Omaha, Neb. - Freshman second baseman Jasen Oliver didn't begin the season as an everyday player for this Indiana team.
He didn't take his first at-bat for the Hoosiers until the 14th game of the season, game one of a Sunday double-header versus Troy back in late March. Even in that contest, Oliver didn't start, he came of the bench.
After patiently waiting his turn, Oliver finally got his opportunity. Two months and nearly 150 at-bats later, the freshman out of Almont, Michigan blasted a fifth inning go-ahead home run in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament to lift No. 3 Indiana over No. 6 Purdue.
"We're really fortunate that he's on our team because he's a great player," head coach Jeff Mercer said of postgame.
Coming into the season it was Houston transfer Brandon Burckel that had been penciled in as the Hoosiers' starting second baseman alongside shortstop Tyler Cerny. However, after Burckel started the year slow at the plate, the freshman Oliver was given a chance.
While Oliver's first career at-bat came in that Sunday afternoon win against Troy, his first start didn't come until a Wednesday night midweek matchup with Illinois State a few days later.
Since then, Oliver has been a consistent member of one the best offenses in the Big Ten.
He's hit as high as second in the batting order this year, but on Tuesday evening in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, the freshman found himself in the eight-hole for the Hoosiers.
In his first career postseason game, Oliver turned in a memorable performance.
After singling in his first plate appearance of the game, Oliver delivered one of the biggest moments of the contest in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
In the fifth inning of Tuesday's affair, Oliver roped a ball the other way to right field for a three-run homer to give Indiana a 3-1 lead. It was a lead they never relinquished.
"I was looking for a fastball outside to just take the other way and do anything to help the team win," Oliver said with a smile. "Hitting a three-run jack helped the team create some momentum."
The fifth inning blast was Oliver's third long ball in the last two games. The freshman went deep twice on Friday in the regular season finale against Michigan.
Following an RBI double in the sixth inning, the young middle infielder found himself just a triple shy of the cycle -- a feat he was unable to accomplish.
Oliver finished the day 3-4 at the plate with four RBIs. He accounted for half of Indiana's RBIs on Tuesday in the Hoosiers' 8-6 win.
"He is a totally different player," Mercer explained, describing Oliver's growth throughout the season. "He's a really special talent, he's going to play for a long time. He's as talented of a player as we have on the team."
"That growth and transformation throughout the course of the year," Mercer continued. "That's the fun part of coaching. Watching a guy like that -- who's such a great kid -- he's a very different player than he was six months ago."
All in all, eight of Indiana's nine starters managed to record a hit in the first round win. Right fielder Nick Mitchell, first baseman Brock Tibbitts and center fielder Carter Mathison all joined Oliver in registering multi-hit performances.
On the mound, lefty Ty Bothwell got the start for the Hoosiers. He fought through three innings without surrendering a run, all while battling the flu, his head coach noted after the game.
Mercer noted postgame that Bothwell had lost "5 to 10 pounds" since coming down with the sickness and that Indiana went into the game knowing Bothwell's start could be short lived.
In relief of Bothwell, right-handers Drew Buhr, Julian Tonghini, Jacob Vogel and Brayden Risedorph combined to tackle the final six innings for the Hoosiers in the opening round win.
With the win, Indiana has advanced to the winners bracket and will play No. 7 Ohio State on Thursday afternoon with a spot in the semifinal on the line.
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