Indiana University Athletics
Freshman Trio Steps Up On Senior Day
5/16/2016 8:34:00 AM | Baseball
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sunday was senior day at Bart Kaufman Field, but it was three freshmen bats doing the heavy lifting.
Freshmen Scotty Bradley, Ryan Fineman and Luke Miller combined to drive in four runs against Illinois Sunday, more than enough room for senior starter Evan Bell to guide the Hoosiers to a 4-1 win over the Illini to take the series 2-1.
"It's definitely something special," Bradley said. "We'll remember it as our careers go on here for sure."
Bradley and Miller jumped on Illinois in the first inning, combining for three RBI in the opening frame. Miller doubled down the right field line to drive in the first run of the day before Bradley followed with a double to the gap in left center immediately after to plate two more.
Fineman tacked on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to tack on insurance that went unneeded.
"They've had some good spots," head coach Chris Lemonis said. "Sometimes when I get them all three together, they seem to thrive off that."
The three first-year players—Fineman (batting .285), Miller (.277) and Bradley (.286)—filled the No. 4-6 spots in the Hoosiers' order, combining for five hits, four RBI and two runs in Sunday's win. Their offensive production was more than enough for Bell, who allowed just three hits and one run over nine innings of work.
"Not to start the conversation or anything," Lemonis told reporters before the first question, "but he was really good."
The youth have been asked to grow up quickly, providing a steady dose of support for a lineup that began the season needing a new group of bats to shoulder the offensive load. On the season, the three freshmen have combined for just shy of 28% of Indiana's RBIs.
They answered the call Sunday and will likely continue to be relied on in the final week of the season when the Hoosiers try to win the Big Ten's regular season and clinch the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Once there, Indiana will continue to turn to the freshmen for production if they want to win the conference tournament and qualify for the NCAA Tournament later this month.
"We're seeing the ballpretty well," Bradley said. "I think we're feeding off one another, and seeing one of us hit makes us want to go up and do something to help the team out."
Told of Lemonis' theory of the three freshmen playing better when they're batting in order, Bradley said it might just be more luck than anything else.
"But me, Ryan and Luke all have a good relationship with one another," he said. "We're always talking to one another and always trying to one up another, too. So definitely helping out the team whatever way we can is what we're trying to do."
Indiana's 2-1 series win keeps IU half a game behind Minnesota for first place in the Big Ten heading into the final week of the year. The Hoosiers (31-18, 15-6) will spend their last weekend in Nebraska playing the Cornhuskers while Minnesota stays home to play Ohio State.
Indiana's players won't allow themselves to do much scoreboard watching knowing there's only so much they can control. Whatever the outcome, it'll directly impact IU's Big Ten Tournament road and potential bid to make the national tournament.
"Obviously we're fighting for the Big Ten," Lemonis said. "The Nebraska games are going to be a lot of fun."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sunday was senior day at Bart Kaufman Field, but it was three freshmen bats doing the heavy lifting.
Freshmen Scotty Bradley, Ryan Fineman and Luke Miller combined to drive in four runs against Illinois Sunday, more than enough room for senior starter Evan Bell to guide the Hoosiers to a 4-1 win over the Illini to take the series 2-1.
"It's definitely something special," Bradley said. "We'll remember it as our careers go on here for sure."
Bradley and Miller jumped on Illinois in the first inning, combining for three RBI in the opening frame. Miller doubled down the right field line to drive in the first run of the day before Bradley followed with a double to the gap in left center immediately after to plate two more.
Fineman tacked on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to tack on insurance that went unneeded.
"They've had some good spots," head coach Chris Lemonis said. "Sometimes when I get them all three together, they seem to thrive off that."
The three first-year players—Fineman (batting .285), Miller (.277) and Bradley (.286)—filled the No. 4-6 spots in the Hoosiers' order, combining for five hits, four RBI and two runs in Sunday's win. Their offensive production was more than enough for Bell, who allowed just three hits and one run over nine innings of work.
"Not to start the conversation or anything," Lemonis told reporters before the first question, "but he was really good."
The youth have been asked to grow up quickly, providing a steady dose of support for a lineup that began the season needing a new group of bats to shoulder the offensive load. On the season, the three freshmen have combined for just shy of 28% of Indiana's RBIs.
They answered the call Sunday and will likely continue to be relied on in the final week of the season when the Hoosiers try to win the Big Ten's regular season and clinch the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Once there, Indiana will continue to turn to the freshmen for production if they want to win the conference tournament and qualify for the NCAA Tournament later this month.
"We're seeing the ballpretty well," Bradley said. "I think we're feeding off one another, and seeing one of us hit makes us want to go up and do something to help the team out."
Told of Lemonis' theory of the three freshmen playing better when they're batting in order, Bradley said it might just be more luck than anything else.
"But me, Ryan and Luke all have a good relationship with one another," he said. "We're always talking to one another and always trying to one up another, too. So definitely helping out the team whatever way we can is what we're trying to do."
Indiana's 2-1 series win keeps IU half a game behind Minnesota for first place in the Big Ten heading into the final week of the year. The Hoosiers (31-18, 15-6) will spend their last weekend in Nebraska playing the Cornhuskers while Minnesota stays home to play Ohio State.
Indiana's players won't allow themselves to do much scoreboard watching knowing there's only so much they can control. Whatever the outcome, it'll directly impact IU's Big Ten Tournament road and potential bid to make the national tournament.
"Obviously we're fighting for the Big Ten," Lemonis said. "The Nebraska games are going to be a lot of fun."
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