Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Nebraska
Game Notes: Hoosiers Travel to Nebraska to Close Out Regular Season
5/18/2016 6:29:00 PM | Baseball
• Indiana closes out the regular season with a three-game series in Lincoln, Neb. to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers, beginning at 7:35 p.m. ET on Thursday Night.
• The Hoosiers are coming off a series victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini last weekend in Bloomington. Indiana has now won 21 of its last 28 games and 10 of its last 14. IU has won seven-straight Big Ten series with two sweeps.
• Indiana, 15-6 in Big Ten play, sits in second place in the conference, just a half-game back of Big Ten leader Minnesota.
PITCHING NOTES
• Indiana pitching ranks first in the Big Ten in fewest walks allowed (119), second in fewest earned runs allowed (157), second in team ERA (3.10), third in fewest runs allowed (193), third in opponent batting average (.238), fourth in strikeouts (382), fourth in fewest hits allowed (404) and sixth in fewest home runs allowed (23).
• The Hoosiers in conference games only are second in saves (8), third in strikeouts (156), fourth in opponent batting average (.245) and sixth in ERA (3.74).
• Indiana's pitching staff entered this week ranked third nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (2.35), fifth in WHIP (1.13), fifth in strikeout to walk ratio (3.21), 12th in team ERA (2.98), and 20th in hits allowed per nine innings (7.9).
• Indiana's starting pitching has been strong through the first 13 weekends of action. In 39 combined starts from LHP Kyle Hart, RHP Evan Bell and LHP Caleb Baragar, the trio has posted a 2.88 ERA, allowing just 206 hits over 240.1 innings of work, striking out 181 batters while walking only 54. Teams are hitting a combined .233 off Hart, Bell and Baragar so far.
• Hoosier pitchers have given up one earned run or less 16 times this season, all of which have happened in a 39-game span.
• Indiana pitching has posted double-figure strikeouts in 14 games this season.
• The Hoosiers have given up two walks or less in 31 games this season, including in seven of the last eight games and 22 of the last 35 games.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Entering the weekend, Indiana is fifth in the Big Ten in home runs (34), sixth in batting average (.266), and sixth in slugging percentage (.385).
• In conference games only, the Hoosiers are first in sacrifice flies (14), second in home runs (14), tied for fourth in walks (80), third in stolen bases (23), fifth in triples (4), fourth in runs scored (105), fourth in RBI (96), fifth in slugging percentage (.390), fifth in batting average (.272) and sixth in total bases (275),
• Indiana has tallied double-digit hits in six of its last nine games, including 16 at Minnesota on May 6. In the last nine games, the Hoosiers are hitting .291 as a team with 20 extra-base hits. Overall, IU has put together double-digit hit games in 12 of the last 21 contests.
• The Hoosiers strung together 27 runs on 23 hits and five home runs to earn a 27-1 victory over the Butler Bulldogs on March 23 at Bart Kaufman Field. The 27 runs for the Hoosiers are a Bart Kaufman Field record and the most since March 24, 2004 when IU scored 29 against Chicago State.
• The 26-run margin of victory is the third largest in NCAA Division I Baseball this season, while the 27 runs scored are currently tied for the eighth most in the nation this year.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Heading into the weekend, the Hoosiers stand second in the Big Ten in double plays (47), third in fielding percentage (.976), fourth in fewest stolen bases against (30) and third in fewest errors (47).
• In league games only, Indiana is first in double plays turned (28), first in fewest stolen bases against (7), second in fielding percentage (.984), and second in fewest errors (13).
• Coming into the week, Indiana was 23rd nationally in fielding percentage (.978), 41st in double plays turned per game (0.94) and 44th in total double plays (46).
• Heading into Tuesday, the Hoosiers have been errorless in 11 of their last 15 games, and have recorded just four errors over the 15-game span. Indiana is fielding .993 in that 15-game stretch as well.
PLAYER NOTES
Logan Sowers
• Ranks tied for sixth in the Big Ten in home runs with eight. In addition, is 12th in slugging percentage (.514).
• Since returning to the Indiana lineup on March 23, the Hoosiers have posted a 22-10 record.
• In conference games only, is tied for third in home runs (4), tied for 10th in runs scored (16), tied for eighth in walks (14), eighth in slugging percentage (.544), tied for 10th in RBI (16), tied for 12th in on base percentage (.423) and tied for 11th in total bases (43).
Craig Dedelow
• Ranks tied for seventh in the Big Ten in doubles (16), 12th in hits (66), tied for 13th in RBI (35) and 12th in total bases (98).
• In Big Ten games only, Dedelow is third in total bases (46), tied for sixth in hits (29), 11th in home runs (3), 12th in doubles (6) and 15th in slugging percentage (.511).
• In his last three games, Dedelow is hitting .667 (8-for-12) with three doubles and two RBI.
• Has driven in at least one run in five of his last 10 games.
• His three doubles against Butler on March 23 are tied for a Big Ten season-high. His five RBI against the Bulldogs were a career high.
• Dedelow reached base safely in his first 17 games this season, and dating back to last year, his last 22 games. That streak came to a halt on March 20 against Toledo.
• Dedelow, for the second-straight year, was the overall individual champion of IU's annual Omaha
Challenge, logging 253 total points.
Brian Wilhite
• Is tied for the sixth in Big Ten in home runs (8) and tied for ninth in RBI (37).
• Of Wilhite's eight home runs this year, three have been grand slams and one was an inside the park home run against Northwestern on April 29.
• On March 23 against Butler, Wilhite had a career-high six RBI and two home runs, which included a grand slam. He followed that performance up with another grand slam in a second consecutive game on March 25 at Indiana State.
• For his efforts against Butler and Indiana State, Wilhite earned Big Ten Player of the Week for the week of March 28, marking his first career conference honor. Wilhite hit .562 on the week with three home runs, while driving in 10 and scoring seven runs on nine hits.
• Defensively, Wilhite ranks second in the Big Ten with 170 assists at the shortstop position. His 81 assists in Big Ten action rank first.
Tony Butler
• Has has yet to make an error this season or in his entire career. Butler has started 44 games at his position this season and has appeared in all 47 of Indiana's 50 games. Butler has a total of 203 chances this season, including 126 assists and 77 putouts. He has turned 36 double plays this year as well. In total, Butler has played in 56 career games at Indiana and Virginia (2014) and has yet to make an error.
• Butlers's 126 assists rank 11th in the Big Ten and is third in fielding double plays with 36.
• Is hitting .333 in his last six games and is hitting at a .273 clip in conference games.
• Butler hit a walk-off home run on March 27 at Bart Kaufman Field, giving the Hoosiers a 5-3 victory over the Indiana State Sycamores.
• Before Butler's walk-off homer, the last extra-inning walk off home run for the Hoosiers dates back to the 2013 NCAA Regional when Chad Clark hit one against Valparaiso in NCAA Regionals.
Ryan Fineman
• A member of the Johnny Bench Award Watch List, freshman is fifth among Indiana hitters with a .278 batting average in 48 games and 44 starts.
• Has started Indiana's last 25 games at the catcher position.
• Fineman recently had a reached base streak of 22-straight games snapped at Michigan State and a 14-game hitting streak, which was snapped on April 17 against Iowa.
Jake Kelzer
• Has struck out 45 batters in 37 innings while allowing just 25 hits, as opposing batters are hitting just .188 off him.
• In his last five appearances, Kelzer has tossed nine innings, allowing only three baserunners (three hits and three walks) while striking out 11.
• Kelzer had a streak of seven appearances where he didn't allow an earned run snapped against Purdue on April 8. The last earned run Kelzer surrendered prior to Purdue was March 5 against Seton Hall.
Thomas Belcher
• Along with Kelzer in the back end of the Indiana bullpen, Belcher had not allowed a run in his last 10 appearances until April 17 against Iowa. Over those 10 appearances, Belcher had tossed 16.2 innings, surrendering just five hits, walking three and striking out 13.
• Belcher, who has thrown 119.2 career innings in a Hoosier uniform, currently ranks tie for 10th all-time at Indiana with a 2.41 ERA (50 inning minimum).
WEEKEND ROTATION
Kyle Hart
• Indiana's Friday night starter, LHP Kyle Hart will be making his 58th career start on the mound in his Hoosier career on Friday.
• Hart currently is first in the Big Ten and tied for third nationally in victories (10).
• Coming into the weekend, Hart is first in the Big Ten in wins (10), fifth in innings pitched (87.1), tied for eighth in strikeouts (70) and 11th in ERA (2.99).
• Hart's 57 career starts rank second on the nation's active career leaders list, trailing Florida State's Mike Compton by one. In addition, Hart ranks third nationally on the active career list in wins (31), sixth in innings pitched (327.2) and tied for 23rd in strikeouts (228).
• Dating back to last season, in his last 15 starts, Hart has thrown 106.1 innings, allowing 94 hits, 29 earned runs and striking out 81 batters while walking just 15.
• Entering the weekend, the Ohio native has 31 career wins, which ranks second all-time in school history.
• In addition, his 327.2 career innings is currently second all-time at Indiana while the 228 career strikeouts puts him sixth in the school annals.
• Hart ranks second in IU history with 17 career wins in Big Ten games. With one Big Ten series left, Hart trails Joey DeNato (2011-14) by one win for the No. 1 spot in school history. Hart's 3.34 career ERA in conference action ranks ninth and his 122 strikeouts ranks second.
• Hart tossed a strong eight innings against Illinois on May 13, allowing just four hits over the course of his outing and fanned nine Fighting Illini.
• In his outing at No. 23 Michigan State on April 22, Hart struck out two and allowed just two earned runs and six hits in seven innings of work to pick up his eighth victory of the season.
• In a 7-1 victory over Iowa on April 15, the southpaw tossed his second complete game of the year and third of his career as he struck out five batters while walking none, allowing four hits and an unearned run. Hart earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors for his effort.
• Hart put together another strong starting performance on the mound against Toledo on March 18, going eight innings allowing one earned run while surrendering four hits, improving to 4-1 on the season.
• The senior captain tossed a complete game, six-strikeout effort in a 3-2 victory over Western Carolina on March 11, marking his second career complete game.
• Hart was named the Big Ten's Co-Pitcher of the Week for his outing against Illinois State on March 4. He allowed three hits and no runs over six innings in a 14-1 victory over the Redbirds to improve to 2-1 on the year. The senior captain struck out a career-high 10 batters while walking none.
• In the season opener at Middle Tennessee, Hart put together a five-inning start where he struck out seven, walked one, and allowed just one hit in the early stages. Hart retired the final 15 batters he faced.
• Hart had a streak of 30.0 innings without allowing an earned run snapped on February 26 at Cal State Fullerton. Entering that start, the last time Hart had surrendered an earned run was May 9, 2015 in the first inning against Long Beach State in Bloomington.
Caleb Baragar
• Baragar served as IU's Sunday starter through the first seven weekends of the season and will be starting in the Saturday slot for the seventh time this season. He has made 25 career starts in a Hoosier uniform, while his 12 starts in 2015 tied for the team lead.
• Baragar entered this week 46th nationally in WHIP (1.00) and 60th in hits allowed/nine innings (6.78).
• Coming into the weekend, Baragar is third in the Big Ten in ERA (2.38), third in opposing batting average (.204), tied for eighth in strikeouts (70) and 15th in innings pitched (75.2).
• Baragar had a streak of 27.2 innings without surrendering an earned run snapped against Indiana State on March 26.
• Baragar went seven innings in the win against Illinois on May 14, scattering five hits with one run while striking out three.
• In an 8-2 victory over Iowa on April 16, Baragar picked up his third with of the season striking out four and allowing six hits in seven innings of work.
• In an 8-0 victory over Toledo on March 18, Baragar allowed just one hit in eight innings and struck out 11 in an 8-0 victory. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning and the 11 strikeouts were a career-high. He earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors for his effort.
• Baragar had a strong start against Butler on March 6, going seven innings where he allowed just three hits and matched his career-high in strikeouts with eight while walking two.
• The senior allowed five hits and two earned runs in 5.2 innings of work at Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 28. The southpaw struck out a career-high eight batters while allowing two walks.
Evan Bell
• Bell has made 18 career starts, including 13 this season.
• In his last two starts, Bell is 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA, allowing 11 hits in 14.2 innings striking out 10 and walking two.
• Bell tossed his second complete game of the season on May 15 against Illinois, as he faced 33 batters and allowed just six baserunners on three hits, a walk and two HBP. Bell struck out six batters as he picked up his second consecutive victory.
• He lasted 5.2 innings at Minnesota on May 8 to pick up his first win of the season, ringing up four and mixing eight hits for two runs.
• At Michigan State on April 24, Bell allowed just three hits in six innings of work. In the no decision, Bell retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.
• In his outing against Seton Hall on March 5, Bell went six innings, allowing seven hits, one earned run and struck out two in the no-decision.
• Bell had a strong start at Cal State Fullerton, as he went a career-high seven innings in his start, striking out six while allowing just two hits. Bell closed his final 4.1 innings of work allowing no hits and just two baserunners.
