Indiana University Athletics
Home Series vs. Northwestern On Tap
5/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 9, 2013
| No. 14 Indiana (36-10, 11-4 Big Ten) vs. Northwestern (21-21, 8-13 Big Ten) |
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| When | Fri. (May 10), 6:05 PM | Sat. (May 11), 2:05 PM | Sun. (May 12), 1:05 PM |
| Where | Bloomington, Ind. | Bart Kaufman Field |
| Watch/Listen | BTDN Video (subscribers) | Audio Broadcast (free) |
| Live Stats | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| @IUBaseballNews (in-game updates) | @HoosierBaseball (Coach Smith) | |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Bart Kaufman Field hosts its final regular season games of the inaugural 2013 season May 10-12 when the Northwestern Wildcats (21-21, 8-13 Big Ten) come to town to face the 14th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (36-10, 13-5). Game times are set for 6:05, 2:05 and 1:05 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The Big Ten Digital Network will broadcast all three games live on IUHoosiers.com All-Access (subscribers). In addition, IUHoosiers.com provides live audio broadcasts and GameTracker live stats for the series, free of charge. Fans can also track the team's progress on Twitter. Follow the official team account (@IUBaseballNews) for news, notes, nuggets and in-game updates. Also follow head coach Tracy Smith (@HoosierBaseball).
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH-UPS
Friday, May 10 - 6:05 pm ET
Jr., LHP Joey DeNato (7-1, 2.75) vs. Sr., RHP Luke Farrell (3-2, 1.60)
Saturday, May 11 - 2:05 pm ET
So., LHP Kyle Hart (7-1, 2.34) vs. So., RHP Brandon Magallones (4-5, 3.80)
Sunday, May 12 - 1:05 pm ET
r-So., Aaron Slegers (7-1, 1.89) vs. r-Sr., Zach Morton (3-4, 2.55)
Indiana leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 98-78-2. The 20-game advantage includes recent success as the Hoosiers have won two-out-of-three in the last three seasons dating back to 2010. IU swept the Wildcats in 2009. Northwestern's last series victory over Indiana came in 2008.
Northwestern is expected to post a pitching rotation with three right-handers. The Hoosiers are 21-7 this season when facing a right-handed starting pitcher.
TRIPLE PLAY QUICK HITS
• Indiana's 36 wins are the most ever over Division-I opponents in school history (previous record was 33)
• Indiana strung together a school-record 18-game winning streak from March 10-April 6
• IU has recorded a +176 run margin through 46 games (+3.8/game), outscoring the competition 324-148
NATIONALLY RANKED HOOSIERS
Baseball America tabbed the Hoosiers as the 24th-best team in the country on March 11, marking the first time in school history Indiana has been nationally ranked. IU is slotted #14 this week by Baseball America. (complete rankings listed on the next page). The Hoosiers have ascended as high as 12th during the 2013 campaign.
BIG TEN RPI NUMBERS
The Big Ten Conference has five teams in the RPI top-50 entering the weekend. IU leads the way at #13, followed by: Michigan State (#30), Illinois (#34), Nebraska (#47) and Ohio State (#49).
STARTERS SUCCESS
Indiana's weekend pitching rotation is made of three hurlers each owning 7-1 records. Joey DeNato, Kyle Hart and Aaron Slegers are also a combined 10-2 in Big Ten play, including DeNato's flawless 4-0 mark as the staff ace. There is no drop off in the midweek either as Will Coursen-Carr (2-0) is the top Hoosier option, owner of a team-best 1.30 ERA in 35-plus innings of work.
DEMUTH ON A TEAR
Junior third baseman Dustin DeMuth has reached base successfully in 15 consecutive games, last failing to do so on April 12. During that stretch, he is batting .474 with three homeruns, six doubles and 13 RBI. DeMuth is also slugging .737 and has posted a .552 on-base percentage during the month-long hot streak.
BIG TEN'S ELITE, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING AND RECORD WISE
The Hoosier lineup is potent and deep, leading to Indiana sitting atop of every major offensive statistical offensive category, sans triples, in the Big Ten. Don't sleep on the pitching, however, as the Hoosier hurlers' 2.36 team earned run average is also tops in the conference. For the "only thing that matters is wins and losses" crowd, don't fret. Indiana's 36-10 record (.783) is also the B1G's best.
HOW THE HOOSIERS STACK UP ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL
Indiana is posting numbers worthy of top-25 NCAA rankings as well. Entering the week, IU staff's 2.40 ERA was the fifth-lowest in the country. In addition, IU was slotted ninth in winning percentage (.795), 11th in slugging percentage (.460), 11th in batting average (.314), 17th in scoring (7.1 runs/game) and 19th in homeruns (47). Defensively, the Hoosiers had turned 50 double plays, good for the11th-best twin killings clip in D-I baseball.
Individually, Kyle Schwarber was slotted eighth with a .701 slugging percentage, 12th with 12 homeruns and 23rd with a .396 average. Meanwhile, Dustin DeMuth's .395 batting clip slotted him 25th nationally.
GOLDEN SPIKES & JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST
Sophomore Kyle Schwarber is one of 60 players to be selected by USA Baseball for the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list. The Golden Spikes Award is given annually to the country's top amateur baseball players. Schwarber was also one of 48 catchers nation-wide to be selected for the Johnny Bench Award watch list, presented annually to the best collegiate catcher.
LIFE SAVER
Junior pitcher Ryan Halstead closed out an Indiana win last week at Nebraska, picking up the 19th save of his career. He is now just two shy of surpassing Chris Squires (2007-10) for the school record of career saves. Halstead is already tied with Squires for the best single-season mark all-time in IU history, earning nine saves as a freshman in 2011.
HOME SWEET HOME
Bart Kaufman Field opened with a bang, as Indiana blew up Miami (OH) 15-runs-to-1 in the facility debut. Indiana is now 14-2 in their new digs, outscoring the competition 109-35.
HOT START HOOSIERS
Indiana has scored in the first inning in 23 of 46 games, owning a 46-12 run margin in the opening frame.
