Bullpen, Bats Top Baylor 8-4 in Series Opener

Friday, February 23

Waco, Texas

7:30 PM

Indiana University

Baylor

2/23/2024 11:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

WACO, Texas – A gem of a performance from the bullpen and impact hitting from the middle of the lineup helped the Indiana Baseball team (4-1) past Baylor 8-4 in the series opener at Baylor Ballpark on Friday (Feb. 23) evening.

Junior pitcher Julian Tonghini (W, 1-0) earned the win after tossing 3.2 innings of scoreless ball with just one hit conceded. After allowing a two-run double to begin his portion of the contest, both runs were charged to sophomore starter Brayden Risedorph, Tonghini settled in nicely and wouldn't allow a hit the rest of the way.

Redshirt sophomore pitcher Grant Holderfield (SV, 1) tallied the third save of his career and first of the season. After missing all of 2023, the Illinois native now has a win and save under his belt in the span of a week in 2024.

The middle of IU's lineup made an immense impact on Friday night with juniors Josh Pyne and Brock Tibbitts and sophomore Devin Taylor combining for nine hits (three each). Senior outfielder Morgan Colopy hit a massive two-run home run which was part of a five-run third inning.

Redshirt junior catcher Jake Stadler had a pair of hits at the plate and also made an outstanding hustle play to backup an errant throw and save a runner from advancing to second.

IU will call on sophomore pitcher Connor Foley in tomorrow's contest as it goes for the series victory in the second game of a three-game set at 3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT at Baylor Ballpark on Saturday (Feb. 24).

Scoring Recap
Top First
Brock Tibbitts came up in the opening frame for the first of many RBI opportunities on Friday night. He lifted a ball into shallow right field where Baylor's first baseman Will Pendergrass made a diving catch. The play took him deep enough into the outfield, allowing Josh Pyne to tag and score from third.
Indiana 1, Baylor 0

Top Third
Tibbitts continued his outstanding night at the plate, doubling down the left field line to score Devin Taylor all the way from first. Tyler Cerny singled through the right side to score Tibbitts. Later in the inning, Cal Sefcik hit a sac-fly to right field, allowing Cerny to score. Morgan Colopy capped off a five-run inning with a massive two-run long ball to center field.
Indiana 6, Baylor 0

Bottom Third
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, Cole Posey grounded out to the third baseman, allowing Harrison Caley to score Baylor's opening run.
Indiana 6, Baylor 1

Top Fourth
The Hoosiers would take the run right back. Cerny grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and no outs as Pyne came around to score IU's seventh run.
Indiana 7, Baylor 1

Bottom Fourth
Baylor chased IU starting pitcher Brayden Risedorph in the fourth inning. Pendergrass doubled left-center field to bring home Wesley Jordan. Enzo Apodaca, the first batter to face IU reliever Julian Tonghini, double down the left field line, scoring two more. All three runs in the inning were charged to Risedorph.
Indiana 7, Baylor 4

Top Ninth
After four complete frames of scoreless baseball, the Hoosiers added an important insurance run. Taylor scurried home on a wild pitch to hand relief pitcher Grant Holderfield a four-run lead in the ninth.
Indiana 8, Baylor 4

Top Hoosier Performers
#32 Pyne, Josh
3-5, 2 R

#5 Taylor, Devin
3-3, 2 R, 2 BB

#9 Tibbitts, Brock
3-4, 2 RBI, 1 R

Quotable
Head coach Jeff Mercer
On the win and importance of getting off to a quick start…
"Yeah, we had opportunities early to kind of pull away a little bit, and credit to Baylor for playing good defense and making pitches and turning doubles plays and really limiting the damage. We were in position there to score some runs. Their guys really executed pitches and played good defense. Man, that double play that their shortstop turned with the bases loaded (in the top of the fourth inning), nobody out, that ball was hit right on the nose and that was a special play. So, a lot of credit to Baylor for making plays in big situations and holding that game tight, and then clawing back into it. But yeah, anytime you can win a Friday on the road, especially against an opponent of this caliber is a huge deal for this series but also for our program. And great respect to what Mitch and what the University here has done in baseball historically. So, it's a big deal.

On the home run from [Morgan] Colopy…
"Morgan, there's nobody I have more respect for than Morgan Colopy. He's the hardest working kid we've had in my three or four years that he's been a part of the program. He's very talented, very dutiful, a great teammate, and to get that kind of production is big. He's done that twice now. Hit a home run last Sunday against George Mason to kind of pull us away. And then when we really needed to finish an inning, he added a big at-bat for us there. He was to put a bunt down early in the at-bat, and then once he got to a leverage count, I turned him loose thinking he would get a fastball. And he did, and all the credit to him for doing damage with it. But I think it speaks to who Morgan is when he's willing to lay a drag bunt down, force action, get to a good count and then do that kind of damage. So, yeah, it was a big deal, a huge boost for us and it's a one-run game if he doesn't do that. And as you know, things get hairy on Friday nights on a big road environment with a one-run game.

Junior First baseman Brock Tibbitts
On a tough win on the road…
"I thought we stayed resilient the whole time. We know we can play a lot better but to grind out a win on the road in this environment is big for the team. It's very exciting to see."

On finding his swing…
"Baseball is such an up-and-down game. To be able to stay levelheaded and keep trusting the process every day, it's big. You've got to have a clear mind every day and every at-bat."

Up Next
These two programs will resume the series on Saturday afternoon with a first pitch at 3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT at Baylor Ballpark. The game will be available via ESPN+ and can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.