Indiana University Athletics
INDIANA OPENS BIG TEN PLAY AT PENN STATE
3/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
INDIANA OPENS BIG TEN PLAY AT PENN STATE
Game Data
Indiana opens the Big Ten season at State College, Penn., against
Penn State. The Nittany Lions and the Hoosiers will meet four
times over the weekend.
Competition
Penn State enters the weekend with a 13-5 record. The Nittany
Lions are coming off wins against Winthrop (4-3), and Columbia
(13-10). This is the Big Ten opener for PSU also.
Game Results
Complete game results will be made available on the web at www.athletics.indiana.edu
following the event. They can be viewed and printed out by choosing
baseball from the main menu.
Head Coach Bob Morgan
Bob Morgan is in his 17th season at Indiana. He has posted a
626-345-3 record while with the Hoosiers and owns a career mark
of 918-433-5. He currently ranks in the top ten nationally amongst
active Division I coaches in career winning percentage and in
the top 20 in career victories. Furthermore, Morgan has never
suffered a losing season in this is 25th year as a collegiate
head coach.
On the Hill
The Hoosiers will rotate Brad Edwards, Zach McClellan, David
Ferris and Fred Graf. Ferris leads the team with a 4-0 mark and
a 1.65 ERA. He has made five starts this season and fanned 28
batters in 27.1 innings. Graf has struck out 29 and walked only
six in 29.2 innings' work to post a 3.03 ERA. Edwards leads the
team in strike outs (40, 4.22 ERA), and McClellan isn't far behind
(33, 3.82).
Sitting Them Down
Zach McClellan and Brad Edwards posted career highs in strike
outs in their final two starts in Florida. Edwards fanned 16
against Quinnipiac and McClellan sat down 14 against Vermont.
That is 30 strikeouts in the last 17 innings Indiana starters
have worked.
Spanos Looking for a Spot
Freshman Vasilli Spanos had a hot Florida trip as he led all
Hoosiers with a .550 batting average. Spanos went 11-20 and scored
six runs while driving in six more. Spanos continued that streak,
and currently leads the Hoosiers so far this season posting a
.459 average in 37 at bats.
Big Ten "K" Club
As of March 21, Brad Edwards leads the Big Ten in strikeouts
(40), with Zach McClellan in second (33), and Fred Graf fifth
with 28. The Hoosiers lead the conference in team pitching, posting
a 3.39 team ERA.
Hurryin' Haegele
Junior third baseman Dan Haegele is leading the Big Ten in stolen
bases this season. Haegele has stolen 10 bases in 21 games. He
also ranks among the Big Ten leaders in hits (5th, 24), doubles
(T3rd, 5), and runs (T4th, 16).
Spanos/Clause Leading the Way
Senior Benji Clause and freshman Vasilli Spanos are leading the
team in hitting this season. Spanos is 17-37, hitting .459, while
Clause is hitting .360 (27-75).
Hurlers Warming Up
In the last 26 innings, the Hoosiers have allowed only three
runs. Indiana pitchers lead the Big Ten in team ERA (3.39) and
team strikeouts (180).
In the (Strike) Zone
Indiana pitchers have struck out 200 batters in 201 innings of
work this season. They have walked 82 for a strikeout to walk
ratio of 2.43. Over the last four games the Hoosiers have collected
50 K's.
Behind the Plate
Indiana has seen some rotation behind the plate. The Hoosiers
have tried three different catchers throughout the season. Freshman
Kevin O'Brien has started 13 games, playing in 18. O'Brien has
tallied 101 putouts this season, has a fielding percentage of
.991, and is hitting .242. Michael Browdy has made one start,
and seen action in nine games. Eric Farley, coming off an injury
that saw him sit out six weeks, has made four starts and six
appearances. Farley is hitting .273 in his 11 at bats.
Hoping the Trend Continues
Indiana has continually seen its team ERA drop over the last
two seasons. In 1998 the Hoosiers posted a team ERA of 6.16.
Last year Indiana was tops in the Big Ten with an ERA of 4.86.
The Hoosiers currently own a team ERA of 3.09.
Ferris Posts Career Best
David Ferris started and earned the victory against Indiana Wesleyan.
He worked four innings and faced a total of 15 batters, 10 of
which he struck out, to post a new career high in strike outs.
Randle El to Concentrate on Football
Indiana quarterback and 2000 Heisman Trophy candidate Antwaan
Randle El has left the baseball team in an effort to concentrate
on football and academics. "He's a good leader, and a very
talented athlete," said Coach Morgan. "If we got a
little more time with him, he'd be a good baseball player someday,
too."
Good Bloodlines
Freshman pitcher Carrington Fisk is the nephew of Hall of Fame
catcher Carlton Fisk. Carrington made his collegiate debut against
IU Southeast and worked one scoreless inning and picked up a
strikeout.
Under Morgan's Guidance
Not only has head coach Bob Morgan had success with wins and
losses, but he has also seen 23 former players or assistant coaches
move on from Indiana to coach at other collegiate and high school
baseball programs.
Schedule Change
The Hoosiers will travel to IUPUI on Tuesday, March 28 for a
3 p.m. game time. The game will be played in Indianapolis, rather
than Bloomington as it is listed on the schedule. After facing
the Jaguars, Indiana returns home to face Wright State on Wednesday
the 29th, and then kicks off the Michigan series at 3 p.m. Friday
the 31 at Sembower Field.
