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Indiana baseball started its Big Ten season against Ohio State this Saturday taking game one by a score of 14-6. After trailing early in the first inning, the Hoosiers came back with 14 unanswered runs to improve to 15-7 on the season and earn their first Big Ten win of the year.
The series' first game was supposed to be played at 4 p.m. on Friday, but due to rain, the game was moved to Saturday afternoon with the second and third games being played on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
The game started in nightmare fashion for the Hoosiers. Evan Whiteaker got the start for the Hoosiers but was quickly pulled after walking the game's first four batters. The Buckeyes loaded up the bases and with back-to-back hits and an error at second base, Ohio State quickly jumped out to a six-run lead.
Indiana got their offense started in the bottom of the second with a solo home run by Brock Tibbitts. The bats continued to stay hot for the Hoosiers as Tyler Cerny almost gave his team back-to-back home runs as he sliced a double off the wall to bring in another run for the Hoosiers. Later, Bobby Whalen proceeded to ground out to the first baseman but was able to drive in the third run of the inning and Indiana cut its deficit in half.
Even after trailing but a handful of runs in the first, Indiana controlled the rest of the way. After the first inning, they scored in four straight innings. The Hoosiers were able to bring in one run in the third but then proceeded to score four in the fourth and two runs in the fifth.
In the fourth inning, Indiana loaded up the bases with a pair of hits and two hit batters. Indiana then brought in two runs with a Devin Taylor RBI single and the second hit of the afternoon for Tibbitts. They scored four runs on eight batters but the offense continued to be on a roll.
The fifth inning saw more action as Cerny and Matthew Ellis hit back-to-back home runs to extend the Hoosiers' lead. At the end of the fifth inning, Indiana led 10-6.
Indiana scored all 14 runs unanswered with 14 base hits. They started the game against one of the top pitchers in the Big Ten and head coach Jeff Mercer said that it was simply good preparation by his team.
“We were just really well prepared,” Mercer said. “The guys executed the plan and then you know, falling behind six nothing you have no room for error. You really have to focus in knowing that we're offensive enough and prepared enough. Today was a good day to hit with the wind blowing out and knowing we're gonna have a chance to get back in the game. I think they just came out in didn't give away a single at-bat.”
As Indiana's offense kept on rolling, their pitching was able to keep them afloat. Gabe Levy came in the first inning after Whiteaker was unable to retire a single batter and pitched one of his best games in his young Hoosier career. Levy pitched four innings giving up three hits and one earned run, silencing the Buckeye's offense after the first-inning deficit.
“I gave it to Gabe Levy,” Mercer said. The player of the game, I gave it to him and Tibbetts. Gabe has had to adjust to this level and to be in here. He's worked his way through it.”
Senior Ryan Kraft came in for Levy and picked up where he left off. Kraft came in a pitched a scoreless four innings allowing four hits. Once again, Kraft was thrown into a high pressure situation as the main guy out of the Indiana bullpen.
Indiana scored four more runs in the eighth inning and although the Buckeyes threatened in the ninth with the bases loaded, Indiana shut out Ohio State for eight innings for their first Big Ten win of the year.
The Hoosiers improve to 15-7 and will play a double header tomorrow against the Buckeyes starting at 11 a.m.
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