IU @ Nebraska, Game 3: Errors and listless offense cost IU the game and series, 4-2...

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This game is on BTN.

It will be LHP Ryan Kraft on the mound with an ERA of 7.64 in 17.2 IP and a WHIP of 2.04 with an OBA of .316. The batting is the same as the previous two games. It would be nice if IU could generate some offense in the early innings which is something IU hasn't done in a while. In the series, Taylor got leadoff homers to start the game then IU did nothing much until the later innings. In the past five games, IU has generated just five runs total through the 5th inning.

It will be LHP Jackson Brockett on the mound for the Huskers with an ERA of 2.60 in 17.1 IP with an OBA of .197. Brockett pitched a no hitter in his last outing which was a midweek game against Kansas State. This is his first start in a B1G game this season.

It's 75 and cloudy and they expect some rain later in the afternoon. The wind is not much at all and is out of the W at just 3 mph.

1st inning:

T1st:

Taylor grounded out to start the game. Pyne grounded out. Mitchell walked on a full count and Cerny flied out to retire the side.

B1st:

Kraft Kd the leadoff hitter. It didn't take long for IU to get an error in the game as a single went right through Taylor legs in LF and the runner took 2nd with one out.

A lineout to LF got the 2nd out with the runner holding at 2nd. Kraft got another K to end the inning with the error doing no damage.

End of 1st: IU 0 UN 0

 

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2nd inning:

T2nd:

It was the 5 thru 7 hitters up for IU with Brenczewski leading off, and he grounded out as well as Tibbitts for two outs. Mathison Kd to retire the side as IU went down quickly in the inning.

B2nd:

It's the 5 thru 7 hitters up. The leadoff hitter doubled off the top of the wall in CF and it almost left the park. IU already has a pitcher warming up in the bullpen in Decker-Petty.

On a grounder to Kraft, he caught the ball behind his back and got the runner at 2nd in a rundown for an out to get the lead runner with a runner at 1st.

Kraft got a K and Stadler gunned down the runner trying to steal 2nd to end the inning.

End of 2nd: IU 0 UN 0

 

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3rd inning:

T3rd:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Stadler leading off. Stadler singled for IU's first hit of the game.

Oliver flied out to RF for the first out with a runner on and we were at the top of the order in Taylor.

Taylor Kd looking on three pitches. Stadler took 2nd on a WP with Pyne up.

Pyne grounded out to retire the side.

B3rd:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up for the Huskers. Kraft got the leadoff hitter on a grounder.

The next batter reached on an error by Pyne who mishandled a grounder and IU has two errors early on in the game.

A balk on Kraft moved the runner to 2nd. A lineout to CF got the 2nd out with the runner holding at 2nd.

A ground-rule double scored the runner from 2nd for an unearned run with the error and balk coming back to bite IU.

Kraft was relieved by Mercer with RHO Ayden Decker-Petty coming in with an ERA of 5.88 in 26.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.46.

An infield single put runners on the corners with two outs. A WP scored another run which was also unearned.

D-P then got a K to end the inning with two unearned runs scored.

End of 3rd: UN 2 IU 0

 

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4th inning:

T4th:

Mitchell led off and grounded out. Cerny walked on a 3-1 count.

Brenczewski Kd looking and Tibbitts singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs.

Mathison flied out to retire the side with two runners left on.

B4th:

D-P faced the 5 thru 7 hitters. D-P put them down in order with all on groundouts.

End of 4th: UN 2 IU 0

 

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5th inning:

T5th:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Stadler leading off. Stadler flied out for the first out.

Oliver clubbed a solo homer to LF to make it 2-1 UN, and the top of the order up in Taylor and he grounded out for the 2nd out.

Pyne was hit by a pitch to put a runner on with two outs and Mitchell up, and Mitchell flied out to CF to retire the side.

B5th:

D-P faced the 8 thru 1 hitters. D-P put then down in order.

End of 5th: UN 2 IU 0

Note: They changed the scoring on one of the Huskers runs as an earned run charged to Kraft which makes no sense since both runs wouldn't have scored if not for the error.

 

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6th inning:

T6th:

It was the middle of the order up for IU with Cerny leading off.

Cerny homered to LF to tie the game at 2-2.

The Huskers went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Drew Cristo with an ERA of 5.53 in 42.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.32, and he faced Brenczewski.

Brenczewski singled to put a runner on and no outs. Tibbitts fouled out to 1B for the first out.

Mathison popped up to the SS for two outs. Stadler flied out to retire the side.

B6th:

D-P faced the 2 thru 4 hitters. The leadoff hitter flied out for the 1st out.

D-P bobbled a grounder and then threw the ball past Tibbitts for IU's 3rd error of the game and a runner now at 2nd with one out.

A routine flyout got the 2nd out with the runner holding at 2nd. Stone, the next batter, was intentionally walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Stone has hit IU hard in the series.

A double scored a run which was unearned because of the error, and errors have played in all three runs scored by the Huskers. Vogel was warming up in the bullpen.

Mathison crashed into the wall after catching the ball and he was down with the inning over.

End of 6th: UN 3 IU 2

 

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7th inning:

T7th:

It was the 9 thru 2 hitters up. Mathison was able to walk off after hitting the wall hard in the 6th.

Oliver grounded out for the first out and the top of the order up. Taylor Kd swinging for the 2nd out with Taylor not seeing many fastballs anymore.

Pyne reached on an error on the 1B. Mitchell singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs with Cerny up.

Cerny fouled out on the first pitch to leave two runners on.

B7th:

D-P faced the 8 thru 1 hitters. D-P Kd the leadoff hitter. The next batter reached on an infield hit and we were at the top of the order for the Huskers.

The runner stole 2nd to put a runner in scoring position with one out. D-P Kd the next batter for two outs.

The Huskers best hitter percentage-wise in Sanderson who was 2 for 3 so far today, was up and D-P was relieved by RHP Jacob Vogel with an ERA of 0.48 in 18.2 IP and a WHIP of 0.96.

On a 1-2 count, Vogel hit the batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs, and the Huskers brought in a pinch runner for Sanderson at 1st.

A single scored a run to make it 4-2 UN with the run charged to D-P, and there were runners on the corners and two outs.

Stadler picked off the runner at 3rd to end the inning.

End of 7th: UN 4 IU 2

 

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8th inning:

T8th:
It was the 5 thru 7 hitters up and IU is going to need some more late inning heroics to pull this game out after sleepwalking through much of it. Brenczewski flied out for the first out.

Tibbitts grounded out for two outs. Another groundout got Mathison to retire the side.

B8th:

Vogel faced the middle of the order. Vogel got the first two batters on groundouts.

A single put a man on with two outs. A pop out ended the inning.

End of 8th: UN 4 IU 2

 

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9th inning:

T9th:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Stadler leading off and IU needs another 9th inning rally to avoid losing the game and the series.

Stadler flied out for the first out. Oliver grounded out for two outs and the top of the order up in Taylor.

Taylor Kd looking on a full count to end the game.

Final: Nebraska 4 IU 2

 

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Not much you can say about this game. Nebraska made the most of their scoring opportunities aided by IU errors, while IU came up empty on their scoring opportunities with runners on and came away with just two solo homers. IU's shot at an at-large bid took a hit by not winning the series, but a good showing against Michigan and also a good showing in the B1G tournament might give them a slim chance (IMO) if they can't win the tournament. Michigan beat Purdue 8-6, and the Boilers fell back with IU, and Michigan moved up to tie with IU and Purdue at 13-8. Both IU and Michigan will have a lot to play for in the final weekend of conference play.

We will have to see how the rest of the games play out today to see what kind of situation IU is in going into the final weekend of the conference season next weekend. IU also has a big midweek road trip to Louisville on Tuesday with Louisville on the bubble for an at-large bid to the NCAAs.

The final weekend of play has some interesting series with Michigan @ IU, Illinois @ Purdue, and Nebraska @ MSU. Iowa's final conference game will be today.

The Huskers outhit IU 8 to 6 today and IU was 6 for 34 for .176 while the Huskers were 8 of 32 for .250. There were no multiple hit players today for IU with the hits spread out. Cerny and Oliver accounted for the only runs with solo homers. IU's slump over the first five innings of games extended to six games, with IU scoring just six runs total over the first five innings played in those six games.

IU had three errors today while the Huskers had one error. Officially, two unearned runs were charged to those errors, but it probably should have been three of the Huskers four runs. Kraft was initially charged with two unearned runs in the 3rd because of an error, but one of those runs was later changed to an earned run which made no sense because both runs scored in that inning wouldn't have scored if not for the error.

The pitching was good today with the errors marring the effort, and if IU was hitting the ball even fairly well, they would have won the last two games of the series, again IMO.

Kraft - 2.2 IP, 3 hits to include 2 doubles and 1 earned run plus 1 unearned run, 3 Ks, no BBs, and a balk.

Decker-Petty - 4.0 IP, 3 hits to include a double with 1 earned run and 1 unearned run, 3 Ks, 1 BB, and a WP.

Vogel - 1.1 IP, 2 hits and no earned runs, no Ks or BBs, and a hit batter.