Indiana University Athletics
Do-It-All Matt Lloyd Embodies Hoosier Baseball Toughness
4/14/2019 10:19:00 AM | Baseball
BY PETE DIPRIMIO
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- It's all about what really matters.
On Sunday night, with a weekend series with the University of Evansville wrapped up and a Big Ten title run to contemplate, Matt Lloyd and his Indiana baseball teammates can focus on the big picture:
Game of Thrones, and these burning questions:
Who wins the Iron Throne?
Will the Night King find his vengeance?
Should you ever mess with a woman who rides dragons?
"I've watched a lot of theories on YouTube," Lloyd says. "There's a lot swirling in my head. I haven't figured it out yet."
For those who have spent the last eight years living in a cave, Game of Thrones is the television equivalent to, well, spending a week with the Kardashians. It's all there -- drama, sex, nastiness, betrayal and optional clothing.
It's a show that has captivated the world, and after what seems like a generation, returns for the final six episodes.
It starts on Sunday night and you'd better believe Lloyd and teammates such as catcher Wyatt Cross, pitcher Tanner Gordon and outfielder Logan Kaletha will be watching.
"We're all excited about that," the Canadian native says.
The senior infielder/designated hitter/pitcher generates plenty of excitement on a baseball field. He's a do-it-all threat for coming-on-strong Indiana (23-12 with six straight wins). He's hit and pitched his way into one of the Big Ten's most versatile players.
As coach Jeff Mercer said after Lloyd's dominant performance in a recent doubleheader sweep over Penn State (five runs batted in, a home run, two saves), "We talk about creating a culture of toughness and competitiveness no matter what's happening. Matt Lloyd is the embodiment of that. Every pitch of every game, Matt Lloyd is the most accountable, competitive guy on the field."
The numbers show it.
This season Lloyd has reached base in as many as 25 consecutive games. He's hitting .323 with a career-best 12 home runs and 37 runs batted in. He's also on pace to set career bests in runs batted in (46 in 2017) and batting average (.301 in '17).
On Friday night, Lloyd smacked his 11th home run of the season in a 5-0 win over Evansville. During Saturday's doubleheader sweep of the Aces, he hit another homer, added a double and drove in four runs while going 5-for-6.
His improved offense, he says, starts with discipline.
"This is my third year at Indiana. The game is slowing down for me. I have a plan going up to the plate rather than swing willy nilly. The approach Coach (Jeff) Mercer has brought in has been awesome."
Then there's pitching. Lloyd's 11 career Big Ten saves tie Chris Wilson for second in program history. His 20 career saves ties him with Chris Squires for second in team history.
Ryan Halstead leads both categories with 33 total saves, 13 in conference play.
As a pitcher, Lloyd has never started an IU game or pitched more than 32 innings in a season. The most innings in a game he's ever pitched for the Hoosiers is five in a win over Purdue last season.
Lloyd says he's fine with that.
"I live for (relief pitching). That's the situation I want to be in. I want the ball to be in my hands when the game is on the line. I love it."
Don't ask Lloyd to choose between hitting and pitching.
"I like the dual role I have. It's hard to pick one. I enjoy them both."
With Lloyd's IU career winding down, will he make a pitching start request?
"I started when I was in junior college. Since I've been here, I haven't pushed to be a starter, but it would be something I'd enjoy doing."
Baseball has brought Lloyd plenty of enjoyment over the years. As a high school senior in Canada he hit .409 with seven home runs and 42 runs batted it. He played on Team Canada's bronze medal winning team at the 2014 Pan Am Games in Mexico.
During his one playing year at Iowa Western Community College he hit .371 with nine home runs and 59 runs batted in for a team that went 52-15 and finished fourth in the national junior college tournament.
Lloyd also was a dominant pitcher at Iowa Western, going 7-0 with a 2.78 earned run average. He struck out 58 in 55 innings. He earned all-region honors as an infielder and as a pitcher.
Lloyd credits his hitting success with strong coaching that started with his father, Steve, as well as coaches at Okotoks, Canada, Iowa Western and at IU with Mercer and former head coach Chris Lemonis.
Lemonis was a big reason why Lloyd is a Hoosier. They had contact when Lloyd was in high school and Lemonis was coaching at Louisville. They stayed in touch when Lloyd went to Iowa Wesleyan.
When he was ready to choose a four-year school, Lloyd took at official visit to Coastal Carolina, but there wasn't the connection there was with Indiana.
"Indiana was the most serious," Lloyd said. "I felt the most wanted here. It was an easy decision."
With Lloyd and other standouts such as Cole Barr (a Big Ten-leading 12 home runs), Matt Gorski (eight homers, 25 runs batted in), Grant Richardson (team-leading .343 batting average), staff ace Pauly Milto (team-leading 58 strikeouts, 2.26 earned run average, Tommy Summer (team-best 1.64 ERA) and Andrew Saalfrank (3-1, 2.67 ERA), the Hoosiers have pushed their way into prime Big Ten title contention. Their 7-2 conference record puts them just behind Nebraska (8-2) at the top of the standings.
IU has found a way to win without playing its best. Take this past week's 7-6 thriller over rival Purdue. The Hoosiers quickly fell behind 2-0, rallied to go ahead 3-2, and then 6-2 and withstood Purdue forcing 6-6 extra-inning drama before winning on Cade Bunnell's walk-off single.
"It was awesome," Lloyd says. "They're our in-state rivals. It's always good to beat them, and it was exciting to do it in the fashion that we did -- late game, absolute grinder. What's crazy is we didn't play our best baseball and still found a way to win."
That's a big deal for Mercer, who is in his first season with the Hoosiers.
"That's what Coach Mercer has talked about," Lloyd says. "We haven't played our best, and found a way to win late. That shows our toughness."
The ability to win despite struggles, Lloyd adds, "Is everything. That's what championship teams can do. We're figuring out how to do that. We still have some of best baseball ahead of us."
IU has made the NCAA tourney in five of the last six seasons. It's positioned to extend that run, win its seventh Big Ten regular season championship, and more.
"Coach Mercer always says that this team can be whatever we want it to be," Lloyd says. "It's what we make it.
"I can see us going as far as the College World Series with the depth that we have. The talent we have. It comes down to how bad we want it, doing our jobs and staying disciplined. It's up to the players to see how far we can go."
Or, as Mercer has put it, "It's about toughness and competitiveness and never quitting. Never die. That's what we're becoming about."
Game of Thrones' Jon Snow couldn't have said it better.
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
UTIL
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballBig Ten Tournament Press Conference - vs. Rutgers
Wednesday, May 21
NCAA Postgame Press Conference - Southern Miss - 2
Sunday, June 02
NCAA Postgame Press Conference - Tennessee
Sunday, June 02
NCAA Postgame Press Conference - Southern Miss
Friday, May 31