Indiana Opens 2019 Season with Split Against Memphis

Saturday, February 16

Memphis, TN

1 p.m.

Indiana University

1-0

Memphis

0-1

Indiana

Memphis

Indiana Opens 2019 Season with Split Against Memphis

2/16/2019 8:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score (PDF)Game 2 Box Score (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Indiana baseball (1-1) opened up the 2019 campaign with a split in a doubleheader against the Memphis Tigers. The Hoosiers took the first game, 6-1, while falling in the second contest, 6-3.

In the game one victory, senior starting pitcher Pauly Milto put together a seven-inning outing, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out seven, as head coach Jeff Mercer picked up his first victory as IU's head coach.

WIN 1?? pic.twitter.com/PWDqTmM1DY
— Indiana Baseball ?? (@IndianaBase) February 16, 2019

Game One: Indiana 6, Memphis 1

KEY MOMENTS
• After Milto allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in the bottom of the third on a single, sophomore Cole Barr made a nice diving stop at third, preventing an extra-base hit down the line, and threw the runner out at first with senior Matt Lloyd making the scoop.
• Indiana got its scoring started in the top of the fifth inning with a four-spot. With one out, junior Matt Gorski had Barr and junior Jeremy Houston on the corners, and drove them both in on a single.
• Sophomore Justin Walker and Lloyd each followed with an RBI double to put IU up 4-0.
• After Gorski reached on a two-base error, senior Logan Kaletha doubled him in to increase Indiana's lead to five runs.
• The Tigers plated their first run of the game off of junior Cal Krueger in the bottom of the eighth, but the Hoosiers took the run back in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Lloyd.

NOTES
• In his last two opening day starts, Milto has combined for 13 innings, allowing no runs and just three hits, with 12 strikeouts and two walks (6 IP, 1 H, 5 K, 2BB vs. Kansas State on Feb. 17, 2018).
• It marked his 10^th career game in which he went at least six innings while allowing zero earned runs.
• Indiana's 1-5 hitters (Gorski, Walker, Kaletha, Lloyd, and senior Ryan Fineman) combined for eight hits, six RBI, four runs and four extra-base hits.
• Gorski recorded IU's first hit of the season on a two-out single to left field in the top of the third inning.
• He finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. Dating back to last year, he has recorded a hit in his last four contests.
• Indiana's first extra-base hit came on a one out double from Lloyd in the top of the fourth.
• The senior went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. It marked his 13^th career game at IU with three or more hits.
• Sophomore Connor Manous threw the ninth inning, retiring the side in order.

Game Two: Memphis 6, Indiana 3

KEY MOMENTS
• Junior Tanner Gordon got off to a strong start in his collegiate debut, allowing one hit in the first three innings while striking out four hitters.
• Memphis scored off Gordon in the top of the fourth, as Hunter Goodman doubled to plate a run and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
• The Tigers up their lead to 3-0 in the sixth, as a leadoff walk, followed by back-to-back doubles resulted in a pair of runs.
• The lead was extended to 6-0 in the bottom of the seventh, as Memphis plated three more runs, all unearned.
• Indiana rallied late in the top of the ninth. Kaletha singled through the right side with one out, which led to a two-out double off the centerfield wall by freshman Jake Skrine. Sophomore Cole Barr followed with a three-run home run to cut the deficit in half.

NOTES
• The three-run home run by Barr in the top of the ninth inning marked his first career home run and his second career extra-base hit.
• Gordon logged four innings in his debut, allowing three hits and one earned run, while striking out six and walking one.
• Sophomore Grant Sloan and freshman Alex Franklin each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.

UP NEXT
Indiana returns to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET to take on Memphis in the final game of the three-game set.