Balanced effort tonight
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana recorded its Big Ten-best effort in the hit column and shut out Michigan State after the first inning en route to a 6-1 win vs. the Spartans on Friday evening at Bart Kaufman Field.
Led by three hits each from Scott Donley and Brad Hartong, who extended their hit streaks to 15 and eight games, respectively, IU hit 15 times and scored in five innings.
Hartong batted in two of IU's six runs on hits in the seventh and eighth innings.
Michigan State took an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run in the top of the first. After that, it was all Indiana.
The Hoosiers evened the score in the bottom of the frame on Logan Sowers' ground-rule double and took the lead for good in the third inning on Hartong's first RBI single. IU had three hits in the first, third, fourth and seventh innings, and also took advantage of three MSU errors.
Kyle Hart and Scott Effross each struck out four batters and Indiana finished with nine. Effross earned the win, pitching 4.1 scoreless innings, while giving up just one hit.
Effross, who entered the game for the final out of the top of the third, retired 10 of his first 12 batters faced before MSU picked up its lone hit against him in the seventh.
Luke Harrison and Ryan Halstead pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to close the game out for Indiana, which won its 50th game at Bart Kaufman Field since the facility opened in 2013.
UP NEXT
Indiana and Michigan State continue their weekend series at Bart Kaufman Field on Saturday, April 25, at 2:05 p.m. ET. Check
@HoosierBaseball on Twitter or IUHoosiers.com for any possible schedule changes in the event of inclement weather.
The series concludes Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Hoosiers host Turn Back the Clock Day, featuring throwback uniforms, a live organ and more. IU also hosts Yoga in the Outfield, which includes a game ticket and an hour class of yoga after the game for $10. Fans can pre-register by
clicking hereor register during the game next to the marketing table. The class is open to ages seven and up.
Single-game tickets are available and may be purchased via
IUHoosiers.com or by calling 1-866-IUSPORTS.
GAME NOTES
••• Indiana improved to 23-15 overall and 6-8 in Big Ten play with its second straight win.
••• Indiana tallied a Big Ten-high 15 hits, marking its third-best figure overall in 2015. IU has now recorded 10 or more hits on 20 occasions this season.
••• The Hoosiers won their fifth straight game vs. the Spartans after taking all four last season and has won seven of the last 10. MSU leads the all-time series, 100-89-1.
••• Friday marked Indiana's 50th all-time win at Bart Kaufman Field since opening the gates in 2013 with an overall record of 50-11 (.820). IU is 12-4 at home this season and 14-1 in Friday home games since 2013.
••• Indiana has limited its error total to one or less 25 times this season, including 10 games with zero errors.
••• Indiana has scored in the first inning in seven of the last eight games, eight of the last 10 and nine of the last 12.
••• Matching a season-high with three hits for the third time this season, senior DH Scott Donley extended his hit streak to 15 games, the longest streak by a Hoosier this season. Donley's hit streak has included eight of his 15 multi-hit games, which ranks second on the team.
••• Senior C Brad Hartong also registered three hits to match a career high (four times) and had a team-high two RBI. Hartong, who extended his hit streak to eight games for IU's second-longest active spurt, now has 19 career doubles and eight in 2015.
••• Junior RHP Scott Effross earned his 14th career win and third of the season, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, while striking out four.
••• Sophomore OF Craig Dedelow had his team-best 16th multi-hit game of the season with a pair of singles.
••• Freshman OF Logan Sowers recorded his team-high 10th double (ground-rule) of the season, allowing IU to score in the first inning.
••• Junior LHP Kyle Hart started for Indiana, the 39th of his career and third of the season. Hart tossed 57 pitches in 2.2 innings, striking out four to match Effross for a team high on Friday.
••• Senior SS Casey Rodrigue registered his eighth double of the season and 20th of his career.
Go Hoosiers!
Not real fond of this format in tracking games. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Link has access to boxscore:
http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/042415aaa.html
