3/28/2022 baseball Edit

Inconsistent Pitching Efforts Just Enough to Fend Off Evansville

Keegan Nickoson • TheHoosier

Staff Writer

In my senior year at Indiana studying Sports Media and Sports Journalism. I live for the most outlandish takes on the IU boards. Fat Dan's has the best food in Bloomington.

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Friday night's 17-14 loss to Evansville was an ugly one for Indiana. Two errors resulted in five unearned runs ultimately creating the difference in the game. The 12 earned runs by the Hoosier pitching staff definitely didn't help either. Nine walks and 13 total hits allowed resulting in 17 total runs contributed to what was a miserable day at Bart Kaufman Stadium.

Saturday's buffer prior to Sunday's doubleheader allowed Dustin Glant's staff to recuperate. That they did.

Bradley Brehmer started game two for the Hoosiers, and since transferring from Wright State and joining his former coach Jeff Mercer, his performance has been inconsistent at best.

However, in six total innings, five of those not allowing a hit, and 110 pitches, Jeff Mercer finally got the Bradley Brehmer he saw at Wright State

"That's the guy I know, that's the cat I know. . . He just never lost his composure, he's been in the battles before. The dude has started a lot of college games," said Mercer.

Brehmer elaborated postgame on what felt good and what was working for him on the mound.

"Everything. The first inning I threw only fastballs and sinkers. Getting ahead in the count; felt good. I feel like I had everything going well."

What followed Brehmer's stellar outing was nothing short of a roller coaster ride of performance from Hoosier pitchers. After a 1-2-3 7th inning from Reese Sharp, the redshirt freshman would hit two batters and allow two runs before being pulled in favor of John Biagio-Modugno, who didn't offer a saving grace. His first pitch was sent over the right-field fence. A three-run home run that would bring Purple Aces within a run would put Brehmer's stellar appearance on the brink of irrelevancy in the 8th inning.

Modugno would find himself in more trouble after hitting a batter before being relieved by Grant Holderfield. One of Mercer's most reliable bullpen arms. The Indiana lead was 6-5.

1 1/3 innings, no hits, and two strikeouts later, Holderfield got the biggest outs of the game, sealing the game and evening the series 1-1.

"That kid's good. He's a young freshman, never a doubt when he's on the mound. He shuts it down pretty well," Brehmer said.

The rollercoaster continued in the third and final game of the series. Nathan Stahl started for the Hoosiers and early struggles with command saw him lifted after only 1 1/3 innings. Left-hander Ryan Kraft came in replacement.

Kraft would eat 4.2 very necessary innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five Evansville batters. Kraft provided the highs of the highs, his successors would give the lows of the lows.

After Luke Hayden and Ty Bothwell would nearly squabble Indiana's lead in the 7th inning combining to walk four and allow two runs, Mercer would call on one of his other reliable arms out of the pen, Braydon Tucker. The Indiana lead was one, 6-5.

The tall, hard throwing right hander would dominate, retiring seven of the eight batters he faced and striking out four through 2.1 innings pitched.

Holderfield and Tucker's contributions to finishing the final two games of this last weekend's series can't be understated. They were both inserted into the game in the most critical situations, both with only a single run advantage acting as a cushion. Mercer voiced similar sentiments postgame.

"It was huge for us. Both those guys coming back on short rest, being incredibly competitive, executing pitches. That's what we ask of those guys," Mercer said. "We've been looking for those guys that have the attitude and mentality to go in, get in the fight and stay in the fight.

Those guys have some guts. Brayden Tucker's got a stiff spine man," Mercer laughed.

Indiana opens Big Ten play against Northwestern this Weekend at Bart Kaufman Stadium.