Hoosiers Open 2016 with 14-4 Victory at Middle Tennessee
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Indiana Baseball (1-0) opened the 2016 campaign with a decisive 14-4 victory over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Friday evening. Strong starting pitching from senior
Kyle Hart and nine runs in the first four innings were the deciding factors that put the game out of reach early.
After he allowed the first three batters for Middle Tennessee to reach base safely in the first inning, Hart was untouchable for the rest of his outing, retiring the next 15 hitters he faced. On the night, he allowed just one hit in five innings of work, striking out seven to earn his 22nd-career victory.
On the offensive side, the Hoosiers racked up 16 hits led by a 4-for-5 effort from junior
Craig Dedelow and a 3-for-4 outing from sophomore
Logan Sowers. Dedelow and Sowers each homered in the game, driving in three and two runs, respectively. Senior
Brian Wilhite also had three RBI on the night, while sophomore
Isaiah Pasteur and freshman
Ryan Fineman each collected two hits apiece.
The Hoosiers got off on the right foot to open the 2016 campaign, exploding with a four-run first inning. With sophomore
Laren Eustace and junior
Tony Butler reaching base via the hit-by-pitch, Dedelow drove them in with a two-run single. That was followed by the Sowers' homer to give the Hoosiers an 4-0 early lead.
Middle Tennessee threatened in the bottom of the first. Hart hit the first batter and surrendered a walk to the No. 2 hitter. Following an infield hit on a comeback that went off his glove, Hart retired the next three batters with the bases loaded, striking out the side.
Dedelow followed up his two-run single with a solo homer in the second to put IU up 5-0.
After Hart retired the side in order in the bottom half of the second, Indiana returned with another run in the third inning. With one out, Pasteur and Fineman each singled to give the Hoosiers runners on the corners. Wilhite got the first of his three RBI on a 6-5 fielder's choice, scoring Pasteur to make it 6-0.
Indiana manufactured three runs in the fourth, which included two bases loaded walks. Wilhite duplicated his at-bat in the third, driving in a run on a 6-5 fielder's choice to make it 9-0 after three and a half innings.
After Indiana went scoreless in the top half of the fifth, Hart capped off his strong night striking out two of the final three batters he faced.
In the top of the sixth, Wilhite collected his third RBI of the game on an RBI double, scoring Pasteur, who singled earlier in the inning. Wilhite scored on an error by the third baseman to give the Hoosiers an 11-0 lead.
Dedelow and Sowers started the seventh inning with singles to give IU runners on the corners. Junior
Austin Cangelosi joined the action with an RBI single to drive in Dedelow. Freshman
Scotty Bradley came in to pinch-hit for his first career at-bat as a Hoosier, coming up big with a two-run double to up the Indiana lead to 14-0.
Middle Tennessee combined for four runs in the seventh and eighth innings to cut down the Hoosier lead to 14-4, eventually resulting in the final score.
Indiana is back in action on Saturday with a 3 p.m. ET start against the Blue Raiders.
Go Hoosiers!
Boxscore within link:
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2016/2/19/BB_0219164359.aspx
