Baseball ends city slate

With its biggest weekend of the season on the horizon, the Penn baseball team will set its sights lower this afternoon when it looks to dispatch a struggling Villanova squad.

By taking three of four from Brown and Yale this past weekend, the Quakers (17-11, 9-3 Ivy) will enter their showdown with Princeton this weekend in first place. The Tigers went 2-0 today to improve to 7-1 in the Ivy League and remain in second place. They also remain firmly entrenched in the forefront of Penn coach Bob Seddon's mind, despite the upcoming trip to the city rival.

"We want to win the game. It's Villanova -- not one of our favorite rivals. But I can't worry about this game," Seddon said. "I have to be prepared for this weekend."

Penn will attempt to stay prepared for the weekend series by resting most of its top pitchers. The Quakers will instead put in some pitchers who normally do not see action, including sophomore Remington Chin, who will be making his fourth start of the year.

Centerfielder Alex Blagojevich will also possibly get an opportunity to play. The sophomore has missed the team's last 21 games with what was described by his coach as a "viral" condition.

"With Blagojevich, it depends on how he's feeling tomorrow," Seddon said. "He's been practicing, but he didn't go with us this weekend. He didn't feel he was ready. He's a fine player on our team. If we can get him back, it will give us some maneuverability as to what we can do. He could be in the lineup. He could help us."

Freshman Coba Canales has filled in well for his ill teammate, hitting .253 and playing solid defense.

It is a struggling Villanova team that will play host for its Ivy League foe. The Wildcats have lost their last six games, including a sweep at the hands of Pitt. The streak has dropped the Wildcats to 7-20 overall and 2-10 in the Big East.

"You don't ever want to lose to a team in the city," senior second baseman Nick Italiano said. "A lot of guys on our team have friends on the other Big 5 teams, and you want to win those games for... bragging rights when you go home. But we feel like we don't want to lose any games -- we don't like that feeling. And it would be nice to have a little momentum going into the weekend."

Italiano has reason to brag regardless of the outcome of this afternoon's game. Against Yale this past weekend, Italiano had three hits and surpassed Glen Ambrosius as Penn's career leader in hits.

"It was great. He got a standing ovation from the crowd and the players. It was incredible," sophomore pitcher Josh Appel said. "We're all happy for him... he's probably the most consistent player in Penn baseball history."

Italiano was more reflective on his record.

"It's something that I'm really proud of and glad to have the opportunity to do that," he said. "But, records are always broken, but championships you can never take away."

And the Quakers know that, whether they win or lose today, there is no Ivy League championship on the line.

It will be this weekend when Princeton comes to town.

"I wouldn't say we're overlooking the game," Appel said. "But our goal is to win the Ivy League."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.