DIPRIMIO: With Big Ten Title at State, IU Aims to Get Tough
5/21/2021 9:23:00 AM | Baseball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A Big Ten baseball championship is there for the taking.
Will Indiana take it?
We're about to find out.
The Hoosiers and Nebraska are basically in a dead heat entering the final seven games and nine days of the season.
IU is 24-13, just behind the Cornhuskers (25-11) and Michigan (25-13), and just ahead of Maryland (24-14) in the conference race.
Indiana and Nebraska play Friday and Saturday at Bart Kaufman Field. The Hoosiers host Ohio State on Sunday and Monday, then end the regular season with a three-game series at Maryland.
IU and Nebraska split two games two weekend ago. It was swept by the Buckeyes last month.
A mini slump (four losses in six games) has cost the Hoosiers the Big Ten lead, but not a championship opportunity.
It bounced back from an earlier rough stretch (five straight losses, including all four to Ohio State) to win seven of eight. It can, coach Jeff Mercer says, do it again.
"We've been here before. There are ebbs and flows throughout the season. We have recovered and responded to it and played better. We have to do that again. We have to be tough enough to regroup. Not get feelings hurt and move on."
Hurt was everywhere in the aftermath of Tuesday's 3-2, 10-inning home loss to Illinois. The Hoosiers had a 9-5 edge in hits, but stranded 12 runners.
"Early we over swung and tried to do too much," Mercer says. "We got a little bit scared, a little timid. We pulled off balls and got underneath pitches. We weren't able to make an adjustment."
Now IU faces a far more formidable Nebraska pitching staff, led by Cade Povich (5-1, 2.74 ERA). In the first meeting with the Hoosiers, he gave up one run in four innings while striking out nine.
Mercer is well aware of the challenge, and how to overcome it.
"We go back to work. We get better. It is frustrating after watching us be so much better offensively the last couple of weeks. We have to show the ability to do things we can do -- hit the ball hard and put the ball in play. We didn't (against Illinois).
"Hopefully (that) was fluke deal. There are a lot of good arms coming in."
IU has plenty of its own good arms. It has the Big Ten's best pitching with its 3.08 team earned run average (good for fourth nationally). It's second nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (6.67).
The Hoosiers are led by Tommy Sommer (5-3, 3.88 earned run average, 64 strikeouts), McCade Brown (5-2, 3.23 ERA, 84 strikeouts), Gabe Bierman (5-3, 2.57 ERA, 68 strikeouts), John Modugno (2-1, 2.43 ERA) and Ty Bothwell (2-1, 2.90).
Offensively, IU is led by infielder Cole Barr (team-high .326 average, 35 runs scored, eight home runs and 33 runs batted in), outfielder Grant Richardson (45 hits, 10 stolen bases) and infielder Paul Toetz (16 doubles).
One area of concern is defense. The Hoosiers have committed 41 errors this season. An error gave Illinois its first two runs.
"We spent a lot of time talking about and working on it," Mercer says. "Defense has been a problem. It has been a concern. We have pitched really well for the majority of the season, but haven't taken care of the ball as well as we need to.
"When you have a good pitching staff and have the chance to put guys away, you have to do that (by playing good defense), and we haven't done it. We have to make sure we put guys in the right spot. We want them to play confidently and play through the ball."
#GoIU
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A Big Ten baseball championship is there for the taking.
Will Indiana take it?
We're about to find out.
The Hoosiers and Nebraska are basically in a dead heat entering the final seven games and nine days of the season.
IU is 24-13, just behind the Cornhuskers (25-11) and Michigan (25-13), and just ahead of Maryland (24-14) in the conference race.
Indiana and Nebraska play Friday and Saturday at Bart Kaufman Field. The Hoosiers host Ohio State on Sunday and Monday, then end the regular season with a three-game series at Maryland.
IU and Nebraska split two games two weekend ago. It was swept by the Buckeyes last month.
A mini slump (four losses in six games) has cost the Hoosiers the Big Ten lead, but not a championship opportunity.
It bounced back from an earlier rough stretch (five straight losses, including all four to Ohio State) to win seven of eight. It can, coach Jeff Mercer says, do it again.
"We've been here before. There are ebbs and flows throughout the season. We have recovered and responded to it and played better. We have to do that again. We have to be tough enough to regroup. Not get feelings hurt and move on."
Hurt was everywhere in the aftermath of Tuesday's 3-2, 10-inning home loss to Illinois. The Hoosiers had a 9-5 edge in hits, but stranded 12 runners.
"Early we over swung and tried to do too much," Mercer says. "We got a little bit scared, a little timid. We pulled off balls and got underneath pitches. We weren't able to make an adjustment."
Now IU faces a far more formidable Nebraska pitching staff, led by Cade Povich (5-1, 2.74 ERA). In the first meeting with the Hoosiers, he gave up one run in four innings while striking out nine.
Mercer is well aware of the challenge, and how to overcome it.
"We go back to work. We get better. It is frustrating after watching us be so much better offensively the last couple of weeks. We have to show the ability to do things we can do -- hit the ball hard and put the ball in play. We didn't (against Illinois).
"Hopefully (that) was fluke deal. There are a lot of good arms coming in."
IU has plenty of its own good arms. It has the Big Ten's best pitching with its 3.08 team earned run average (good for fourth nationally). It's second nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (6.67).
The Hoosiers are led by Tommy Sommer (5-3, 3.88 earned run average, 64 strikeouts), McCade Brown (5-2, 3.23 ERA, 84 strikeouts), Gabe Bierman (5-3, 2.57 ERA, 68 strikeouts), John Modugno (2-1, 2.43 ERA) and Ty Bothwell (2-1, 2.90).
Offensively, IU is led by infielder Cole Barr (team-high .326 average, 35 runs scored, eight home runs and 33 runs batted in), outfielder Grant Richardson (45 hits, 10 stolen bases) and infielder Paul Toetz (16 doubles).
One area of concern is defense. The Hoosiers have committed 41 errors this season. An error gave Illinois its first two runs.
"We spent a lot of time talking about and working on it," Mercer says. "Defense has been a problem. It has been a concern. We have pitched really well for the majority of the season, but haven't taken care of the ball as well as we need to.
"When you have a good pitching staff and have the chance to put guys away, you have to do that (by playing good defense), and we haven't done it. We have to make sure we put guys in the right spot. We want them to play confidently and play through the ball."
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ 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