Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
#7 Ohio State
Baseball Notes to Know: Ohio State
5/22/2024 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - The Indiana Baseball team (31-22-1, 15-9 B1G), the tournament's No. 3 seed, will meet No. 7 Ohio State on Thursday (May 23) afternoon in the winner's bracket at the Big Ten Tournament. (3) IU was a winner over (6) Purdue on Tuesday afternoon while (7) Ohio State took down (2) Nebraska 15-2 in the nightcap at Charles Schwab Field.
The Hoosiers will send RHP Connor Foley to the mound while the Buckeyes counter with RHP Gavin DeVooght in a Thursday afternoon showdown. The winner of this game is an outstanding position and wouldn't play again until Saturday (May 25) morning at 9:00 AM CT. Below are a couple of key notes before IU's first matchup of the season with Ohio State.
More information on each note below can be found in the IU game notes link above.
Hoosiers Beat Purdue in Big Ten Tournament Opener
• Jasen Oliver sparked a run of eight-unanswered runs in the middle innings of Tuesday's 8-6 win over (6) Purdue in Omaha. His three-run home run, and RBI double the next inning, sparked the bats as the Hoosiers advanced to the winner's bracket.
• Drew Buhr gave IU four innings in relief after starter Ty Bothwell, who has been extremely sick the last week, only went three innings. Carter Mathison, Nick Mitchell and Brock Tibbitts all had multi-hit days. IU has won three-straight games against Purdue this year.
Jolly's Career Day
• When Jasen Oliver gets going, it usually turns into an outstanding day at the plate. Tuesday's three-hit, four RBI-effort was just what the doctor ordered for the Hoosiers. He now has 12 multi-hit games this season including four with three-or-more hits. He's had four games of four-plus RBIs this year.
• He was the first IU freshman with four RBIs in a Big Ten Tournament since Logan Sowers (2015) hit a grand slam in a contest against Iowa nine years ago.
Better Starts in Omaha
• Indiana won its Big Ten Tournament opener for the second-straight year after an 8-6 win over Purdue. The last time IU won openers at the conference tournament in back-to-back years was in 2013 and 2014 when it won the whole thing each time.
• The Hoosiers last played Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament in 2015. IU hasn't won its opening two games at the conference tournament since winning the whole thing in 2014.
Pitching Survives Scare
• IU's pitching staff, despite running into some struggles in the ninth, held its opponent to seven-or-fewer runs for the 14th-straight contest. Drew Buhr has pitched four times in the past 10 games and has conceded just five runs in those 14 complete innings thrown.
• The likes of Connor Foley, Aydan Decker-Petty, Ethan Phillips, Ryan Kraft and Julian Tonghini will be viable options to pitch Thursday as IU looks to keep its winning streak going and put itself in prime position to bring back Buhr and Ty Bothwell later in the tournament.
Double Machine
• Tyler Cerny recorded his 22nd double of the season in the sixth inning Tuesday to score Nick Mitchell. His 22 doubles are tied for third-most in a single season in program history with Sam Travis (2013) and Mickey Morandini (1986). Only Dustin DeMuth (24, 2013) and Dan Winters (31, 1984) have more in one campaign.
Just Keep Winning
• The bubble can be a dangerous place this time of year. IU is up multiple spots to 55 in the RPI as of Wednesday morning and are now a top-48 KPI team as well. If the Hoosiers continue to win here in Omaha, the rest of the at-large spots will play themselves out. A Big Ten Tournament title remains in reach for IU.
Junior Group is the Key in Omaha
• Carter Mathison, Brock Tibbitts and Josh Pyne will play their 9th career Big Ten Tournament game on Thursday afternoon. In their careers, the trio has 583 hits, 79 home runs, 442 RBIs and 145 doubles. Those three can be the key to a long run this week.
