Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Vermont
Trager Captures First Victory, Indiana Races Past Vermont
3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 17, 2006
BRADENTON, Fla. - David Trager collected his first career victory, and the Indiana baseball team stole seven bases in a decisive 10-6 victory over Vermont at Academy Park on March 17. The Hoosiers are now 4-9 on the season and 3-3 on their seven-game spring trip, while the Catamounts dropped to 0-7. IU has swiped 19 bases in 19 attempts during the last three games and Hoosier baserunners have been successful in their last 22 steal attempts.
"It's really not that big of a deal," Trager said of his victory. "I struggled early throwing strikes and took a while to get in a groove. It took a couple innings, but I found that groove and started pitching my game."
Entering with one out in the second, Trager pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings and held Vermont to one earned run on eight hits. Freshman Joe Vicini came in with men on second and third with two outs in the ninth and forced designated hitter Nick Gallipani to ground out to second baseman Keith Haas en route to his first career save.
"We've had some tough losses and are so close," Trager said. "To win a game like this where we kept fighting and fighting is really good for us. We've had some trouble in the late innings, so it was nice to prevail in the end."
Right fielder Andrew Means turned in a 2-for-4 effort with one RBI, one run and a career-high three stolen bases. He is now a perfect 7-for-7 in the stolen base department this season and recorded at least one steal in each of the last five games. Means also extended his hitting streak to seven games.
Additionally, first baseman Tad Reida went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run, while center fielder Reggie Watson added two hits, two runs and two steals. Watson also owns a seven-game hitting streak, has stolen at least one base in the last four games and pushed his team-leading steal total to 12.
Vermont opened the scoring with a single tally in the top of the first before Indiana answered with three in the home half of the inning off of Chris Marsh (0-2). Reida delivered a bases-loaded hit to score Watson and left fielder Jay Brant. Two batters later, Means singled in designated hitter Zach Boswell to cap the rally.
The Catamounts regained the lead with three of their own the next half inning and one in the third. Center fielder Jason Carey cleared the bases with a three-run double into the right-field corner, and second baseman Bryan Rembisz touched home on left fielder Justin Albert's sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.
IU continued the seesaw affair, grabbing a 6-5 advantage with a three-spot in the fourth. After an RBI groundout from shortstop Josh Richardson and a run-scoring single off the bat of catcher Jon Fixler, Brant drove Fixler home with a sacrifice fly.
Reida reached on an infield single and collected the Hoosiers' seventh run on an error by shortstop Kyle Massie to give Indiana a 7-5 edge heading into the sixth.
Following Albert's sacrifice fly, Trager settled in, retiring 12 of the next 15 batters he faced before Vermont put runners on first and second with two down in the seventh. However, Trager was able to get out of the jam, forcing Albert to pop out to Watson in shallow center field to end the frame.
The Hoosiers tacked on a run in the bottom of the inning courtesy of Boswell and Reida. Boswell led off with a base on balls, picked up his first stolen base of the year and moved to third on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Reida. Two pitches later, the Berrien Springs, Mich., native raced home on a wild pitch to give Indiana a three-run margin at 8-5.
Vermont cut into the Hoosier lead with an unearned run and runners stood at second and third with two outs for right fielder Kyle Brault, but Trager held tough once again and forced Brault to fly out to Brant to keep it a two-run contest.
Watson and Brant used their speed to add a pair of insurance tallies in the eighth. Following a one-out walk, Watson went on to swipe second and third, marking the fourth time this season he has stolen two bases in a game. Brant then hit a ground ball to Rembisz, who threw late to the plate, allowing Watson to score.
Brant proceeded to steal second, moved to third on a Boswell groundout and collected Indiana's final run on a wild pitch.
Indiana wraps up its spring trip Saturday evening, March 18, against Illinois-Chicago. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. (EST) at Ed Smith Stadium, spring training home of the Cincinnati Reds.
Game Notes
-Indiana stole a season-high seven bases. The Hoosiers have stolen 22 straight bases without getting caught, including a perfect 19-for-19 mark in the last three ballgames.
-The Hoosiers have stolen at least one base in each of their last eight games and in 9-of-13 contests thus far in 2006. Overall, Indiana has swiped 35 bags in 44 attempts.
-Right-handed reliever David Trager earned his first career victory and tossed a career-best 7 1/3 innings.
-Southpaw Joe Vicini collected his first career save.
-Designated hitter Zach Boswell picked up his first stolen base of the season.
-Center fielder Reggie Watson and right fielder Andrew Means extended their hitting streaks to seven games.
-Left fielder Jay Brant stole one base and has recorded at least one steal in each of the last four games. He has swiped six straight bags without getting caught and has eight steals in 10 attempts this season.
-Means also picked up a career-best three steals, is a perfect 7-for-7 on the basepaths this year and has one steal in each of the last five contests.
-With two stolen bases in today's game, Watson now owns a team-high 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts. Today marked his fourth multi-steal game this season, and he has at least one steal in four straight games.
-The Hoosiers occupied the home dugout for the first time this season.
-IU now leads the all-time series, 5-1, against Vermont.
-Indiana is 3-3 on its seven-game spring trip.
