Typically Florida State is the most feared offensive team at Dick Howser Stadium. And sure, though the Seminoles are only hitting .287 for the season, they exploded at the plate last weekend. Well, even with those two factors, we're still giving the offensive edge to the Hoosiers.
Indiana has one of the nation's most potent offensive lineups, and it can go 11-12 players deep any given day. The Hoosiers enter the weekend hitting .305 as a club with hard-hitting catcher Kyle Schwarber leading the charge.
Schwarber is a stocky player who really could play either catcher or the outfield. But at the plate, he's considered a legitimate force to be reckoned with. Schwarber is hitting .372 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs, while third baseman Dustin DeMuth actually leads the team in hitting with a .396 average, OK pop with five homers and 40 RBIs, and designated hitter Scott Donley is considered a threat with a .357 average, four homers and 56 RBIs.
Also keep an eye on first baseman Sam Travis, who has good gap power with 20 doubles, nine homers and 51 RBIs on the season, while Michael Basil (.310/3/46) and Casey Smith (.308/5/31) both are talented hitters who can cause nightmares for opposing pitchers.
Lastly, when he plays, Nick Ramos at least has some power potential, while Chad Clark, who's only 5-foot-7, made headlines last weekend with his first home run of the season in a huge situation.
For the garnet and gold, DJ Stewart continues to lead the offense. FSU assistants Mike Bell and Mike Martin Jr., raved throughout fall workouts Stewart's power, and he certainly hasn't disappointed. Stewart is hitting .363 with 25 doubles, two triples, five homers and 56 RBIs.
Third baseman Jose Brizuela, who returned to the lineup last weekend after a couple of days suspended during the ACC tournament, continues to hit at a solid .325 clip with four homers and 43 RBIs, while junior outfielder Marcus Davis and veteran catcher Stephen McGee have both exceeded expectations, especially McGee, who has smacked nine homers and knocked in 51 runs.
Keep an eye on Brett Knief after hit a big home run last weekend in the Tallahassee Regional, while John Nogowski, Seth Miller and Josh Delph all are guys who are more than capable of going out there this weekend and having huge days at the plate despite not having great batting averages.
|