Top-Ranked Opposition Proves Too Much

Saturday, June 1

Knoxville, Tenn.

6:00 PM

Indiana University

33-25-1

#1 Tennessee

52-11

Tennessee

Indiana

6/1/2024 10:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Quotes Postgame Press Conference

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A flurry of late base hits over the final the final three innings made things interesting at the end of Saturday's (June 1) ballgame. Ultimately, No. 1 Tennessee was just too much for the Indiana Baseball team (33-25-1) in a 12-6 defeat at Lindsey Nelson Field in Knoxville.

The defeat knocked IU back into an elimination game tomorrow at Noon against (2) Southern Miss. A win over the Golden Eagles on Sunday afternoon would push the Hoosiers into a regional final matchup against (1) Tennessee that same night. IU now has to win three games in two days to advance to a Super Regional.

IU didn't get the start it wanted from sophomore right-hander Connor Foley (L, 4-2). He allowed eight earned runs and seven walks while tallying just seven of the game's 27 outs. Junior left-hander Ryan Kraft and sophomore right-hander Ethan Phillips helped stabilize things but sixth-year senior reliever Ty Rybarczyk (3.1 IP, 4 K) had the most success against the high-flying Tennessee offense.

Even after going down by nine, IU continued to battle back to make the nation's best team sweat it out down the stretch. Sophomore outfielder Devin Taylor hit a three-run, opposite field jack in the third inning to trim the lead to just six. The Hoosiers loaded the bases in the fourth but couldn't add any runs to the board. IU compiled 11 hits from nine different players.

Freshman outfielder Andrew Wiggins came on in reserve for Taylor and recorded a multi-hit day. Junior third baseman Josh Pyne had a two-hit contest including an RBI-single in the eighth inning. IU left 12 runners on base in the contest including two in the bottom half of the eighth and ninth.

IU's season will officially be on the line tomorrow at Noon against the second-seeded Golden Eagles. Sophomore right-hander Brayden Risedorph will get the start, looking to help force a rematch against the Volunteers tomorrow evening in the regional final.

Scoring Recap
Top Second
After getting through the top of the first unscathed, IU starter Connor Foley ran into trouble in the second. Dean Curley and Christian Moore each smashed two-run home runs to hand Tennessee an early four-run lead.
Tennessee 4, Indiana 0

Top Third
The Volunteers did more damage in the third, chasing Foley after recording only seven outs. Moore walked with the bases loaded, setting the table for Billy Amick to hit a grand slam over the left-field wall. Ryan Kraft came in and stranded the bases loaded but the damage had already been done.
Tennessee 9, Indiana 0

Bottom Third
The first sign of life from IU came in the third inning. Jake Stadler doubled and Morgan Colopy walked before Devin Taylor hit a massive three-run shot into the bleachers to cut into the deficit.
Tennessee 9, Indiana 3

Top Fourth
Tennessee answered right back in the fourth as Cal Stark hit a solo home run.
Tennessee 10, Indiana 3

Bottom Fourth
After Tyler Cerny got hit by a pitch, Carter Mathison brought him home with a double through the gap in right field. The Hoosiers got the bases loaded in the inning but Josh Pyne popped out to end the frame.
Tennessee 10, Indiana 4

Top Fifth
Kavares Tears singled through the right side as a pair of runners came into score. Dylan Dreiling scored on the hit while Hunter Ensley advanced home on a bobble from the left fielder.
Tennessee 12, Indiana 4

Bottom Eighth
IU broke a streak of scoreless innings with runs in the eighth. Colopy hit a hard groundout at the second baseman that scored Jasen Oliver. Pyne then singled through the right side to bring home TJ Schuyler. After a pitching change, the Hoosiers stranded Andrew Wiggins and Pyne on the bases.
Tennessee 12, Indiana 6

Top Hoosier Performers
#32 Pyne, Josh
2-5, 1 RBI

#5 Taylor, Devin
1-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

#43 Rybarczyk, Ty
3.1 IP, 1 H, 4 K

Notes to Know
• Another base knock moved Brock Tibbitts closer to a big milestone as his junior comes near its end. He singled on Saturday evening, adding his 198th career hit to his all-time tally. He needs just two to become the 25th member of the 200-hit club at IU.

• Jasen Oliver's eighth-inning double broke a single-season program team record. The Hoosiers have tallied 139 doubles on the season, smashing a 40-year-old school record. Seven different players have at least 10 doubles this year.

• Nick Mitchell is sitting on 199 career hits. 68 of those have come at Indiana while 131 of those came in two years as a member of Western Illinois.

• Josh Pyne is now 15th in program history in hits after recording a pair of base knocks against Tennessee. His 221 hits pass Craig Dedelow (220, 2014-17).

• The Hoosiers had 11 strikeouts on the mound on Saturday. On the season, IU has 579 punchies which is good for third in a single season in program history.