BTN.com staff, April 8, 2012
The Big Ten Conference released its Big Ten Baseball Players of the Week for April 2-8 action Monday. See all the winners and check out what they did to earn the distinctions in this post.
Player of the Week: Phil Keppler, Iowa, UT - Sr. - Manchester, Iowa - Manchester
- Hit .733 for the week, including a .667 average in a Big Ten road series against Nebraska
- Slugged 1.000 and reached base at a .700 clip in conference play to combine for an OPS of 1.700 on the weekend
- Recorded multiple-hits in four games, including two 3-for-3 efforts, over five contests last week
- Scored five runs and drove in seven during the week, hitting his first home run of the year in Game 2 against the Huskers
- Last Iowa Player of the Week: Trevor Willis (March 7, 2011)
Co-Pitcher of the Week: Matt Milroy, Illinois, RHP - Jr. - Batavia, Ill. - Marmion Academy
- Struck out 10 of the 21 hitters he faced in a five-inning relief appearance on Sunday, helping Illinois to the series win against Indiana
- Scattered just three hits and three walks in his first win of the season
- Fanned the side twice, compiling the highest strikeout total at Illinois Field since 2004
- Collects his first career award
- Last Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Kevin Johnson (March 12, 2012)
Joe Haase, Purdue, RHP - Sr. - Knightstown, Ind. – Knightstown
- Picked up his second career complete-game shutout in Purdue?s series-opener against Northwestern on Friday
- Struck out four in the outing, surrendering only two hits and one walk
- Retired the side in order six times, needing only 99 pitches to lead the Boilermakers to their third shutout win of the season
- Collects his second career award and his first of the season
- Last Purdue Pitcher of the Week: Lance Breedlove (April 3, 2012)
Co-Freshman of the Week: Reid Roper, Illinois, 2B/RHP - Harrisburg, Ill. - Harrisburg
- Hit .455 and slugged .636 to help Illinois to a series win over Indiana
- Scored two runs and drove in a pair, going 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position
- Pitched a perfect ninth inning in the Illini?s series-clinching win on Sunday
- Picks up his first weekly honor
- Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: John Kravetz (March 12, 2012)
Patrick Porter, Ohio State, OF - Chagrin Falls, Ohio - Kenston
- Hit .500, reached base at a .600 clip and slugged .625 to help Ohio State to a series sweep over Minnesota
- Recorded a pair of outfield assists, throwing out two runners who each tried to score from second on singles over the weekend
- Went 1-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base in a non-conference win over Miami (Ohio)
- Picks up his first weekly honor
- Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Josh Dezse (May 2, 2011)