3/9/2018 football Edit

Hoosiers Drop Series Opener, 2-1, In Ninth Inning

Taylor Lehman • TheHoosier

Staff

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Junior designated hitter Matt Lloyd went 4-for-4 with three doubles in IU's 2-1 loss to Pacific on Friday. (Jordan Wells, TheHoosier.com)

After what was one of IU’s weakest offensive performances at home against Cincinnati on Tuesday in an 8-3 loss, the Hoosiers’ offensive performance against Pacific on Friday to open a 3-game series was worse.

Designated hitter Matt Lloyd went 4-for-4 with three doubles, but the rest of the lineup went 1-for-25 with a double.

Thanks to doubles by Lloyd and center fielder Logan Kaletha, the Hoosiers pushed across their first run to tie the game at 1-1 in the third inning. Nobody scored after the third inning until the ninth inning.

Starting pitcher Jonathan Stiever cashed in his best start of the season. Coming into the game with a 6.61 ERA, Stiever allowed one run in the first inning but didn’t allow anymore in the seven innings following. He finished with 8.0 innings pitched with a career-best 12 strikeouts.

“It’s just been one or two pitches in key situations that I’ve been on the wrong side of for the most part,” Stiever said about his three previous starts. “Today I was able to get outs with them. There are a couple pitches throughout a game that can really dictate a day. Today they were able to go our way.”

Pacific pitcher Shelby Lackey was also dealing, as he finished with 7.0 innings pitched and one earned run.

But in the ninth inning, with runners on first and second, IU shortstop Jeremy Houston fielded a hard-hit chopper deep in the hole and hesitated on his throw to first. His eventual throw was late to first base, and first baseman Elijah Dunham let off a throw to catcher Ryan Fineman, as the runner from second base rounded third and headed home.

The throw was low, and Fineman dropped it, allowing Pacific to take the lead, 2-1.

Lloyd answered in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff double. But third baseman Luke Miller grounded out.

Lloyd was replaced with freshman pinch-runner Justin Walker, who took a step toward third base when Pacific pitcher Cooper Casad turned to throw a pickoff ball to second base. Shortstop Matthew Tarantino made the tag on Walker’s shoulder to empty the bases with two outs.

Senior outfielder Logan Sowers then struck out to end the game.

“We’re trying to steal a bag there, but in this scenario you can’t get picked off,” IU manager Chris Lemonis said. “He just hadn’t been out there too much. It was a tough play.”

With that loss, IU has reached 10 total hits and four runs in its first two home games — a performance Lemonis said needs to improve for the Hoosiers to find success in the remaining two games of the series against Pacific.

”It’s disappointing,” Lemonis said. “From an offensive perspective, we just haven’t shown up this week. We’ve been really good all year and then all of a sudden — not just with hits, but with execution too.”