Hoosiers Fall to Middle Tennessee in Home Opener, 5-3

Friday, March 10

Bloomington, Ind.

3:05 p.m.

Indiana University

4-7-1

Middle Tennessee

8-6

Middle Tennessee

Indiana

Hoosiers Fall to Middle Tennessee in Home Opener, 5-3

3/10/2017 8:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana baseball (4-7-1) dropped its 2017 home opener, 5-3, to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Friday afternoon.

Senior Tony Butler picked up two hits, including a triple, and scored. Sophomore Luke Miller also added two hits and a score, while freshman Jake Matheny picked up a timely two-out hit to score two runs. Senior Alex Krupa picked up an RBI in the effort.

Sophomore Tim Herrin fell to 1-2 in the 3.2 inning outing. He allowed six hits and three earned run while striking out two. Senior Luke Stephenson and sophomore Pauly Milto each picked up 2.2 innings in relief.

An early error set up Middle Tennessee to score in the opening frame before Herrin picked up a swinging strikeout to strand one runner. Four hits then paved the path for the Blue Raiders to add two runs in the top of the second to take a 3-0 lead.

After a quick 1-2-3 top of the third inning, Butler singled to left-center field and stole second, but Middle Tennessee picked up two outs to strand Butler in scoring position.

A sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth upped The Blue Raiders' lead to 4-0. The Hoosiers used some two-out hitting to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame. Luke Miller led off with an infield single, while Dedelow singled to right field. A ball off Sowers' ankle loaded the bases before Middle Tennessee secured two outs. Matheny took an offering to left field to drive in two runs, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Butler followed by also getting hit by a pitch, but an out at third base left the bases loaded for the Hooseirs.

Middle Tennessee added a fifth run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly. Jeremy Houston tried to ignite Indiana's offense in the bottom of the inning with a two-out walk and swipe of second base, but a strikeout ended the frame.

The Hoosiers tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth as Butler led off with a triple to left field. Houston rocked a ball down the third base line that landed just foul before Krupa's sacrifice fly plated Butler.

Indiana and Middlee Tennessee return to action on Saturday afternoon at 2:05 p.m

POSTGAME NOTES
Tony Butler's stolen base in the third inning was his second of the season…The two-hit game for Butler marked his second multi-hit game of 2017 and the seventh of his career…Luke Miller's two hits marked his third multi-hit game this season and the 16^th of his career…Miller has reached base safely in five-straight games…Jake Matheny's two RBI in the fourth inning was his seventh and eighth RBI of the season, which leads the team…Craig Dedelow extended his team-high hit streak to four games with a single in the fourth inning…Dedelow has reached base safely in eight-straight games.