This weekend’s Pac-12 vs. Big Ten Challenge will pose not only a great challenge for Utah but a great opportunity as well.
The Utes will face off against Michigan State, Nebraska and Indiana. The Hoosiers participated in last year’s College World Series. The games will be held in Surprise, Ariz., which will allow Utah to go back outside. The team has still been forced to practice indoors because of the weather.
“The competition is going to be really good,” said Utes head coach Bill Kinneberg. “Michigan State, Nebraska and Indiana are really good ball clubs … I like those opportunities for us. The Big Ten people have been indoors just like we have, so it’s kind of an even playing field. When we go to California … they’ve had a lot of time outside.”
The players are also looking forward to the level of competition their opponents will bring. Since the pitchers don’t have a lot of knowledge of the opposing teams, they realize the focus of the team is the most important part of their game plan.
“This week I just have to focus on staying down and getting some ground balls,” said sophomore pitcher Dalton Carroll.
Carroll will face Nebraska, while Mitch Watrous will square off against Michigan State. Tanner Banks will pitch against Indiana.
Banks was surprised by his nine-strikeout performance last weekend at Sacramento State and hopes to build off that work.
“I try to go into every game with the same mindset,” he said. “Have confidence and trust your stuff, and that’s really what [last week] was, a big confidence booster. I didn’t get a lot of strikeouts last year, so nine was kind of surprising, but we’ve definitely been working really hard.”
Of the three contests on Utah’s slate this weekend, Kinneberg doesn’t see one game standing out more than another. The emotions of playing certain teams can excite players, but he is trying to take it one game at a time.
“All we’re focused [on], or at least me, is Friday’s game against Michigan State,” he said. “That’s all I care about right now.”
At this early stage in the season, Kinneberg is hoping his team can improve in each phase of the game.
“We pitched pretty well this last weekend, we played pretty good defense,” he said. “We need to improve on that. Our offensive execution needs to get better. That’ll come with time outdoors and more games.”
In addition to the competition this weekend, being in Surprise, Ariz. will allow the Utes to be in the midst of Major League Baseball’s Spring Training and will also allow the team to be close to potential future Utah players.
“That’s one of our recruiting areas,” Kinneberg said. “We get to go down there twice this year and play, and some of our recruits may get a chance to see us. The more exposure down there the better.”
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