That's right. Matt Bashore, crafty southpaw from Tipp City, Ohio, has garnered his second Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honor of the season after going seven innings, striking out eight and letting in just one run in Saturday's 2-1 win over Michigan.

The full press release is copied below, but I gotta say I think Bashore could be the catalyst for this team down the stretch. He's been nothing but consistent all season long, and he's one of the dominant pitchers in the conference. Shutting Michigan down is no easy feat (Tracy Smith called them the best team he's personally faced in a long time).

I'll try to have something in the paper about Bashore some time next week, after finals let me loose of their cruel grasp. Until then, take it easy.

BASHORE GARNERS SECOND BIG TEN PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONOR

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sophomore lefty Matt Bashore has been named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced today, his second Pitcher of the Week honor this season. Bashore was outstanding in a pitcher's duel with Michigan's Chris Fetter, allowing just five hits over seven innings of work in leading the Hoosiers to a 2-1, walkoff win over the Wolverines.

Bashore is the first Hoosier pitcher since Chad Smith in 1998 to pick up Pitcher of the Week laurels twice in one season. Bob Scafa (three times in 1993) is the only other IU hurler to garner the honor more than once in a single year.

Michigan got a runner in scoring position with less than two outs in the first, second and fourth innings, but each time Bashore dug deep and got a crucial strikeout. He notched back-to-back Ks to end the second - striking out the side - and caught Jason Christian and Leif Mahler looking in consecutive at-bats to finish off the third. Bashore posted seven strikeouts through his first four innings of work.

After seeing the Wolverines tie the game in the top of the sixth, Bashore worked his way out of a two-on, one-out jam with a grounder and then a crucial strikeout of Alan Oaks to end the inning. He then capped off his performance by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the seventh before the Hoosiers earned a walk-off win in the bottom of the inning.

The sophomore is currently third in the conference with a 2.76 ERA and is fourth with a .221 batting average against. He leads the Big Ten with 65 strikeouts this season in 58 2/3 innings of work on the year.

The Hoosiers and Boilers will play doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday on the weekend as opposed to the normal Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule. Saturday's doubleheader will be a nine inning game followed by a seven inning contest, while Sunday's will be seven innings in game one and nine in game two. Live audio and GameTracker for both games will be available on IUHoosiers.com.

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