase, allowing just one run in 7.2 innings of work
  • Tied his career high with six strikeouts, scattering seven hits and a walk
  • Ranks among the Big Ten?s top 10 with a 1.90 ERA and a .224 opponents? batting average this season
  • Collects his second honor of the season
  • Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: John Kravetz (Feb. 20, 2012)