Softball
Andrew Linnehan
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NU has had some days off, and judging by P Lauren Delaney's recent performances, the Wildcat ace appreciates it.
1. NORTHWESTERN (18-7, 4-0) NO MOVEMENT - Can’t say the ‘Cats don’t belong after pounding Penn State over the weekend. NU gets bonus points for enduring a classless PSU head coach (Robin Petrini) and her futile attempt to suppress the Wildcats. I don’t know why she’s such a miserable person, but she deprived the ‘Cats of practice time on Penn State’s field before the weekend series. Hey Petrini, news flash … They go to NORTHWESTERN, mind games don’t phase them.
2. ILLINOIS (18-8, 3-0) UP 2 SPOTS - How ’bout the Land of Lincoln this week? Snatched up the top to spots in the Power Rankings this week, and remain undefeated in conference play. Sure, the Illini lost a midweek contest to DePaul, but that’s a forgivable blip on the radar of a team that’s won six of seven. Plus, this offense is extraterrestrial. U of I is the only team in the B10 to be hitting over .300 (.302) and is averaging more than 5 runs per game… Wow.
3. IOWA (27-7, 1-1) UP 3 SPOTS - Would easily be #2 on the chart after a satisfying split over ranked Ohio State, but a midweek slip up to Illinois State demotes them one spot. Iowa’s play in recent weeks really has been impressive, though, accumulating 10 wins in its last 12 games. Brittany Weil continues to dazzle in the circle, but what might be more impressive is the complementary pitching. The Hawkeyes trail only Michigan in team ERA with a palty 1.25 mark.
4. MICHIGAN (22-9, 0-2) UP 1 SPOT - For the first time since March 8, the Wolverines got to play an opponent that was NOT ranked in the NFCA Top 25… Whew. Michigan made quick work of that unranked opponent (Loyola - IL), outscoring the Ramblers 17-1 in a two-game set. This offensive outburst might wake-up the Michigan bats, which currently rank seventh in the conference in hitting. That’s gotta get going before U of M faces Suzie Rzegocki and Purdue two weeks from now.
5. OHIO STATE (24-6, 3-1) DOWN 3 SPOTS - This could be the best team in the B10. Why are they so low, you ask? Because good teams — talented teams — still have to take care of business, and the Bucks refused to do that in a midweek trip to Tobacco Road last week. The Bucks dropped a contest to evenly matched #18 North Carolina before splitting with unranked NC State. I’m going to make OSU a guarantee, though. I like you girls, I really do, and if you can touch up Briana Hassett and Minnesota this weekend, I’ll put you NUMBER ONE in next week’s Power Rankings.
6. PURDUE (18-10, 3-1) DOWN 3 SPOTS - Purdue’s Suzie Rzegocki and Minnesota’s Briana Hassett partook in a showdown of Big Ten aces last weekend, and little Suzie got the better of her Gophers’ counterpart, winning a 2-1 pitching showcase that lived up to its billing. Unfortunately for the Boilers, they dropped a midweek affair to Ball State, and thus reside smack dab in the middle of this week’s rankings.Â
7. MINNESOTA (20-19, 3-1) NO MOVEMENT - Briana Hassett tried her best, and pitched a very solid game against the Boilers, but was out-dueled by sophomore Suzie Rzegocki in a game that was the best measure of the quality of both teams. Thus, a one-run loss in that contest results in Minnesota trailing Purdue by one spot in the Power Rankings.
8. INDIANA (5-23, 1-3) NO MOVEMENTÂ - The Hoosiers have already climbed out of the cellar more times in this year’s Power Rankings than last, and this week appear in the 8-slot after earning a split from a Wisconsin team that’s playing very well this season. This spot is probably IU’s ceiling, but the fact its even achieved its ceiling is an accomplishment, considering the team is last in the conference in team pitching, and second-to-last in team hitting.
9. WISCONSIN (11-21, 1-3) DOWN 1 SPOT - To make a statement in the weekly Power Rankings, you must sweep North Dakota when you play them at home, and you must also sweep the Big Ten’s worst team (Indiana). The Badgers did neither this week, splitting their two-game sets against both teams. Not cool, girls, not cool. U-Dub has been playing much better this season than in year’s past… Get back to it, please.
10. MICHIGAN STATE Â (13-16, 0-3) DOWN 2 SPOTS - Sparty still searching for a Big Ten win after getting trounced by Illinois (13-3) last weekend. The bad news? The Big Ten slate doesn’t get any easier with Northwestern and Purdue on the docket for this week. The good news? If MSU can salvage some wins against real tough pitching, the Green might start soaring up these rankings. This team is better than their position in the Rankings this week, it just needs to put the pieces together.
11. PENN STATE (9-16, 0-4) DOWN 3 SPOTS - Head Coach Robin Petrini embarrassed herself even more against Northwestern this past weekend. Her consistent display of ill-mannered antics on and off the diamond has got to stop some time. Would it be karma or justice if she got fired in the midst of a season where her team is drastically underperforming?
April 1st, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Suzie and Brianna pitched all of both games in the Purdue/Minnesota showdown. The assessment of the second game is correct, suzie outdueled brianna with a final score of 2-1, purdue. However, the final score of the first game was 6-4, minnesota. Considering the fact minnesota split the series at purdue and tiebreaker rules give the nod to minnesota due to a total combined score of 7-6 in the 2 games, in favor of minnesota, you’re reasoning is seriously flawed as to why purdue is ranked higher. In addition, combining hit totals for both games shows minnesota with the advantage, 12-11. Although it is still too early in the season to tell who is the genuine article and who is a bust, proper and easily done research may give a different opinion as to what you are claiming. That or laziness led to a less than legitimate effort in analysis.