Indiana University Athletics
Michael Basil Selected as B1G Player of the Week
5/20/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 20, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Senior shortstop Michael Basil was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Week Monday (May 20), announced by the conference office. He becomes the fourth different Hoosier to earn the weekly accolade this season, and the fifth overall for Indiana.
Basil willed his team to its first outright Big Ten title in 81 years, doing it all in his home state of Ohio versus the Buckeyes. The Cincinnati native batted .500 (5-10) with four doubles and five runs batted in, slugging at a .900 clip during the title-clinching series. Basil drove in at least one run in each of the three games in Columbus.
He not only produced huge statistical numbers, but he did so when it mattered most. In Friday's 10-inning thriller, Basil double down the line to get Indiana on the board and pull the Hoosiers within a run at 2-1 in the top of the ninth. After stealing third base, Basil came into score the game-extending second run. If that wasn't enough, Basil further pushed IU to victory in the top of the 10th inning. With runners on the corners, Basil laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, squeezing home the game-winning run.
'Bazz' kept it hot on Saturday as IU clinched the outright conference crown. His first of two doubles jumped the Hoosiers out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, driving in a pair. He would also come into score twice himself in Game Three, finishing the day with two doubles, two RBI, two runs and a walk.
He joins teammates Sam Travis (Feb. 18 & Apr. 1), Kyle Schwarber (March 11) and Dustin DeMuth (May 13) as conference player of the week honorees this season.
