Nearly four years ago, a group of young and talented freshmen arrived on Illinois’ campus with one goal – to win a Big Ten baseball championship. After three long years of disappointment, finishing near the bottom of the conference, the Illini seniors have a chance to reach their goal. They are currently 12 games away from a possible conference championship.

The Illini are 14-6 in the Big Ten and hold a two-game lead over Minnesota. As each win moves the Illini a little closer to a conference title, no one could be happier than the seniors themselves.

“We’ve kind of struggled the first three years that we’ve been here and we just felt like we’ve turned it around this year,” said first baseman Dusty Bensko.

Starting pitcher Jimmy Conroy agreed with Bensko, citing that after three long years it was time the team finally turned it around.

“I think we’ve had a sense of urgency (this year),” Conroy said. “We have so much talent, but we’ve never lived up to our potential.”

The seniors believe that with this year’s success the team has a much better morale, which has helped it continue to win.

“Last year we started pressing a little bit and when you press you don’t play loose,” said outfielder Drew Davidson. “This year we expect to win, where last year we played not to lose.”

Illinois’ success this year has also been a result of several players having better seasons. In addition to Davidson and Bensko, senior infielders J.R. Kyes and Toby Gardenhire are having much better seasons at the plate. Conroy has also improved on the mound, already equaling his 2004 win total.

“It used to be certain guys would have a good year but as a whole we wouldn’t come together,” Conroy said.

Head coach Itch Jones has been even more impressed by his team’s success, especially after finishing in ninth place in the Big Ten last year.

“I’m just proud of the upperclassmen,” he said. “How they’ve accepted the responsibility to take a team that last year wasn’t very good, and they were part of, and take that same group of guys and make it a top contender in the Big Ten race.”

The Illini opened the season strong, but it wasn’t until a four-game sweep against Ohio State at the start of the Big Ten season that the players realized they could compete for a conference title.

“That weekend kind of showed ourselves that we could compete in the conference for the title,” Bensko said.

Davidson said the Ohio State series also took the pressure off the players and has allowed them to play much more relaxed.

“We’re having fun,” said senior Chad Frk. “It’s a pleasure to come to the park this year and that’s something that’s been a little different than in years past.”

“It’s definitely the best team I’ve been on since I’ve been here,” Davidson said. “I heard it’s been compared to the ’98 team, which was one out away from the College World Series.”

As far as this year’s team’s chances to advance into the postseason, the players are optimistic. Davidson said if the Illini can reach a regional, anything can happen.

“I think we have a good possibility to succeed with the talent we have,” Frk said. “We just need to continue to do what we’re doing.”

After the rough years the Illini have had recently, odds are they’ll leave it all on the field.

“We want to go out with a bang,” Conroy said.