Illinois@IU, Game 2: Illini 18 IU 10. Illini's 10-run 6th dooms IU...

[ptrich]

I was unaware they moved the start time of this game up and it's a good thing considering the three main parts of the game in hitting, pitching and fielding all failed to show up for the Hoosiers. IU has given up 15 hits to score 16 runs with 13 earned, and as I post this they have just five hits including two hits in 6th, while committing three errors. IU leads the B1G in fewest errors, but counting the two yesterday, they have committed five errors in the first two games of the series.

In the 6th, it was an inning where IU reverted back to their Pony League days and I could use Little League, but Little League players play better than what IU did in this inning. There was just about anything you could think of from a negative standpoint that happened for IU as the Illini plated 10 runs in the inning.

In the B6th, Mathison leads off with a homer to get IU on the board. Tibbetts also singled in the inning but that was it for IU in the 6th.

 

[ptrich]

In the 7th, Kraft walked the first two batters before getting a K and a DP to ends the Illini's 7th.

In IU's 7th, Johnson leads off and is hit by a pitch. Johnson moves to 2nd on a ground out. Jessee flies out for the 2nd out. Goforth then hits a ground rule double to score Johnson to make it 16-2. Mathison struck out to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the T8th, Kraft started this inning like the last one with a walk to the leadoff man. Kraft then get a K for the 1st out. A two-run homer makes it 18-2. The 2 thru 5 hitters for the Illini are 13 for 17 at the plate up to this point with the Illini starting to bring in some of the bench players. Kraft was able to get all three outs on Ks in this inning in addition to the walk and the homer.

In IU's 8th, IU sent 11 batters to the plate to score five runs. Doanes led off with a ground out. Tibbetts then walked and Serruto hit a 2-run homer. Murrison walked and Johnson singled. Fougerousse then walked to load the bases. Jessee struck out for the 2nd out. Goforth then singled to score two. Mathison reaches on an error at 2B which scored another run. Doanes then walks to load the bases again, but Tibbetts then grounds into a fielder's choice to end the inning with the score Illini 18 IU 7.

 

[ptrich]

In the T9th, with Platt on the mound in relief of Walker, he gets the first two outs on a flyout and ground out, but then walks a batter before ending the Illini 9th on a flyout.

In the B9th, Serruto leads off with a single, and even though they have an 11-run lead, the Illini are not taking any chances and go to their bullpen again. Vecrumba pinch hits for Murrison and he is hit to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Skrine pinch hits for Johnson and he strikes out for the first out. Fougerousse then singles past 3B to score Serruto to make it 18-8 with one out and runners on 1st and 2nd. Schank pinch hits for Jessee and he walks to load the bases with one out. Goforth then hits a double to score two to make it 18-10 with one out and Goforth is 3-3 in this game with 5 RBIs. With runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, the Illini go to their bullpen again. A shallow flyout by Mathison keeps the runners at 2nd and 3rd with two outs. A flyout to the warning track ends the game as IU makes the final score far more respectable. Despite this game, IU has a chance to take the series tomorrow with a good game.

 

[ptrich]

The Illini outhit IU 16 to 12, and they were already up 6-0 when the roof caved in on IU in the 6th where they set the game of baseball back 100 years. None of the starting lineup had more than one hit on the day before Mercer started substituting players and he played 15 players to go along with four pitchers, with the Illini substituting freely also late in the game. At least IU made the final score more respectable by scoring nine runs over the last three innings. Brehmer started the game and it was a game where he didn't bring his best stuff. He went 5.1 IP and gave up 8 hits and 8 runs with 6 ERs, 3 Ks, 4 BB, 1 hit batter, and 2 XBH (homer and double.) Kraft has an absolutely horrible outing in going just 0.1 IP and he pretty much matched Brehmer's numbers in just that one-third inning pitched. Kraft gave up 7 hits, 8 runs all earned, 3 BBs, 1 K, and 1 WP. Kraft matched Brehmer's XBHs with a homer and double given up. Goforth came off the bench after the game had been pretty much decided and went 3-3 with 5 RBIs and two doubles. Serruto went 2-2 with 2 RBIs and a homer. IU came into the series No. 2 in the conference in fielding but they had three errors in this game and counting yesterday's two errors, have five errors in the series so far. The Illinois starter, Jack Crowder, did not have great numbers coming into this game but he pretty much handcuffed IU's hitters scattering five hits over 6 IP giving up a solo homer to Mathison after the Illini were up 16-0. He lowered his ERA to 6.0 when he went out after the 6th, so either his stuff was much better than usual or IU's hitters were just off today.

 

[82IU]

When you get 10 runs on 12 hits, the normal team would probably win 24 out of 25 times, but not with this bunch! VBG. Oh well, let's get them tomorrow!
Go Hoosiers!
82

 

[ptrich]

Here's the recap and the link to the box score:

Saturday Slugfest Slips Away Against Illinois - Indiana University Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A late surge wasn't enough as the Indiana baseball program dropped an 18-10 decision to Illinois on Saturday (April 30) at Bart Kaufman...

iuhoosiers.com

 

[mk30]

Hasn’t Kraft had a few of those innings lately?

 

[ptrich]

Hasn’t Kraft had a few of those innings lately?

This was his worst outing of the season, and maybe Mercer should have pulled him earlier than what he did when it was clear he didn't have it today. He had a similar outing last Sunday in the debacle with the Huskers where Mercer decided to stay with the youngsters on the mound no matter what and IU lost 19-7. His numbers were almost identical today to his outing against the Huskers, but he lasted 1.2 IP in that game to just 0.1 IP in today's game. Of the 11 pitchers that IU has used the most this season, he is last in ERA at 11.83. He's just a freshman so he's inexperienced at pitching at this level and I don't know if it's his mechanics or what is the problem. Modugno is a more experienced pitcher and the number of innings that he and Kraft have pitched are almost the same (Modugno at 30 IP and Kraft at 29.2 IP) and their numbers in the various categories of pitching are remarkably close to each other. I really don't know, but you have to wonder about the change in pitching coaches and that factor has pretty much been beat to death by us.

 

[mk30]

This was his worst outing of the season, and maybe Mercer should have pulled him earlier than what he did when it was clear he didn't have it today. He had a similar outing last Sunday in the debacle with the Huskers where Mercer decided to stay with the youngsters on the mound no matter what and IU lost 19-7. His numbers were almost identical today to his outing against the Huskers, but he lasted 1.2 IP in that game to just 0.1 IP in today's game. Of the 11 pitchers that IU has used the most this season, he is last in ERA at 11.83. He's just a freshman so he's inexperienced at pitching at this level and I don't know if it's his mechanics or what that is the problem. Modugno is a more experienced pitcher and the number of innings that he and Kraft have pitched are almost the same (Modugno at 30 IP and Kraft at 29.2 IP) and their numbers in the various categories of pitching are remarkably close to each other. I really don't know, but you have to wonder about the change in pitching coaches and that factor has pretty much been beat to death by us.

I guess I just don’t understand leaving a pitcher in to get his brains beat out. Especially a freshman. That weighs on you and I can see it start to ruin any confidence he might’ve had.