IU@Rutgers, Game 2: RU 4 IU 2. Another 8th inning collapse costs IU the lead and the game...

[ptrich]

Perkins is on the mound for IU with an ERA of 4.60 in 43 IP and RHP Nathan Florence is on the mound for Rutgers with an era of 2.63 in 37.2 IP.

In the 1st, IU got their first two batters on with walks. With two outs, Whalen and Glasser reached 2nd and 3rd on a double steal, but a K ended IU's 1st.

Rutgers got a man on with a walk, but that would be it with a ground out ending the 1st.

 

[ptrich]

In the 2nd, Tibbitts got on with a one-out single, but two Ks ended IU's half of the inning.

Rutgers gets a two-out single for their first hit of the game, but that would be it for the 2nd inning.

 

[ptrich]

In IU's 3rd, Whalen leads off with a double, and he moves to 3rd on a deep fly by Glasser with one out. Ellis then walks to put runners on the corners with one out. Pyne then pop up for the 2nd out. Jessee then walks to load the bases with two outs. The Rutgers pitcher is at a 65 PC already. Mathison then strikes out as they squander the leadoff double by Whalen. IU has had runners in scoring position twice in the game so far and couldn't get that clutch two-out hit.

In Rutgers 2nd, the leadoff hitter gets a single past Doanes. A K gets the the 1st out. Perkins then hit a batter on an 0-2 count to put two on with one out. The hit batter is IU's 66th on the season. Perkins then walked the next batter on four pitches to load the bases with one out. IU had what looked like a DP ball, but the runner beat the throw at 1st and Rutgers takes a 1-0 lead. Rutgers scores in their first scoring opportunity, something that IU couldn't do in their two scoring opportunities. A flyout ends the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the 4th, IU goes down in order.

In the Rutgers 4th, a ground out and pop up were sandwiched around a single. Perkins then hit another batter, his 2nd of the game, to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs, but a K ends the inning with no damage done.

 

[ptrich]

In the 5th, Whalen leads off with a single, his second hit of the game. Glasser then singles through the infield to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Ellis then singles to score Whalen to tie the game at 1-1 with runners still on 1st and 2nd and no outs. Rutgers goes to the bullpen to bring in RHP Garrett French with a 3.60 ERA in 20 IP. A diving catch by the SS of a pop up down the LF line resulted in the first out with runners still on 1st and 2nd. Jessee then walked to load the bases with one out. Mathison then hit a SAC fly to RF to score Glasser as IU takes the lead 2-1 with runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. A ground out ends IU's 5th.

In RU's 5th, Perkins puts them down in order and he is at a PC of 83.

 

[ptrich]

IU goes down in order in the 6th.

In RU's 6th, Perkins walked the leadoff batter and then got the next batter on a ground out which moved the runner to 2nd. Perkins then got a K and an infield line out to leave the walk at 2nd. Perkins is at 100 pitches and will probably not be out there for the 7th.

 

[ptrich]

In IU's 7th, Glasser and Ellis struck out for the first two outs. Pyne then beat out a throw for an infield single with two outs, and Pyne has now reached base in 23 straight games. Pyne moves to 2nd on a passed ball. Jesse then walks on four pitches to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. A ground out ends IU's 7th.

Perkins remains on the mound in RU's 7th and he is at a 100 PC with Tucker warming up in the bullpen. Perkins takes them down in order which included two Ks. Perkins is at 120 pitches so Tucker will be on the mound in the 8th.

 

[ptrich]

In the 8th, RU goes to the bullpen and brings in RHP Sam Portnoy with an ERA of 3.38 in 5.1 IP. He hit the leadoff batter in Tibbetts, but Schank hits into a DP. Doanes just missed on a homer that was just outside the LF foul pole. Doanes grounds out to end IU's 7th.

In RU's 8th, we are at the inning that gave IU trouble yesterday. Braydon Tucker in on the mound for IU and he has an ERA 4.40 in 28.2 IP and he faces the heart of the Rutgers batting order. Tucker gets the first two batters on Ks. He then gives up a single through the infield. A walk puts runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Tucker then walks another batter to load the bases with two outs. Like with yesterday's 8th inning, a triple empties the bases to give Rutgers a 4-2 lead. After two strikeouts, a single and two walks and a triple kills IU. A flyout ends the inning. IU has given up a ton of two-out runs this season. and the 8th inning all of a sudden has become the 13th floor of a building for IU in the Rutgers series.

 

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In IU's 9th, IU goes down in order to end the game.

 

[82IU]

Sad that we have wasted two really good pitching performances by our starters. Our relief pitching staff is the reason we can't have "nice things" LOL. Hope we can pull out at least one win in this series tomorrow. At the pace we are going, we may be lucky to win 20 games this season. I think most folks figured on a very rough season. I guess we have been spoiled by the amount of talent IU has had in the past decade or so. There is still hope we can be a spoiler in the B1G. Just need to get going.
Go Hoosiers!!
82

 

[ptrich]

IU again wasted a good effort by our starting pitchers in an 8th inning collapse. Yesterday, it was miscues in the 8th and today it was the inability of Tucker to get that third out in the inning after getting the first two batters on Ks. IU again outhit Rutgers today by one hit, 6-5. Whalen was the only multi-hit player for IU, going 2 for 4. Perkins hit two batters which ended up not hurting IU, but they have now hit five batters in the first two games. IU could easily be up 2-0 in this series and be going for the sweep, but instead it is Rutgers going for the sweep tomorrow with Brehmer on the mound.

 

[ptrich]

IU has two midweek games with Miami (OH) on Tues and Cincy on Weds, both on the road. They then welcome in Nebraska at The Bart for a three-game series. The Huskers have been a major disappointment so far and they were expected to win the B1G this season, but right now both Rutgers and Illinois have separated themselves from the pack for the B1G lead in that order. The Huskers probably see IU as a get-well-quick pill. Not only will IU have a losing record this season, but they won't make the B1G tournament without a huge finish to the season and that is highly unlikely the way things have progressed.

 

[mk30]

IU has two midweek games with Miami (OH) on Tues and Cincy on Weds, both on the road. They then welcome in Nebraska at The Bart for a three-game series. The Huskers have been a major disappointment so far and they were expected to win the B1G this season, but right now both Rutgers and Illinois have separated themselves from the pack for the B1G lead in that order. The Huskers probably see IU as a get-well-quick pill. Not only will IU have a losing record this season, but they won't make the B1G tournament without a huge finish to the season and that is highly unlikely the way things have progressed.

Not making the freaking conf tournament should have consequences. That’s if anyone even cares anymore. IU athletics has become a get-well-quick pill (aka laughingstock) for too many other lousy teams.

 

[80RU]

Saw the first two in person. Notwithstanding the final results, Indiana has pitchers whose stuff looks way, way better than their numbers.

 

[ptrich]

Saw the first two in person. Notwithstanding the final results, Indiana has pitchers whose stuff looks way, way better than their numbers.

The pitching has been better for much of this series so far excluding the 8th today, but this team seems to find ways to lose close games and it's enough to make a person want to pull his/her hair out.

 

[ptrich]

Here's the game recap along with a link to the box score.

Late Runs Down Baseball at Rutgers - Indiana University Athletics

A gem on the mound was spoiled by a late comeback, as the Indiana baseball program dropped a 4-2 decision at Rutgers on Saturday (April 16) at Bainton Field.

iuhoosiers.com

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

It hasn't been mentioned, but the last walk to load the bases in the eighth could very easily been called a strike out to end the inning. Tucker thought so, and even the Rutgers announcers on BTA+ thought it could have been a K. The only thing that cost Tucker a strike out was the catcher dropping the pitch.

 

[SantaFeScarlet]

Saw the first two in person. Notwithstanding the final results, Indiana has pitchers whose stuff looks way, way better than their numbers.

I'm a die hard RU baseball guy and your starting pitchers, especially todays have been lights out as I've seen our team knock out starting pitchrrs early and often.