Indiana's weekend in DeLand, Florida, was nothing short of a rollercoaster, featuring explosive offense, standout performances, and some challenges along the way.
The Hoosiers opened the trip with a bang Friday, sweeping a doubleheader with dominant wins over Mount St. Mary's and Stetson. Indiana’s offense erupted after a slow start in both games.
But not everything went smoothly. On Saturday, a standout pitching performance shut down Indiana's bats. However, the Hoosiers bounced back Sunday, delivering another offensive clinic in a win over Mount St. Mary's to cap off the weekend.
Through the highs and lows, Indiana returns home with a .500 record. The weekend served as a testament to the Hoosiers' offensive firepower.
OFFENSE PROPELS HOOSIERS TO DOUBLE-HEADER SWEEP ON FRIDAY
Indiana delivered back-to-back dominant performances Friday, securing a doubleheader sweep with emphatic wins over Mount St. Mary's and Stetson.
Tied 4-4 through four innings against Mount St. Mary's in the first game, Indiana's offense erupted, outscoring its opponents 21-1 over the final 13 innings of play on the opening day of the weekend. The offensive explosion saw the Hoosiers tally 26 runs on 29 hits across both games, never trailing in either contest.
Indiana set the tone early, tying a season high with 18 hits in an 18-5, eight-inning victory over Mount St. Mary's in the first game of Friday's double-header.
Outfielder Devin Taylor led the charge with a historic performance, becoming the eighth player in Indiana history to reach 40 career home runs. He recorded five hits, including two homers, setting career highs in RBIs (six) and total bases (12).
The long ball played a major role in the win, as Indiana blasted six home runs—the fourth time since Jeff Mercer took over in 2019 that the Hoosiers have hit six or more in a game.
Freshman first baseman Jake Hanley continued his hot streak, recording two hits and extending his career-opening hitting streak to 10 games.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Indiana carried its offensive momentum into the nightcap against Stetson, while the Hoosiers' pitching staff clamped down.
Indiana's heart of the order—hitters in the three, four and five spots—combined for seven hits in an 8-1 win over Stetson.
Outfielder Korbyn Dickerson extended his hitting streak to seven games, each a multi-hit performance. Over that span, he has been a run-producing machine, belting five home runs and driving in 16 runs.
Indiana's bullpen shined against the Hatters, limiting Stetson to just one run in a bullpen game. The win marked the ninth time in the first 10 games of the season that Indiana has held its opponent to six or fewer runs.
Following the doubleheader sweep, Indiana turned its attention to a rematch with Stetson on Saturday afternoon.
INDIANA FALLS IN SATURDAY AFTERNOON REMATCH WITH STETSON
On Saturday, Indiana couldn't solve Stetson's left-handed starter Jonathan Gonzalez, as the Hoosiers fell 8-4 at Melching Field.
Gonzalez kept Indiana's bats in check, allowing just two runs over seven innings, while the Hoosiers' pitching staff struggled with command.
Freshman outfielder Hogan Denny provided a bright spot in the loss, notching his first career multi-hit game and belting his first collegiate home run with a solo shot in the fifth inning. Meanwhile, Taylor continued his power surge, launching his fourth homer of the week and third of the weekend in the eighth.
Outside of Denny and Taylor, Indiana's offense struggled, managing just two more hits. Dickerson extended his hitting streak to eight games, the longest active streak on the team. However, Hanley's impressive start came to a halt as he was held hitless for the first time in his career.
On the mound, Indiana right-hander Cole Gilley labored through three innings, struggling with command as the Hoosiers turned to their bullpen early.
Left-handers Anthony Gubitosi and Ryan Kraft each surrendered two runs over two innings of relief before junior right-hander Will Eldridge closed things out with a scoreless eighth inning.
Indiana’s pitching staff issued eight walks—its second-highest total of the season—while striking out just five.
Following the loss to Stetson, Indiana was set for a Sunday matinee against Mount St. Mary's.
INDIANA'S BATS STAY HOT, LEADING TO SECOND RUN-RULE OF THE WEEKEND
In Sunday's weekend finale against Mount St. Mary's, Indiana's offense once again carried the team to victory.
The Hoosiers piled up 20 runs on 18 hits, cruising to a 20-7 win in seven innings over the Mountaineers to wrap up their weekend in Florida.
From the first inning, Indiana's offense looked to have regained the momentum from Friday's doubleheader sweep. The Hoosiers scored in each of the first six innings, including multiple runs in each frame except for a one-run second inning.
Six Hoosiers had multiple hits, with Taylor, Dickerson, and Hanley recording three hits each in the two through four spots in the lineup.
Dickerson belted his seventh home run of the season and drove in a team-high six RBIs in the run-rule victory. Taylor, shortstop Tyler Cerny, catcher T.J. Schuyler, and outfielder Andrew Wiggins also had multi-RBI performances for Indiana.
As a team, the Hoosiers drew 11 walks and struck out just four times.
The win lifts Indiana to .500 at 6-6 through the first three weeks of the season. The Hoosiers return home for a midweek game against Northern Kentucky on Tuesday before opening Big Ten play next weekend in University Park, Pennsylvania, against Penn State.
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