Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Charlotte
Indiana Drops Season Opener to Charlotte
2/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2006
Box Score
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Opening its season against the preseason Atlantic 10 favorite, the Indiana baseball team fell to Charlotte, 11-3, on Feb. 24 at Tom & Lib Phillips Field. The Hoosiers are now 6-4 in their last 10 season openers, while the 49ers improved to 5-2 overall and 5-1 at home this year.
Behind a brilliant pitching performance from right-handed ace Adam Mills and a pair of big innings (4 runs in the first and 5 in the fifth), the 49ers spoiled Tracy Smith's first game as Hoosier skipper. Mills held IU to four hits and two walks to go along with three strikeouts in seven innings to push his record to 2-0 and lower his ERA to 1.42.
Senior left fielder Jay Brant put IU on the board in the eighth, taking the first pitch he saw from right-handed reliever Dusty White over the left-field wall for the Hoosiers' first home run and tally of the season. The Hoosiers continued the offensive attack, loading the bases after a pair of walks and a hits batsman for freshman infielder Keith Haas.
Haas delivered a single into left center to plate senior center Reggie Watson, and freshman outfielder Andrew Means collected his first career RBI, knocking in junior infielder Steve Head with a groundout to third for the third Hoosier tally of the inning. Junior designated hitter Ben Greenspan followed with a rocket headed into right-center field, but second baseman Cory Lane leaped and made a spectacular snow cone catch to hold the 49ers' 10-3 advantage.
Charlotte scratched across a fourth unearned run in the bottom half of the inning for the final 11-3 margin.
Haas closed out the game 2-for-2 with one RBI and one steal, while senior center fielder Reggie Watson went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one RBI. Brant ended the contest 1-for-4.
Making his Indiana debut, right-hander Eric Wagner (0-1) bounced back after the first and retired nine of the last 11 batters he faced. In four innings of work, the Naperville, Ill., native surrendered two earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
Second baseman Cory Lane opened the home half of the first with a solo shot to right field, and the 49ers added three unearned runs with the help of three Hoosier miscues for a 4-0 lead.
After a third-inning RBI single from right fielder Spencer Steedley made it 5-0, Watson collected the first Hoosier hit of the evening in the fourth but was stranded at third. Watson also reached scoring position in the sixth following a lead-off base hit only to be left standing on second.
In the fifth, the 49ers added five more runs highlighted by run-scoring singles from designated hitter Chris Taylor, left fielder Alan Parks and center fielder Chris Lane.
The Hoosiers nearly broke through in the seventh when Haas led off with a pinch-hit single and went on to steal second. Two batters later, Greenspan laced a single into center, but Lane threw out Haas at the plate to rob Greenspan of an RBI on the first of two occasions. Sophomore Jon Fixler pinch hit for freshman catcher Billy O'Conner and roped a line drive right at Steedley to retire the side.
Relievers Doug Fleenor and David Trager held Charlotte to one unearned run over the final 3 2/3 innings. Fleenor, taking the hill for the first time since 2004, tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. Trager, making his first career appearance on the mound, held the 49ers to one hit in addition to punching out two in the final two innings.
Shortstop Mike Ambrose, who went 4-fo-5 with three runs and three doubles, led the 49ers offensively. Cory Lane added a 2-for-5 performance with one RBI and two runs, while Parks (2-for-3) drove in a pair.
The two teams return to the diamond for the second game of the three-day set on Saturday, Feb. 25. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
Game Notes
-The ballgame was head coach Tracy Smith's Indiana debut. Smith was named Indiana's 23rd head coach on June 22, 2005.
-The Hoosiers used 13 players and four pitchers in the contest.
-Junior Ben Greenspan (designated hitter), sophomore Tad Reida (third base), redshirt freshman Brett Sager (second base) and freshmen Chris Hervey (right field) and Billy O'Conner (catcher) appeared in the starting lineup in their first game in a Hoosier uniform.
-Junior Keith Hass and freshman Andrew Means also played in their first career contests.
-Freshman right-hander Eric Wagner kicked off his Hoosier career starting the 2006 opener.
-Wagner recorded his first career strikeout in the first inning (Chris Taylor, fifth batter).
-Senior center fielder Reggie Watson registered the Hoosiers' first hit and steal of the season in the fourth inning.
-Sophomore right-hander Doug Fleenor pitched in his first game since 2004.
-Sophomore right-hander David Trager made his IU pitching debut.
-Haas collected his first collegiate hit and steal in the seventh, and netted his first collegiate RBI in the eighth.
-Means secured his first collegiate RBI in the eighth.
-Senior left fielder Jay Brant recorded the Hoosiers' first RBI and home run of the season in the eighth inning. Brant now has 11 career home runs.
-This was the first meeting between Indiana and Charlotte.
