Boilermakers back to work as season inches closer

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Purdue Baseball is getting ready to open its 2013 season this weekend. The Boilermakers open their new season this weekend at the Big East/Big Ten Challenge, taking on Connecticut at 4 p.m. Friday in Dudedin, Fla.

The Boilermakers worked out inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Facility Tuesday in preparation for their upcoming season.

“It is a completely different team as far as personnel and losing 18 guys off of last year's squad. It is a great opportunity for us. It is a challenging weekend for us. Connecticut is one of the top teams and one of the better teams in the Big East,” said Purdue head coach Doug Schreiber. “I would expect that they have already been outside. Some of the returning guys will have to step up in new roles, which is exciting and we look at it as a great opportunity to play some great opponents at the beginning of the season,” said Schreiber.

Purdue Baseball is coming off its best season ever, winning a school-record 45 games, winning the BIg Ten regular championship and the Big Ten Tournament title, and earning an N-C-A-A Tournament berth.

If the Boilermakers hope to duplicate last season’s success they will have to rely heavily on Sean McHugh, Brad Schreiber and Kyle Wood. All three have been highlighted among the list of Big Ten Players to Watch for the 2013 season.

McHugh is moving to third base and the heart of the lineup after being a part-time starter at catcher and designated hitter as a sophomore last season. Schreiber and Wood both return from injury and are projected stalwarts of the weekend rotation. Wood is likely to be a full-time two-way player, who will be regular among the batting order on days he does and does not start on the mound.

“I really don't think it will hurt us that we are young. We have freshmen stepping up in practice from day one,” said junior Sean McHugh. They are vital to our lineup and will be vital to our defense and our pitching. So, I think everybody is motivated that we can do it without having the 14 seniors,” said McHugh.

Schreiber was recently listed among the Big Ten's Top 10 prospects by Baseball America. The redshirt-junior has already been drafted twice (2009 and 2012).

McHugh and Wood were both part of successful summer league teams as well as the Big Ten champion Boilers in 2012. McHugh helped his Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox summer team reach the championship series of the prestigious Cape Cod League. Wood teamed with current Boilers Brandon Krieg and Bennett Oliver to help the Northwest Indiana Oilmen win the Midwest Collegiate League title.

The Boilermakers' five consecutive Big Ten Tournament berths represent the longest active streak in the league as well as the top stretch in program history. Dating back to 2008, Purdue is a Big Ten best 172-110 overall and 75-51 in Big Ten play.

Indiana was selected the 2013 preseason favorite after its underclassman-laden team finished second to Purdue in the 2012 standings and was also the runner up at the Big Ten Tournament. Tabbed second through sixth respectively, Nebraska, Michigan State, Ohio State, Minnesota and Illinois complete the projected six-team tourney field. Of those six teams, Illinois is the only team not predicted to finish higher in the standings than it did a year ago. Minnesota and Illinois missed out on the 2012 Big Ten Tournament after coming out on the short end of a quirky three-way tiebreaker with Ohio State.