Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Valparaiso
IU Rallies in the Ninth to Get by Valparaiso
5/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 10, 2006
Box Score
GARY, Ind. - Senior pinch-hitter Zach Boswell delivered the game-winning, two-run double in the top of the ninth as the Indiana baseball team defeated Valparaiso, 13-11, in a wild affair on May 10 at U.S. Steel Yard, home of the Northern League's Gary SouthShore RailCats. On a hazy and cool evening, the Hoosiers improved to 19-28 on the season, while the Crusaders dropped to 13-29.
With the scored tied at 11-11 in the top of the ninth, Means led off with a walk and junior Steve Head reached on a bunt single. Junior second baseman Keith Haas sacrificed the runners to second and third for Boswell, who hit a shot over the head of left fielder Kevin Perri.
Freshman southpaw Joe Vicini (5-3) pitched the bottom of the ninth for his fifth victory of the season. Means ended the ballgame with a diving catch in the right-center field gap to rob the potential tying run, shortstop John Giusti, of extra bases.
The top two batters in the Hoosier lineup - Haas and senior center fielder Reggie Watson - provided huge nights at the plate. Haas went 2-for-5 with one RBI, two runs and his 22nd stolen base of the season, while Watson added a 2-for-4 effort, four RBI, two runs, his league-leading 31st steal and a three-run, inside-the-park home run.
Additionally, sophomore catcher Jon Fixler continued his red-hot hitting, collecting two hits in three at-bats with two RBI, one run and a double. The Riverwoods, Ill., product has driven in seven runs in the last two ballgames.
Third baseman Ryan Manthei delivered a two-RBI double in the home half of the first against sophomore David Trager, who made his first collegiate start, to give Valpo an early edge before the Hoosiers answered the next half inning. Sophomore third baseman Tyler Cox legged out a dribbler in front of Manthei to allow senior first baseman Ryan Parker to touch home with the first IU run.
A two-out rally started by junior designated hitter Ben Greenspan evened the contest in the third. Greenspan laced a two-strike pitch into left field, and Fixler ripped a two-bagger into the left-center field gap to bring Greenspan in with the tying run.
Hoosier reliever Matt Saba stranded a runner at third in the fourth, and IU built on that momentum by sending nine men to the plate and scoring four times in the fifth. Once again with two down, Fixler shot a single through the left side of the infield to plate Watson for a 3-2 Indiana advantage.
Following a base on balls to junior shortstop Josh Richardson, Parker worked a walk off of right-hander Derek Smith to let senior left fielder Jay Brant trot home. Means then hit a rocket down the left-field line to knock in Fixler and Richardson to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Speed and execution led to another IU run in the sixth as Haas opened the stanza with a base hit to right. Always a threat to steal, Haas took off for second and Crusader southpaw reliever Jay Clites threw wildly to first attempting to pick Haas off. The North Olmsted, Ohio native scurried into third on the play and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Watson.
Indiana added four more two-out runs in the seventh as Haas kicked off the rally with a base knock to drive home pinch-hitter Michael Nilles. Watson then followed with a line shot over center fielder Brian Rzepka's head that rolled to the wall. Coming around third, Watson never stopped running and beat the relay throw for his inside-the-park home run to give the Hoosiers what seemed an insurmountable 11-3 edge.
However, the Crusaders exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the frame, capped by a two-out, two-run triple by pinch-hitter Jon Rupno. In the inning, Valpo sent 12 men to the plate and went through four Hoosier pitchers.
Up next, IU returns to Sembower Field to close out its Big Ten slate against Illinois (26-21, 12-12) Friday-Sunday, May 12-14. The teams will play a four-game series with game one taking place on Friday at 3 p.m. Following a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., the series finale will take place on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch. Prior to Sunday's game, the team will honor seniors Zach Boswell, Jay Brant, Clint Crosier, Chris Hynes, Josh Lewis, Ryan Parker, Bobby Segal and Reggie Watson.
