Evansville@IU, Game 3: IU wins 6-5 and takes the series...

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Nathan Stahl on the mound for the 2nd game of the DH. He gave up two straight hits to start the game, got a K, and gave up another single to load the bases with one out. A fielder's choice scored a run with two outs and runners on the corners and the dangerous Berkey up who had killed IU in the first two games, but he flies out to end the inning with UE up 1-0. The temp at the start of the game is 40.

Doanes got a leadoff single for IU in the 1st. Glasser singled that sent Doanes to 3rd with runners on the corners and no outs. Whalen hit into a DP which scored Doanes to tie the game at 1-1. Ellis struck out to end the inning.

 

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IU is still looking for that elusive third weekend starter as Stahl lasted just 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 K, 1BB, and naturally he hit a batter, IU's sixth hit batter in the DH. Ryan Kraft came out of the bullpen and gave up a single to score a runner in the 2nd to give UE the lead back at 2-1.

IU went down in order in the 2nd.

 

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In UE's 3rd, the Aces touched Kraft for three singles, but they left the bases loaded as IU dodged a bullet. the Aces already have 7 hits on the game, all singles. Whalen was pulled from the game on his earlier DP ball he hit into for what looked like a hamstring injury.

Murrison led off IU's 3rd with a single. Mathinson struck out while Murrison stole 2nd. Doanes hit a single to score Murrison to tie the game at 2-2 and a man on 1st with one out, and that was it for IU in the inning.

 

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In the 4th, Kraft got the leadoff batter, but then gave up a double to put a man on 2nd and one out. Kraft then walked a batter on a 3-2 count to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. An error on Kraft on a potential DP ball resulted in the runner reaching 2nd on an errant throw, and it loaded the bases with still one out. But Kraft got out of the jam with two straight Ks to leave the bases loaded and the game tied. Kraft has had an inconsistent outing, but he has managed to get out of jams when needed without giving up any runs so far.

In IU's 4th, a pop up by Fougerousse and a walk by Ellis put a man on, but Tibbetts hit into a DP, the 2nd DP that IU has hit into in this game, to end the inning.

 

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In the 5th, Kraft put the side down in order on two Ks and a groundout. Kraft has seemed to settle down and is pitching pretty well now, something IU needed from their battered bullpen. Kraft has 5 Ks now in 3.2 IP with 1 BB and no runs given up.

Pyne opened IU's half of the inning with a leadoff double to right CF. A deep flyout by Jessee moved Pyne to 3rd with one out. Murrison then struck out for two outs. Mathison then walked to put runners on the corners with two outs and the top of the order up in Doanes. Doanes singled to score Pyne to give IU the lead at 3-2, with runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Doanes is 3-3 in the game so far with 2 RBIs. A fly ball by Glasser that should have been the 3rd out was misplayed by the RF for an error, and rolled all the way to the wall and it scored two more runs for IU as IU leads 5-2 at the end of the inning.

 

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In the 6th, the leadoff hitter for UE hit a line drive homer to make it 5-3, IU. Kraft then got the next two batters on a groundout and flyout. With two outs, a double down the LF line put a man on. Kraft then walked the next batter to bring up the most dangerous hitter in UE's lineup in Berkey who has crushed the ball in this series. But Kraft got Berkey to ground out to 3B to dodge another bullet.

In IU's 6th, the Aces have brought in another pitcher who has good numbers in RHP Eric Roberts who has an ERA of 2.70 in 10 IP. IU goes down in order.

 

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In the 7th, IU pulled Kraft for Ty Bothwell as they are running out of pitchers in the bullpen and Bothwell has really struggled and is averaging almost two walks an inning and has given up 9 ER in 6.1 IP and an ERA of 12.79. He does have 11 Ks which is not bad. Bothwell hit the first batter he faced on a 3-0 count which is the 7th batter hit by IU today in the DH. It looked like Bothwell was going to walk the next hitter as the count reached 3-0, but Bothwell recovered to strike him out. However, he then walked the next batter on 4 straight pitches to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out as Mercer went to the bullpen again to bring in Luke Hayden as the top of the order comes up for the Aces. Hayden walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. A single scored a run to make it 5-4 with the bases still loaded and one out. When you load the bases with a hit batter and two walks, bad things usually happen. A wild pitch scored another run as the Aces have scored two runs, a hit to tie the game, and have runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. The 2nd out came on a foul out. Hayden then walked another batter to load the bases again with two outs, and Mercer went to the bullpen again to bring in Braydon Tucker needing one more out to keep the game tied. This is IU's 5th pitcher in this game and the 9th in the DH. Tucker got a K to end the inning, but he dodged a bullet before that when the hitter hit a long foul just to the right of the foul pole which would have been a grand slammer. The Aces scored two on just a single, a hit batter and walks to tie the game with IU batting in the 7th.

In IU's 7th, Jessee led off with a walk and then got picked off at 1st. Murrison then struck out for two outs. Mathison then walked to bring up the hot Doanes in the leadoff spot. Doanes walked to put men on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs and the Aces go to their bullpen. A Glasser single gave IU the lead at 6-5 as Mathison scored and Doanes went to 3rd to put runners on the corners with two outs. Fougerousse was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. A force out ended the inning.

 

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In the 8th, Tucker hit the leadoff hitter in Berkey which is the 7th hit batter of the DH by IU pitchers and the 2nd one in this game. Tucker got a pop up and two Ks to end the Aces half of the inning. UE has left 16 runners on in this game so far, so IU is probably fortunate to only give up 5 runs so far. The Aces will have the top of their order coming up in the 9th who have hit IU hard in all three games, so hopefully Tucker can get the final three outs and I assume he will be out there for the 9th.

The Aces brought in another relief pitcher for the 8th and he put IU down in order.

 

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In the 9th, Tucker takes them down in order for the win and IU takes their 2nd series of the season, but it wasn't easy. Kraft and Tucker helped hold the Aces down, but it was a real adventure with our other relief pitchers. We hit 7 batters in the DH and there is no truth to the rumor that OSHA is going to investigate IU's pitching staff as a safety hazard.

 

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Here's the box score:

Baseball vs Evansville on 3/27/2022 - Box Score - Indiana University Athletics

The official box score of Baseball vs Evansville on 3/27/2022

iuhoosiers.com