And the Big Ten Player of the Week is… well, I think we all knew who it would be after the ninth inning of Sunday’s game. After Casey Fletcher’s second straight walkoff hit to sweep Michigan State, there shouldn’t have been any doubt. However today, it was made official. Fletcher was named conference Player of the Week.
In addition, he was also named as one of NCAA’s Top Performers of the Week and recognized as a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week.
In the nine years I’ve been covering Illinois Baseball, I don’t think I’ve seen any Illini player have a week like Casey. Here’s a quick rundown:
- vs SIU on Tuesday: 3 for 4, 3 HR, 5 rbis
- vs MSU on Saturday: 3 for 5, 2 HR, 3 rbi, walkoff single
- vs MSU on Sunday: 2 for 5, 2 rbis, walkoff single
For the week, he went 8 for 17 with five homeruns and 10 rbis. The Illini won all four games and don’t forget, they have mathematically clinched a spot in the Big Ten Baseball Tournament.
Fletcher joins fellow Illini outfielder Ryan Nagle as the second Illinois player to be honored by the Big Ten with the Player of the Week award. Nagle was chosen by the conference on March 3.
Fletcher drives in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning on Saturday
Fletcher’s time was due. Before the game against SIU, he was hitting a respectable but not spectacular .282 with just one homerun and 15 rbis. Then something just clicked. After hitting three homers against SIU, Casey gave a little credit to some suggestions by dad Darrin Fletcher who has been attending the games pretty faithfully. Darrin Fletcher, a former Illini baseball legend himself who also played in the majors, knows a thing or two about swing adjustments. Whatever it was, it seemed to made a difference.
Aside from the obvious family connection to Illinois baseball, junior transfer Casey Fletcher is a local boy of sorts. He hails from Oakwood, Illinois, a small town just 20 minutes away from the University of Illinois campus.
With the sweep of Michigan State, Illinois baseball is getting some warranted attention. They have received some votes in the NCBWA polls this week. While Illinois has clinched a berth in the Big Ten Tournament, they know they have work to do. They have two road weekends left in the regular season and with the new tournament bracket, they will want to enter the tournament in as good position as possible.
Everyone knows that baseball, especially college baseball, is a team sport and relies on every team member to carry out the ultimate objective. Historically, Illinois has been a team that has been an organization that has relied on its “team” aspect. Casey Fletcher probably knows this more than anyone.