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The Fighting Illini baseball team will be the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Big Ten baseball tournament in Omaha (May 25-29), the conference office announced on Saturday night. Illinois will play No. 5-seeded Michigan at approximately 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday night in its first-round matchup at Charles Schwab Field.
PRESS RELEASE
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Five members of the Fighting Illini baseball team were selected to the All-Big Ten Second and Third Teams, the Big Ten conference announced on Tuesday morning. Justin Janas, Branden Comia, Cam McDonald, and Cole Kirschsieper were named to the Second Team, while Danny Doligale was named to the Third Team.
Taylor Jackson was selected as Illinois' Sportsmanship Award honoree.
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
1B Justin Janas, All-Big Ten Second Team
.355/.505/.554, 46 R, 11 2B, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 23 HBP
Janas was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten after winning the Big Ten batting title as a redshirt freshman in 2021. Janas currently leads the Big Ten in on-base percentage this season, reaching base more than half the time (.505 OBP) over the course of 166 at bats. Janas is also in the top ten in the conference in batting average (.355) and his 23 HBP ranks second in the conference. In 348 chances, Janas posted a .994 fielding percentage.
3B Branden Comia, All-Big Ten Second Team
.329/.422/.535, 53 R, 70 H, 19 2B, 7 HR, 49 RBIComia was a Third Team selection in 2021 and led the Illini in runs scored (53) while starting in all 51 games to land in the Second Team this season. He is currently third on the team in hits with 70 and leads the Illini in extra base hits with 28. Comia is also second on the team in RBI, driving in 49 runs this season.
OF Cam McDonald, All-Big Ten Second Team
.369/.420/.576, 75 H, 17 2B, 7 HR, 58 RBI, 117 TB
McDonald has reached base in every game during the 2022 campaign, and is currently on a 62-game on-base streak dating back to 5/8/21. He leads the Illini in batting average (.369), hits (75), RBI (58), and slugging percentage (.576). McDonald has also recorded 12 assists while primarily playing the outfield this season, and he has posted a .990 fielding percentage.
LHP Cole Kirschsieper, All-Big Ten Second Team
7-2, 3.17 ERA, 82.1 IP, 85 K
Kirschsieper is currently fourth in the Big Ten in innings pitched (82.1) and sixth in ERA (3.17). His 85 strikeouts ranks sixth and his seven wins ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Kirschsieper has appeared and started in all 14 games for the Illini this season and has allowed opponents to hit just .223 against him.
ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM
OF Danny Doligale, All-Big Ten Third Team
.351/.448/.483, 51 R, 72 H, 14 2B, 18-19 SB-ATT
Doligale is third on the Illini in batting average (.351) and second in on-base percentage (.448) this season. He has made 49 starts in the outfield and is 18-for-19 in stolen base attempts this season. Doligale has recorded three assists and posted a .980 fielding percentage.
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
The complete list of All-Big Ten teams and award winners can be found below.
Player of the Year: Chris Alleyne, Maryland
Pitcher of the Year: Adam Mazur, Iowa
Freshman of the Year: Keaton Anthony, Iowa
Coach of the Year: Rob Vaughn, Maryland
All-Big Ten First Team
C – Matt Wood, Penn State
1B – Peyton Williams, Iowa
2B – Kevin Keister, Maryland
SS – Danny DiGeorgio, Rutgers
3B – Nick Lorusso, Maryland
OF – Chris Alleyne, Maryland
OF – Clark Elliott, Michigan
OF – Ryan Lasko, Rutgers
SP – Adam Mazur, Iowa
SP – Ryan Ramsey, Maryland
SP – Jason Savacool, Maryland
RP – Dale Stanavich, Rutgers
DH – CJ Valdez, Purdue
At-Large – Matt Shaw, Maryland
All-Big Ten Second Team
C – Nick Cimillo, Rutgers
1B – Justin Janas, Illinois
2B – Patrick Herrera, Northwestern
SS – Zach Dezenzo, Ohio State
3B – Branden Comia, Illinois
OF – Cam McDonald, Illinois
OF – Keaton Anthony, Iowa
OF – Ethan O'Donnell, Northwestern
SP – Cole Kirschsieper, Illinois
SP – Emmett Olson, Nebraska
SP – Jared Kollar, Rutgers
RP – Ben Beutel, Iowa
DH – Josh Spiegel, Penn State
At-Large – Luke Shliger, Maryland
All-Big Ten Third Team*
C – Matthew Ellis, Indiana
1B – Chris Brito, Rutgers
2B – Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Rutgers
SS – Mitch Jebb, Michigan State
3B – Matt Frey, Michigan
OF – Troy Schreffler Jr., Maryland
OF – Joe Stewart, Michigan
OF – Danny Doligale, Illinois
SP – Jackson Smeltz, Purdue
SP – Nathan Florence, Rutgers
SP – Nick Dean, Maryland
RP – Kyle Bischoff, Michigan State
DH – Maxwell Costes, Maryland
At-Large – Marcus Ernst, Ohio State
At-Large – Kade Kern, Ohio State
All-Big Ten Freshman Team
C – Bryan Broecker, Michigan State
1B – Brock Tibbitts, Indiana
2B – Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Rutgers
SS – Evan Goforth, Indiana
3B – Josh Pyne, Indiana
OF – Keaton Anthony, Iowa
OF – Carter Mathison, Indiana
OF – Trey Lipsey, Ohio State
SP – Sean Sullivan, Northwestern
SP – Ryan Szczepaniak, Michigan State
SP – Troy Wansing, Purdue
RP – Brody Brecht, Iowa
DH – Anthony Steele, Penn State
At-Large – Garrett Anglim, Nebraska
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Taylor Jackson, Illinois
Tyler Doanes, Indiana
Brendan Sher, Iowa
James Heffley, Maryland
Matt Frey, Michigan
Zach Iverson, Michigan State
Andrew Wilhite, Minnesota
Brice Matthews, Nebraska
Mike Doherty, Northwestern
Brent Todys, Ohio State
Mason Mellott, Penn State
Tanner Haston, Purdue
Brad Norton, Rutgers