Top Moments of 2024 Season
Top Moments of 2024 Season
A full college baseball season is often times a rollercoaster of performances, results and emotions. There are big wins and tough losses. Outstanding performances and games that never seem to end. But along the way, there are little moments that make the season go.
The Indiana Baseball team started 6-1 before injuries and youth made for a tough month of March. The Hoosiers put those struggles behind themselves over the final two months to make a run into the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional in Knoxville.
There were too many important moments and performances to count throughout 3.5 months and 60 games of baseball. To recap the season, we broke down some of the small moments that made the season keep moving in the right direction. Stars are born in sports and we remember them forever.
Unlikely Heroes Homer Late for First Win of Season
Feb. 17, 2024 – at #18 Coastal Carolina (W, 7-2)
Tied 2-2 through seven complete innings, the Hoosiers needed a big offensive spark down the stretch in hopes of a first win of the season. One pitch is all Brandon Burckel needed, launching a fastball at his head over the fence in left field to give IU a lead. It would be the only home run he hit all season but perhaps the biggest he had in his time at IU.
In the ninth, AJ Shepard hit a two-run blast – the first of his collegiate career – to put the game on ice for IU. He would hit another home run the next day before suffereing a season-ending injury. But head coach Jeff Mercer called his home run one of the “proudest moments of his career”. The win was massive throughout the season to keep IU’s RPI high enough to make the NCAA Tournament.
Brock Clears Bases, Sparks Comeback in Frisco
March 2, 2024 – vs. #25 Dallas Baptist (W, 9-7)
After being run ruled the night before by Alabama, IU got off to another slow start on Saturday in the Frisco Classic. The Hoosiers went down 6-1 in the fifth inning and were on the verge of another missed opportunity for a resume-boosting win. But the sixth and seventh innings proved powerful for IU.
IU got two back in the sixth but the majority of the damage came in the seventh. Brock Tibbitts, who had a slow start to the season, hit a two-strike breaking ball over the head of the left fielder and off the wall for a triple. He cleared the bases and handed IU and pitcher Ty Bothwell a one-run lead. Another pair of runs in the eighth handed IU a lead it wouldn’t relinquish and sealed the deal on a massive win.
Foley Spins Gem in Opening Conference Weekend
March 23, 2024 – vs. Illinois (W, 8-1)
In a win that proved much more important than originally thought, starter Connor Foley dealt a gem in his first career Big Ten start. IU’s bullpen was depleted after a rough Friday night opener but Foley weathered the storm and delivered a brilliant seven-inning, scoreless effort to help IU to an 8-1 win.
The Jasper, Ind. native had 10 strikeouts and scattered two hits across 24 batters faced. Fellow sophomore Brayden Risedorph came in and got the final six outs to see out the victory. Illinois would end up winning the league and having an RPI in the top-45. This win would help IU boost its resume late in the season.
Pyne, Cerny Open April with a Bang
April 2, 2024 – vs. #17 Indiana State (W, 16-7)
IU’s month of March, which featured key injuries and bad losses, was less than ideal. But the calendar turned to April and so did IU’s rampant offense. Facing a top-15 RPI team to begin the month, IU went down 6-0 but clawed its way back into the game thanks to a grand slam off the scoreboard from Tyler Cerny.
Josh Pyne, amidst a tough run of form, smoked a ball to dead centerfield for a two-run blast. His home run, one of only three on the season, sparked a run of 10 unanswered for the Hoosiers. The win helped IU get started in the month of April and was key in its postseason at-large bid.
Buhr Keeps Season Going with Brilliant Relief Effort
April 13, 2024 – vs. Penn State (W, 10-9)
No one loved pitching in the Big Ten more than Drew Buhr in 2024. Rarely used at the beginning of the season, his outing against Penn State was one for the ages. Starter Connor Foley left the game with back tightness in the second with IU already down 8-0.
Enter the Indiana native, Buhr.
IU outscored Penn State 10-1 after the top of the second inning but it was Buhr (4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 8 K) that gave the Hoosiers a fighting chance. His career high in strikeouts (8) and gutsy effort on the bump was capped off by a walk-off wild pitch in the ninth.
The Hoosiers would win the Sunday contest and the next three conference series after that, a run that was kickstarted by the brilliance of Buhr. He would continue his outstanding form the rest of the way and make his name known as one of the best relievers in the Big Ten.
Brenczewski’s Friday Bomb Sparks Victory
April 26, 2024 – vs. Rutgers (W, 8-3)
Joey Brenczewski is not known as a home run hitter. But he tends to produce them at the right times. Against Rutgers ace Justin Sinibaldi, Brenczewski sat breaking ball and finally got his pitch with two runners on in the Friday game against the Scarlet Knights. He belted a three-run blast over the bullpen in left field to give IU the lead for good.
The Hoosiers got brilliant pitching from Brandon Keyster, Julian Tonghini and Brayden Risedorph but it was Brenczewski’s first-inning home run that was the difference. IU would go on to sweep the series and put themselves firmly in at-large contention for the tournament.
Wild Comeback in West Lafayette
May 5, 2024 – at Purdue (W, 5-4)
In what head coach Jeff Mercer called “one of their best games of the season”, the Hoosiers just couldn’t get balls to land in the Sunday game at Purdue. That was, until the ninth inning. Brock Tibbitts, Carter Mathison and Jake Stadler all reached in succession to load the bases.
In his first at-bat in weeks, Andrew Wiggins used a careful to walk on a payoff pitch and drive in a run. Devin Taylor smoked a ball off the pitcher’s leg to score a second. With two outs, Nick Mitchell was equally as patient to walk and tie the game. The inning looked over after a weak contact grounder from Tyler Cerny but it was booted by the Purdue pitcher to hand IU the lead.
Jacob Vogel slammed the door on the Boilermakers in the ninth, part of a four-inning scoreless effort from the redshirt freshman. IU secured the series win in West Lafayette, one of three victories on the year against its in-state rivals.
Jolly Goes Big Fly in Omaha
May 21, 2024 – vs. Purdue (W, 8-6)
In the Big Ten Tournament opener, against familiar opposition, freshman Jasen Oliver delivered an all-time postseason performance to get the Hoosiers started. Carter Mathison had a home run robbed earlier in the game but Oliver got sweet revenge with a three-run blast to give IU the lead.
The Hoosiers added a collection of runs in the sixth and held on in the ninth to defeat Purdue and advance in the Big Ten Tournament. Oliver finished the day a triple short of the cycle but drove in four runs and scored twice in his debut at Charles Schwab Field.
Bothwell’s Day for the Ages
May 31, 2024 – vs. Southern Miss (W, 10-4)
Ty Bothwell, an all-time IU legend, had a day to remember in his final appearance for the program. He was handed the ball in the NCAA Regional opener and delivered a brilliant performance in a 10-4 win. He went 5.2 innings with nine strikeouts while throwing 103 pitches. He handed the ball off to Drew Buhr who got the final 10 outs to see out the Hoosier win.
But after the game was the best performance of the day for Bothwell. With his family, teammates and friends watching, he proposed to his longtime girlfriend on the field in Knoxville. Graduate manager Nate Ball delivered the ring behind the back and Bothwell got down on one knee for the easiest decision of his life.
