Indiana faced off against Rutgers and Nebraska, each in a two-game series over the weekend in a three-team pod. The Hoosiers swept Rutgers 8-3 and 5-3, respectively, but lost the series opener to Nebraska on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth. However, IU rebounded and took the series finale 4-2.
The win on Sunday ensured that IU would maintain its conference lead after this past weekend of play. Even if Nebraska wins its final game of the week against Rutgers on Monday, it will boost the Cornhuskers 0.5 games. Currently, the Hoosiers hold a one-game edge over Michigan and Nebraska.
Here is a breakdown of the Indiana vs. Rutgers and Indiana vs. Nebraska series.
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IU starting pitchers had great performances last weekend and IU won three of four games, remaining atop the conference. (IU Athletics)
Rutgers Series:
Game 1: 5/7 @ 2:00 PM
LHP Tommy Sommer once again started the first game of the weekend for Indiana and had a great outing against Rutgers. He allowed one earned run on five hits, struck out six and walked one through 6 ⅔ inning pitched.
Indiana was on the board first in the top of the first inning. LF Drew Ashley singled to first base and 2B Paul Toetz then doubled to right-center, putting two runners in scoring position. Ashley later scored on a groundout by CF Grant Richardson and Toetz scored on a sacrifice fly to deep left hit by 3B Cole Barr to take a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Rutgers DH Josh Rodriguez hit a one-out ground-rule double to right-center and later scored on a two-out single by RF Richie Schiekofer to cut the lead in half 2-1.
IU maintained its 2-1 lead until the bottom of the seventh. 2B Kevin Welsh singled to left field and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Schiekofer, later in the inning, hit a double down the left-field line and Welsh scored to tie the game 2-2.
IU regained the lead with an offensive surge in the next half-inning. A pitch hit Barr and Colopy and then both runners advanced to second and third respectively on a passed ball. Next up to bat, C Collin Hopkins singled to left field and both Barr and Colopy scored to give IU a 4-2 lead.
Pinch hitter Ethan Vercrumba then walked and DH Bobby Whalen bunted for a single to load up the bases with no outs. SS Tank Espalin singled to left-center and both Hopkins and pinch-runner Sam Murrison scored to extend the lead to 6-2. Ashley walked and then Toetz doubled to right-center, scoring Espalin from second to make it a 7-2 ballgame. Ashley later scored from third to extend the lead to 8-2 after RU RHP Ben Worski walked in a run.
In the bottom of the eighth, RU SS Danny DiGeorgio singled to center field and later scored after 3B Chris Brito doubled off the centerfield wall to cut the deficit to 8-3.
IU had two runners in scoring position in the top of the ninth but failed to score any potential insurance runs.
LHP Ty Bothwell, who entered in the game earlier, stayed in for the ninth and induced a ground out and struck out a batter swinging for the first two outs. Nyisztor then singled to right field and a pitch hit Schiekofer, which put runners on first and second with two outs. However, Bothwell induced another ground ball to end the game. Indiana won the series opener 8-3, won its third straight game, and extended the conference lead over Michigan and Nebraska.
RHP McCade Brown started the final game against Rutgers and the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday. He hurled a stellar outing as he allowed one earned run on one hit, struck out 11 and walked three through seven innings pitched.
It was clear right from the get-go that there was a pitching duel between Brown and RU starter Ben Wereski.
Wereski did not allow a hit through the first six innings pitched whereas, Brown was perfect, not allowing a single baserunner. At one point, Brown struck out seven batters in a row.
Toetz singled to center field for IU's first hit of the game in the top of the seventh. Richardson then singled to right field and advanced to second on a wild pitch, putting two runners in scoring position. Barr walked to load up the bases, but after the walk, Wereski retired three consecutive batters and IU stranded the bases loaded with no outs.
1B Mike Nyisztor led off the bottom half of the inning and hit a solo home run to left field, breaking up the perfect game and the scoreless tie. Brown allowed back-to-back walks after the home run but later in the inning induced a crucial inning-ending double play.
In the top of the ninth, Toetz and Richardson hit back-to-back singles. Later in the inning, C Collin Hopkins hit a clutch single to centerfield and pinch-runner Jeremy Houston scored from second base to tie the game 1-1.
Rutgers was unable to walk it off in the ninth, sending the game into extras.
Pinch hitter Jake Skrine walked to start the top of the 10th and moved to second after a sac bunt. Ashley then doubled down the right-field line, which put two runners in scoring position. Next up to bat, Houston singled to left field and pinch-runner Hunter Jessee scored to give Indiana a 2-1 lead. Richardson later hit an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 3-1.
3B Chris Brito drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 10th and advanced to second after SS Danny DiGeorgio singled through the left side. 2B Kevin Welsh bunted the ball in the air, but it dropped right in between IU pitcher Braden Scott and 1B Jordan Fucci to load up the bases. The following two batters struck out, but Nyisztor, who hit the home run earlier, delivered again with a two RBI-single to right-center to tie the game 3-3.
In the top of the 11th, Fucci hit a two-run home run to right-center and the Hoosiers regained a 5-3 lead.
IU RHP Braydon Tucker entered in the bottom of the 11th and allowed a leadoff single but eventually shut the door for his second save of the season. IU swept the series with a 5-3 victory, extending the winning streak to four games.
RHP John Modugno started the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday, the series opener against Nebraska. Modugno allowed one earned run on four hits, struck out four and walked two through four innings pitched.
Nebraska took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. DH Max Anderson singled to third and moved to second after 3B Luke Roskam reached on a fielding error by Espalin. C Griffin Everitt then laid down a sac bunt and both runners advanced to second and third, respectively. Anderson then scored on a groundout to short and Roskam scored on a double by 1B Jack Steil to give Nebraska a 2-0 lead.
Nebraska starter RHP Cade Povich did not allow a hit through the first three innings and struck out seven. However, in the fourth, 3B Cole Barr hit a solo home run to right-center to cut Nebraska's lead in half 2-1.
Everitt drew a one-out walk in the bottom half of the inning and then moved to third after an infield single to put runners on the corners. Modugno committed a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt and Everitt scored to extend the lead to 3-1. Meanwhile, LF Mojo Hagge moved all the way to third. Next up to bat, Steil laid down a sacrifice squeeze bunt and Hagge scored to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
After the fourth, inclement weather forced a rain delay.
After the rain delay concluded, Nebraska ace Povich was taken out of the game and Indiana took advantage. IU had the bases loaded with one out and 2B Paul Toetz hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Jeremy Houston to once again cut NU's lead in half to 4-2. Barr then drove a ball deep to center field for a go-ahead three-run home run, his second of the game. The blast propelled the Hoosiers in front 5-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Nebraska regained the lead. Acker drew a leadoff walk to start the inning. Hallmark then bunted down the first baseline and Braydon Tucker committed a throwing error to first, allowing both runners to move into scoring position. SS Scwellenbach then singled through the left side and Acker scored to tie the game 5-5. Later in the inning, Hallmark scored on a groundout to take a 6-5 lead.
IU tied the game in the top of the eighth. Fucci reached on a fielder's choice and then Vercrumba doubled, putting both runners in scoring position. Hopkins and Houston then both walked, scoring Fucci to tie the game 6-6.
Schwellenbach drew a one-out walk in the ninth and advanced to third on a single. Schwellenbach then scored on a groundout to second base and Nebraska walked it off 7-6, taking the series opener and snapping Indiana's four-game winning streak.
RHP Gabe Bierman started on the hill in the series finale and pitched a complete game. He allowed one earned run on four hits, struck out 11 and walked one.
IU wasted no time in scoring first as Ashley, Toetz, Richardson and Barr all singled to put the Hoosiers up 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Later in the inning, DH Ethan Vercrumba also singled, scoring Richardson to extend the lead to 3-0. Hopkins followed suit and singled, which scored Barr to give IU a 4-0 lead.
Bierman only allowed one hit and one walk through the first six innings while striking out seven batters.
Nebraska's Hallmark led off the seventh. He bunted for a single and then advanced to second base on a throwing error by Hopkins. Hallmark later scored on an infield single to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Bierman remained in the game in the ninth and struck out the first batter he faced, but Hallmark then hit a solo home run to left field, cutting Indiana's lead in half to 4-2. Bierman struck out the next batter he faced and hit a batter, bringing the tying run up to the plate. However, he induced a game-ending ground out to secure his fifth victory of the season. IU won 4-2 and took the series finale, splitting the series with second-place Nebraska.
Indiana had another productive weekend, winning three of four games and remaining atop the conference standings.
For all four games, Indiana starting pitchers were great, throwing a combined 26 ⅔ innings pitched and only allowing four earned runs.
The bats continued to stay hot and scored 23 runs throughout the weekend. IU was only 3-29 in team hitting in the series opener against Nebraska, but Cole Barr hit two home runs to keep the Hoosiers in the ballgame. Besides the first game against NU, IU was 11-38 (.289 avg) with runners in scoring position over the weekend.
The five errors in the field in the series opener against Nebraska equated to four unearned runs, which ultimately impacted the game. The Hoosiers deserve credit for their grit and continuing to battle, but the errors were costly. Overall, there were eight errors throughout the four games. Thankfully for the Hoosiers, the errors only came back to bite in the first game against Nebraska.
But as mentioned previously, it was a great weekend for the Hoosiers.
Indiana will travel on the road to face Michigan in a three-game series this upcoming weekend. Below are the scheduled start times for each game.
