This past weekend the Indiana Hoosiers faced off against the Purdue Boilermakers in a three-game series at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington. Heading into the series, Indiana had a seven-game win streak after losing the first game of the season to Rutgers. IU was also tied for first place in the Big Ten Conference with Michigan as both teams had a 7-1 record.
Indiana won the first game of the series, improving its winning streak to eight before losing the second game of the season, dropping back to 8-2. However, the Hoosiers bounced back in the series finale and won 9-4, taking the series. The Hoosiers are now 9-2 on the season, tied for first in the Big Ten Conference. Currently, Michigan is 9-2 but still has one more game to play, so it is yet to be determined if the Hoosiers will lead the conference.
Here is the full breakdown of the Indiana vs. Purdue series.
Game 1: Friday 3/19 @ 3:00 PM
In the opening game of the series, Tommy Sommer got the start. Sommer only allowed one earned run on two hits and struck out a career high 12 batters. He also walked four through six and two-thirds innings. Although Sommer struggled early in the first inning, he was able to work out of it and not allow a run for the next five and two-thirds innings.
In the top of the first inning, Sommer struggled with command. He walked the first three batters of the game to load up the bases. He then hit RF Miles Simington with a pitch to give Purdue an early 1-0 lead. However, Sommer struck out the next two batters to prevent any more runs from scoring.
In the bottom of the first, the first three Indiana hitters Ashley, Murrison and Richardson, all struck out swinging.
In the bottom of the third, Indiana threatened to score. Leadoff hitter DH Drew Ashley singled to right-center field with one out. Next up to bat, RF Sam Murrison reached base on a fielder's choice to third base and Ashley was thrown out running to second base. CF Grant Richardson then doubled down the right-field line and Murrison advanced to third base. 3B Cole Barr drew a two-out walk to load the bases, which brought up 2B Paul Toetz. Toetz struck out swinging to end the frame and to end the threat.
In the top of the fourth, C Steve Ramirez singled to left field, Purdue's first hit of the game. However, the next two batters would fly out to end the frame.
Indiana finally struck in the bottom of the eighth. Richardson led off the inning with a single to left field and then scored on a one-out double down the left-field line by Toetz. 1B Jordan Fucci was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second base. C Jacob Southern hit a two-out single, which scored Toetz from second base, giving Indiana a 2-1 lead.
Indiana RHP Matt Litwicki entered in the ninth to close out the game. Litwicki got the first two batters out but then struggled with command and walked back to back hitters to put men on first and second base. Regardless, Litwicki struck out CF Skyler Hunter looking to end the game. Litwicki was awarded his third save of the season. With the 2-1 victory, the Hoosiers won their eighth straight game.
Notable Performances:
LHP Tommy Sommer: 6 2/3 IP / 1 ER / 2 Hits / 12 K's / 4 Walks
DH Drew Ashley: 2-4
CF Grant Richardson: 2-4
2B Paul Toetz: 1-3 / RBI
C Jacob Southern: 1-4 / RBI
Game 2: Saturday 3/20 @ 2:00 PM
In the second game of the series, Big Ten Pitcher of the Week RHP McCade Brown started for the Hoosiers. Brown allowed four earned runs on five hits, walked four batters and struck out eight through five innings. In comparison to his last two starts, Brown struggled with command and picked up his first loss of the season.
Indiana took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. LF Drew Ashley drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second base after Cole Barr was hit by a pitch with one out. Next, up to bat, 2B Paul Toetz doubled down the left-field line and Ashley scored from second base to make it a 1-0 game. However, Barr and Toetz were left stranded in scoring position.
In the top of the second, Purdue tied the game. LF Ben Nisle led off with a double to the left-center gap and then advanced to third base after C Zac Fascia hit a ground ball on the right side of the infield. Next up to bat, 1B Cam Thompson then singled to second base and Nisle scored from third base to tie the game 1-1.
In the top of the third, 3B Tyler Powers led off the inning with a single to left field and then advanced to second base after CF Skyler Hunter drew a walk. 2B Evan Albrecht attempted to sacrifice bunt to move the runners, but it was unsuccessful and Powers was thrown out trying to reach third base. Next up to bat, RF Miles Simington singled to left center, scoring Hunter from second to give Purdue a 2-1 lead. Nisle then hit a ground ball to Cole Barr, who committed a throwing error trying to get the out at second. Albrecht was on second base and came around to score, making it 3-1. Fascia then singled through the right side and Simington scored to extend the lead 4-1. Thompson then drew a one-out walk to load up the bases. Nisle scored on a wild pitch by McCade Brown to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
In the bottom of the fourth, RF Morgan Colopy hit a two-out double to right-center field. SS Grant Macciocchi then singled to left field and Colopy scored from second to cut Purdue's lead to 5-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, Indiana cut Purdue's lead once more. Barr hit a one-out double off the left-field wall and then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Toetz then singled to left field and Barr scored to make it a 5-3 game. Pinch hitter Kip Fougerousse in his first at-bat of the season doubled to the right-center gap and Toetz came around to score to make it a 5-4 game.
In the top of the sixth, Purdue scored again. Powers hit a double down the right-field line and then advanced to third base after Albrecht singled to third base. Simington then singled to left field and Powers scored from third base to give the Boilermakers a 6-4 lead.
Hunter drew a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth and then advanced to second base after Albrecht bunted and reached first base after a throwing error by Braden Scott. Simington then reached base on a fielder's choice to second base. Albrecht was thrown out trying to get to second base and Hunter moved to third. Nisle then doubled down the right-field line and Hunter scored from third base to give Purdue a 7-4 lead.
SS Justin Walker Jr. drew a one-out walk in the top of the ninth and then advanced to third base after Powers singled to left field. Powers moved to second base after a wild pitch. Next up to bat, Hunter reached base on a fielder's choice to second base and Walker Jr. scored from third base to extend Purdue's lead to 8-4.
Drew Ashley started the bottom of the ninth with a double to the left-center gap. He then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. CF Grant Richardson then drew a walk. Cole Barr singled to left-center, which scored Ashley from third and moved Richardson to second base with no outs. The following two batters Toetz and Fougerousse, would strike out looking. Pinch hitter Hunter Jessee was then hit by a pitch to load up the bases. However, Tyler Van Pelt struck out, looking to end the game. Indiana lost 8-5, which snapped its eight-game win streak.
Notable Performances:
LF Drew Ashley: 2-4
3B Cole Barr: 2-4 / RBI
2B Paul Toetz: 2-5 / 2 RBI
PH/1B Kip Fougerousse: 1-3 / RBI
RF Morgan Colopy: 2-4
Game 3: Sunday 3/21 @ 1:00 PM
In the final game of the three-game series, Indiana RHP Gabe Bierman got the start. Bierman pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs and four hits. He also struck out seven and walked two.
Purdue took an early lead in the top of the second inning. 1B Zac Fascia led off the inning with a single up the middle and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. CF Skyler hunter then drew a one-out walk. Next up to bat, 3B Tyler powers singled to right field, which scored Hunter from second base and Fascia advanced to third base. Gabe Bierman then threw a wild pitch which allowed Fascia to score from third base to make it a 2-0 game.
In the bottom of the second, Indiana tied the game. Barr was hit by a pitch and then advanced to third base after 2B Paul Toetz doubled down the left-field line. DH Kip Fougerousse was then intentionally walked to load up the bases. SS Jeremy Houston singled through the left side with two outs and the bases loaded, which scored Barr and Toetz to tie the game 2-2.
In the bottom of the third, Indiana took the lead. CF Grant Richardson drove a ball over the center-field wall for a solo home run, his third home run of the season. Cole Barr drew a one-out walk and advanced to second base after 2B Paul Toetz hit a single to left field. 1B Jordan Fucci singled up the middle, which moved Toetz to second base and Barr came around to score, giving IU a 4-2 lead. Fougerousse then hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Toetz tagged up to score, giving IU a 5-2 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Hunter hit a one-out single to left field and then advanced to second base after Powers singled to right field. DH Mike Bolton Jr. hit a ground-rule double to left field with men on first and second, which scored Hunter from second base, cutting IU's lead to 5-3.
In the top of the sixth, C Steve Ramirez led off the inning with a walk. Hunter hit a ground ball to second base and Toetz committed a throwing error while trying to throw to first base. Ramirez advanced to third on the error and Hunter moved to second. Bierman then hit Powers to load up the bases. Despite the bases-loaded no-out scenario, Walker Jr. grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Ramirez scored to cut the deficit to 5-4, but the crucial double play limited the damage.
C Collin Hopkins got his first hit of the season in the bottom of the sixth, a single up the middle with one out. SS Jeremy Houston then singled to right field, which advanced Hopkins to second base. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and then LF Drew Ashley drew a one-out walk to load up the bases. RF Morgan Colopy then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored Hopkins from third, extending Indiana's lead to 6-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Hoosiers added on to their lead. Fougerousse led off the inning with a base hit to left-center field. Hopkins then hit a ball deep over the left-field wall for a two-run home-run, his second hit of the year and first home run of the season to give IU an 8-4 lead. Drew Ashley then singled to shortstop and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Richardson then singled to center field, which scored Ashley from second base to give IU a 9-4 lead.
IU RHP Matt Litwicki entered the game in the ninth to close out the game and pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out one batter. IU won the game 9-4 and won the series against its rival Purdue.
Notable Performances:
LF Drew Ashley: 2-4
CF Grant Richardson: 2-5 / 2 RBI / HR (3)
3B Cole Barr: 2-3
2B Paul Toetz: 2-5
DH Kip Fougerousse: 1-2 / RBI
C Collin Hopkins: 2-4 / 2 RBI / HR (1)
SS Jeremy Houston: 2-4 / 2 RBI
Closing Thoughts:
In comparison to previous games, Indiana's defense was less consistent. Heading into the series, Indiana only had two errors all season in eight games which was a throwing error by SS Jeremy Houston and LHP Tommy Sommer. There were four errors in this three-game series, two by 2B Paul Toetz, one by 3B Cole Barr and one by LHP Braden Scott. Although only one run was unearned in game two, the errors still had a massive effect because it kept the innings alive for Purdue to continue putting pressure and score more runs.
However, baseball is undoubtedly a mental game and at least hopefully, the errors are now out of the system as the Hoosiers face Michigan State this upcoming weekend.
McCade Brown also did not have a great outing compared to his previous two starts. He allowed four earned runs in five innings and also walked four batters. Although to be fair, the errors most likely put more pressure on Brown. In correspondence to my previous point, it can be challenging to have stellar outings every single start. Hopefully, McCade Brown can come back strong and have a good outing this weekend.
In terms of the positives, it was great how despite being down 1-0 late in the first game, Indiana kept up the energy and scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead and eventually win. It seems like Indiana's bats have been able to come alive late in most games this season, never counting them out of a game.
Also, game three was a great response by the Hoosiers. They lost a tough game the day before that snapped the win streak but returned and scored nine runs, the most in any game so far this season to beat Purdue and win the series. Collin Hopkins and Jeremy Houston also had great days at the plate in game three, showing that this Hoosier lineup can be dangerous one through nine. Jeremy Houston in the press conference said that in his opinion, the lineup can be strong one through fifteen and that many guys off the bench can hit.
Indiana will play a three-game road series this upcoming weekend against Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan. Below are the scheduled start times for each game.
Game 1: Friday, March 26th @ 3:05 pm ET
Game 2: Saturday, March 27th @ 1:05 pm ET
Game 3: Sunday, March 28th @ 1:05 pm ET
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