Illinois gets the nine-year 'Itch'

By Dan Williams

Daily Sports Writer

CHAMPAIGN - For a long time, Illinois baseball was a program on the verge.

As of 1990, they had spaced out 26 Big Ten championships in 90 years, the second most of any conference school behind Michigan. They had been to the NCAA tournament eight times without ever seriously making noise.

But in 1991, the Fighting Illini got the "Itch."

Richard "Itch" Jones left Southern Illinois University as the most successful coach in school history in 1991 to take the helm at Illinois. He hoped that he could turn the Illini from a perennial Big Ten contender to a nationally successful program.

His impressive career resume, which began with MacMurray University in 1966, includes 1,077 career victories - 10th on the all time list of active division one coaches. He has coached 89 players that have matriculated into the world of professional baseball, including notables such as Dave Stieb, Steve Finley and Scott Spiezo. He led the Salukis to three College World Series appearances, including a national runner-up finish in 1971.

With Illinois, making the program "Itch" compatible was not without its growing pains. The Illini didn't make the Big Ten tournament four of the team's first five years under Jones.

But it didn't take long for the coaching legends to sell the players on his style.

Illinois is the only school to make the Big Ten Tournament each of the last four years. During the 1998 campaign, the team won their first Big Ten regular season title in 35 years. The Illini then proceeded to reach the NCAA Regional Finals where they fell to Florida. It was the team's farthest venture into the post-season in school history.

This season, the Illini are at it again. After Sunday's action, Illinois found themselves on top of the Big Ten standings with a 10-2 record.

Plus, Jones has made Illinois baseball exciting for the fans.

He was instrumental in bringing lights to Illinois Field. The Illini are currently enjoying their first full season of regular night games.

And strong section of Illinois faithful bore the cold, the wind and the rain that consumed the field over the weekend series with Michigan.

The fans, the players and the university are all happy with "Itch." And Illinois seems to be establishing itself as the new baseball power of the Big Ten.

Searching for Bobby Scales

Michigan catcher David Parrish went 2-for-3

yesterday, extending his hitting streak to a career-best thirteen games.

He needs to get a hit in six more games in order to break former Michigan second baseman Bobby Scales' 18-game hit streak set in April last season.

The catcher would finish the weekend 9-for-13 with four RBI and four doubles.

In his last five games, the junior has 12 hits with five doubles, two

homeruns and six RBI.

Parrish currently leads the Wolverines with his .357 batting average, 35 hits, seven home runs and 25 RBI.