(Golden) Gophers are comin’ to town

I don’t think I need to tell any Illinois baseball fan how important this weekend’s series against Minnesota is.  With five teams within one game of the top prize and Minnesota being at the top, Illinois needs to pull out at least a series win here. 

                                Big Ten              Overall
     Team                   W   L   T   Pct       W   L   T   Pct
     Minnesota...........   6   2   0  .750      21  10   0  .677
     Indiana.............   6   2   0  .750      16  17   0  .485
     Ohio State..........   6   3   0  .667      26   7   0  .788
     Illinois............   6   3   0  .667      21   9   0  .700
     Purdue..............   5   3   0  .625      15  15   0  .500
     Michigan............   4   5   0  .444      19  13   0  .594
     Penn State..........   4   5   0  .444      19  14   0  .576
     Michigan State......   3   6   0  .333      11  21   0  .344
     Iowa................   2   7   0  .222      11  21   0  .344
     Northwestern........   1   7   0  .125       8  23   0  .258
     

Appropriately, their overall record is very similar to Illinois’.  Their makeup is very much like the Illini’s.  Good fielding, good speed, good pitching and like the UI, they don’t necessarily pound the long ball.  Their hitters do find a way to find the gaps (third in doubles) though. 

	Game #32	Record: 21-10 (6-3 Big Ten)
	vs University of Minnesota Golden Gophers	at Illinois Field, Champaign, Il
April 17	6:05pm CT
April 18*	1:00pm CT	Doubleheader

* schedule changed due to weather

Five of the top ten pitchers in ERA in the Big Ten are either from Minnesota or Illinois.  And that doesn’t include Phil Haig either.  I would say that bodes for a couple of 1-0 or 2-1 ballgames but I know better than that.  Baseball has a funny way of throwing a monkey wrench in the way of logic.

Please note the unconventional 12:05 time on Sunday (don’t ask me why).

Go Illini!  Bury the Gophers!