Big Ten baseball preview ahead of Maryland’s first conference series

After struggling early this season en route to a 4-7 start, Maryland baseball (15-9) has won 11 of its last 13 games heading into this weekend’s series against its first Big Ten opponent, Iowa. 

While not the greatest baseball conference, the Big Ten has consistently produced NCAA Tournament teams in the 13-team conference, sending two or more teams every year since 2012. 

The Terps currently have the third-best overall record in the Big Ten, averaging a mighty 8.5 runs per game while smashing the most home runs in the conference. 

With the Terps entering conference play, here are previews of the other top-10 schools in the conference. 

Iowa (19-4)

The Terps’ weekend opponent enters with the most overall wins in the Big Ten thus far. Iowa contains the best pitching staff in the conference, with a conference-best 3.93 ERA. Sophomore right-hander Brody Brecht stars for the Hawkeyes. Brecht is extremely hard to hit, throwing over 100 miles per hour with a .146 opponent batting average, the lowest in the conference.

Indiana (18-7)

The Hoosiers are on a nine-game winning streak, averaging 8.3 runs per game in the stretch. Senior infielder Phillip Glasser highlights the group with a .440 batting average, the second-best in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers also boast the second-best ERA in the conference, slinging a 4.6 on the mound.

Nebraska (14-8-1)

The Cornhuskers are the best-hitting team in the conference with a .320 batting average, led by the junior duo of Max Anderson and Brice Matthews. The two combine for a .403 batting average, and Matthews is tied for second in the conference with eight home runs. Junior right-hander Jace Kaminska highlights their pitching staff, boasting a conference-best 2.06 ERA. 

Michigan State (14-8)

The Spartans have gone 9-1 in their last ten games after a 5-7 start. Junior infielder Brock Vradenburg is one of the premier offensive stars in the conference, with the highest batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS in the Big Ten. 

Penn State (13-8)

The Nittany Lions have one of the better pitching staffs in the conference with a 4.87 ERA, the third-best in the Big Ten. Graduate student right-hander Daniel Ouderkirk headlines the group for Penn State with 44 strikeouts, the fourth-most in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions are a middle-of-the-pack squad offensively, averaging 7.3 runs a game. 

Michigan (13-11)

After winning the 2022 Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines have gotten off to a mediocre 13-11 start. While the pitching staff hasn’t been the best, sporting a 5.36 ERA, the offense has slumped even more in its production. Its collective .249 batting average is the second-lowest in the conference. But despite the struggles, Michigan has a 3-0 conference record as it swept Penn State.

Rutgers (13-11)

The Scarlet Knights have won 10 of their last 14 games after a poor 3-7 start. The stretch comes with an increased scoring output from Rutgers, averaging 9.6 runs a game after averaging just over five in the previous 11. Rutgers was highly touted heading into the season, being ranked second in the Big Ten coaches’ preseason poll. 

Illinois (11-10)

Illinois is another highly regarded preseason team that has not lived up to expectations, being ranked fourth in the Big Ten coaches’ preseason poll. Pitching has struggled for the Illini as opponents have the second-highest batting average against them in the Big Ten, and their collective 5.63 ERA is second-worst. Illinois isn’t threatening offensively, with the fourth-fewest runs in the conference.

Ohio State (12-11)

The Buckeyes enter the weekend floating above .500 under first-year coach Bill Mosiello, who entered the year hoping to revitalize the program. But the pitching for Ohio State has struggled thus far. Sophomore left-hander Gavin Bruni and junior right-hander Justin Eckhardt are the two pitchers tied for the most starts, yet both are posting an ERA above 4.5. The offense isn’t too flashy either, ranking in the bottom-half of the conference in runs.