BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Even before Cincinnati team knocked off No. 1 Louisville, Indiana recognized the challenge it faced at home Wednesday night.
Sure enough, the Hoosiers withstood a late rally to defeat the Bearcats 3-2 at Bart Kaufman Field.
“It was a battle,” IU head coach Chris Lemonis said. “We knew it was going to be a battle when we started.”
Both teams traded scoreless frames through the first three innings until the Hoosiers (10-8-1) broke through in the bottom of the fourth, when Indiana would string those four at-bats together.
After a groundout by Krupa, freshman first baseman Matt Gorski bunted to reach first. Senior outfielder Craig Dedelow followed with a single to shallow center.
Junior third baseman Luke Miller then hit an RBI double to advance Dedelow to third and score Gorski. Freshman catcher Jake Matheny continued the damage with a 2-run RBI single to score Dedelow and Miller, all three runs coming with one out.
Little did Indiana know it would be the difference in the game.
“We won the game with four at-bats there,” Lemonis said. “Just putting four good at-bats together off a good pitcher.”
Holding onto a two-run lead in the top of the eighth, Indiana chose to replace junior lefty B.J. Sabol on the mound with Miller. Miller got Cincinnati sophomore catcher Mason DeAnna to fly out to center, but the Bearcats (10-10) responded with a double to right center by junior Ryan Noda.
A single by Cincinnati junior infielder Manny Rodriguez advanced Noda to third, then Rodriguez stole second on the ensuing at-bat. The Bearcats cut the IU lead to one that same inning with a sac-fly RBI by junior infielder Kyle Mottice. Miller returned to third base following the sac-fly.
“It’s different,” Miller said of the two-way experience. “I haven’t done it at all for the Hoosiers, but back in high school so it’s not that big of a difference.”
Sophomore infielder and righty Matt Lloyd came on to replace Lloyd after the sac-fly and got the next Cincinnati batter to fly out to right, avoiding any further damage.
After the Hoosiers went scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, it was up to Lloyd to preserve the lead and close the game. Lloyd struck out the first Cincinnati batter but walks the second. Lloyd struck out the third batter, but gave up a single against the fourth, putting runners on first and second with one out. A strike out and a ground out ended the inning to give the Hoosiers the close win.
Stiever got the start for IU, his first action on the mound since February 24.
He the side in order in the top of the first, then was replaced by sophomore lefty Tim Herrin entering the top of the second. Stiever’s limited work was intentional, according to Lemonis.
“Stiever’s [outing] was a scripted one-inning, getting ready [deal],” Lemonis said. “He’ll start this weekend, so he’ll be ready to go.”
Herrin (2-2), meanwhile, went on to allow just one hit and one earned hit in four innings to earn the win. Cincinnati’s A.J. Olasz (2-1) picked up his first loss of the season.
Herrin was one of six different pitchers the Hoosiers used for their midweek matchup.
“We don’t like making it easy, at least we haven’t lately,” Herrin said. “We have a lot of grit on this team. We’ve been showing how tough we are. In close games, we’re winning, so that’s really the most important thing. However you get it done, it works.”
The result marked the fourth game in the last five that have decided by one run for IU.
The result also gave IU a quality conference win over a rival.
“Even before that [Louisville] win, we feel like it’s become a little rivalry here,” Lemonis said. “We’ve played some really tough, close games over the last couple of years, and they’re putting together a very impressive resume themselves. Anytime you can put that on your resume, it’s huge.”
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