Thursday, May 26
Omaha, Neb.
10 a.m.
Indiana University
6
vs
2
Nebraska
Hoosiers Knock off Nebraska to Advance in Big Ten Tournament
5/26/2016 2:46:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. – Indiana Baseball (32-23) used a great offensive outing and surrendered just three hits as it eliminated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a 6-2 Big Ten Tournament victory on Thursday morning.
The Hoosiers collected 12 hits as a team, the most since getting 16 at Minnesota on May 6. Four Indiana players tallied multi-hit games, including a 3-for-5 effort from sophomore Logan Sowers, who also drove in a run. Freshmen Ryan Fineman and Luke Miller, along with junior Austin Cangelosi each had two hits in the game as well. Sophomore Laren Eustace provided some insurance with a two-run home run in the eighth.
Senior Caleb Baragar was strong in his start, allowing just two runs on two hits in five innings of work. Juniors Thomas Belcher and Jake Kelzer combined for the final four innings, allowing just one hit and no runs.
Wilhite worked a one out walk in the top of the third inning and then advanced to third on a failed pickoff, two-base error. A walk to junior Colby Stratten put runners on the corners, but a strikeout and groundout squandered the scoring opportunity. Nebraska took the momentum into the bottom half, as Ryan Boldt singled in Luis Alvarado, who doubled to lead off the inning, putting the Cornhuskers up 1-0.
The Hoosiers answered in the top of the fourth to take the lead by putting up a two-spot. Sowers and Fineman both singled to lead off the frame, but a double play wiped the fast start as Fineman stood on second with two outs. After a walk to freshman Scotty Bradley, Cangelosi drilled a hard ground ball to third that went off the fielder to score Fineman on the play. Senior Brian Wilhite followed with a two-out, two-strike single that he lofted into an open spot in right field, scoring Bradley to make it a 2-1 game.
Baragar, who held the Cornhuskers scoreless in the fourth and fifth, hit the leadoff batter Boldt with a pitch to start things off in the sixth. Belcher came in for relief and forced two outs before surrendering a two-out, RBI single to Jesse Wilkening to knot the contest at two.
The rallies for the Hoosiers continued, as Indiana came back to pate two more in the seventh. Stratten led off with a single and advanced to second on Eustace's sacrifice bunt. After Stratten reached third on a groundout, Sowers came through with a two-out RBI single to allow the Hoosiers to retake the lead. Following a single by Fineman to give IU runners on first and second, Miller drove in the second run of the frame on a single to make it 4-2.
Indiana added its insurance in the eighth inning, with a two-spot on the Eustace home run. Scoring with Eustace was Cangelosi, who singled earlier in the frame.
The Hoosiers are back in action on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET as they will take on the loser of Michigan State and Maryland in another elimination game.
The Hoosiers collected 12 hits as a team, the most since getting 16 at Minnesota on May 6. Four Indiana players tallied multi-hit games, including a 3-for-5 effort from sophomore Logan Sowers, who also drove in a run. Freshmen Ryan Fineman and Luke Miller, along with junior Austin Cangelosi each had two hits in the game as well. Sophomore Laren Eustace provided some insurance with a two-run home run in the eighth.
Senior Caleb Baragar was strong in his start, allowing just two runs on two hits in five innings of work. Juniors Thomas Belcher and Jake Kelzer combined for the final four innings, allowing just one hit and no runs.
Wilhite worked a one out walk in the top of the third inning and then advanced to third on a failed pickoff, two-base error. A walk to junior Colby Stratten put runners on the corners, but a strikeout and groundout squandered the scoring opportunity. Nebraska took the momentum into the bottom half, as Ryan Boldt singled in Luis Alvarado, who doubled to lead off the inning, putting the Cornhuskers up 1-0.
The Hoosiers answered in the top of the fourth to take the lead by putting up a two-spot. Sowers and Fineman both singled to lead off the frame, but a double play wiped the fast start as Fineman stood on second with two outs. After a walk to freshman Scotty Bradley, Cangelosi drilled a hard ground ball to third that went off the fielder to score Fineman on the play. Senior Brian Wilhite followed with a two-out, two-strike single that he lofted into an open spot in right field, scoring Bradley to make it a 2-1 game.
Baragar, who held the Cornhuskers scoreless in the fourth and fifth, hit the leadoff batter Boldt with a pitch to start things off in the sixth. Belcher came in for relief and forced two outs before surrendering a two-out, RBI single to Jesse Wilkening to knot the contest at two.
The rallies for the Hoosiers continued, as Indiana came back to pate two more in the seventh. Stratten led off with a single and advanced to second on Eustace's sacrifice bunt. After Stratten reached third on a groundout, Sowers came through with a two-out RBI single to allow the Hoosiers to retake the lead. Following a single by Fineman to give IU runners on first and second, Miller drove in the second run of the frame on a single to make it 4-2.
Indiana added its insurance in the eighth inning, with a two-spot on the Eustace home run. Scoring with Eustace was Cangelosi, who singled earlier in the frame.
The Hoosiers are back in action on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET as they will take on the loser of Michigan State and Maryland in another elimination game.
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