BTN.com staff, April 21, 2014

The Big Ten office announced its baseball Players of the Week on Monday. View all the honorees and see what they did to earn the distinctions in this post.

Player of the Week: Michael Handel, Minnesota, Jr., SS

  • Drove in six runs and scored three times on the strength of four doubles and a home run in games against North Dakota State and Iowa last week
  • Went 4-for-8, drove in five runs and scored twice against the Hawkeyes, hitting a home run in the opener and three doubles in game two before missing the finale due to injury
  • Went 2-for-5 in a midweek win over North Dakota State, finishing with a double, an RBI and a run scored
  • Wins his first career Big Ten Player of the Week award
  • Last Minnesota Big Ten Player of the Week: Nick O?Shea (May 9, 2011)

Co-Pitchers of the Week: Joey DeNato, Indiana, Sr., LHP

  • Pitched eight shutout innings on Friday in a win against Michigan State, becoming the Hoosiers? all-time leader in innings pitched
  • Struck out five and scattered just five hits to win his fifth consecutive decision, including each of his four starts in Big Ten play
  • Lowered his season ERA to 2.12 and improved to 8-1 on the season
  • Wins his third career Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor
  • Last Indiana Big Ten Pitcher of the Week: Kyle Hart (March 24, 2014)

Jack Quigley, Northwestern: Sr., RHP

  • Earned a win and a save in Northwestern?s triumphs at Nebraska last weekend, pitching 4.1 scoreless innings in two relief appearances
  • Threw 3.1 frames of relief to earn the win in Friday night?s 12-inning victory before coming on in the ninth to earn the save in the first game of Saturday?s doubleheader
  • Allowed just one hit and one walk in his two outings, holding the conference?s top hitting team to an .077 average
  • Claims his first career Big Ten Pitcher of the Week award
  • Last Northwestern Big Ten Pitcher of the Week: Brandon Magallones (May 13, 2013)

Freshman of the Week: Ryne Roper, Illinois, 3B

  • Drove in three runs and scored three more in helping Illinois to a three-game sweep of Penn State last weekend
  • Posted two-hit games in the series opener and finale, driving in two runs and scoring once on Friday and recording an RBI and a run scored on Sunday
  • Singled and scored a run on Saturday to increase his average in Big Ten play to .340
  • Wins his first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor
  • Last Illinois Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Kevin Duchene (May 13, 2013)