IU kicks off Big Ten conference play

The Hoosiers (16-7) will take their eight-game winning streak to Chicago this weekend to take on Northwestern in the opening game of Big Ten conference play. \nIU dominated Northwestern in the season series last year, taking three of four games from the Wildcats, including an 8-1 win in the Big Ten Tournament. \n"Pitching is their forte," IU coach Bob Morgan said. "I believe three of their starters made the All-Big Ten team last year."\nThe Wildcats are 9-10 on the season.\nDuring the collegiate baseball campaign, teams from the Big Ten play eight weekends of conference play with four games played in each of those weekends. \nMorgan calls these "eight battles," and he emphasized the need to start off by winning the opening battle. He also added it might be a little tougher than normal since the IU pitching staff is somewhat depleted. \nRecently, it was learned sophomore pitcher Dan Pezley has mononucleosis and fellow sophomore pitcher Troy Ragle has been placed on the disabled list with a sore shoulder. \nThough the Hoosier hurlers are without some of their key components, they are starting two of their aces in the first two games. \nSophomore Josh Lewis, who is tied for the team lead in innings pitched (30) and is 3-1 on the season, will start the first game Friday. \nSenior Nick Vitielliss, who is tied with Lewis in innings pitched, will start the second game Sunday. \n"I need to be ready to go -- this is the beginning of Big Ten play," Vitielliss said. \nIn the Hoosiers' previous games, there have not been too many pitching duels. IU has not scored less than six runs in the last seven games, but Morgan knows this will be different Friday. \n"With Lewis and Vitielliss going, this will be a pitcher's battle," Morgan said. "But, hopefully, we can hold their guys down, and they won't be able to hold us down as much."\nOn the season, IU is hitting .308 as a team, which ranks second in the Big Ten. The team has six players who hit above .300, with senior Seth Bynum leading the way with a .432 average. \nJunior Joe Kemp, the cleanup hitter, was named Big Ten Player of the Week at the end of March. Kemp, who is hitting .379 on the season, said the offense needs to keep playing well.\n"We just need to do the basics of hitting and pitching and put everything together," Kemp said. \nThe first game scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday at Rocky Miller Park. \n-- Contact staff writer Alex Witteveld at .