Nebraska@IU, Game 2: IU 8 Neb 1. Effective pitching and timely hitting win the game.

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RHP Bradley Brehmer is on the mound with an ERA 5.98 in 40.2 IP, and it will be LHP Emmett Olson on the mound for the Huskers with an ERA of 2.62 in 34.1 IP.

The wind is really blowing out to LF with gusts up to 19 mph.

In the 1st, Brehmer gets the first two batters on flyouts and then gives up a single, but gets a K to end the Huskers half of the inning.

Whalen leads off for IU and gets an infield hit on a close play. Jessee then singles on a fly ball that 3B Max Anderson appeared to lose track of in shallow LF. Pyne popped out and Tibbetts grounded into a DP to end IU's threat.

 

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In the 2nd, Brehmer gets a K and a ground out for the first two outs, but walks the next batter to put a runner on with two outs. A double scores the runner from first to give the Huskers the lead at 1-0, as IU gives up another run on the season on a two-out walk and the hitter that got the double was hitting .197 going into this game. In addition to having a two-out walk score, IU has given up more than their share of two-out runs this season. A K ends the Huskers 2nd.

In IU's 2nd, Mathison flies out and Ellis reaches on an error. Doanes then grounds out for two outs with Ellis reaching 2nd. Murrison then walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Johnson got his first hit on the season on a little infield pop that landed in an area that no one could reach to load the bases with two outs. Whalen then singles to right center to drive in two runs and it's IU's turn to score on two outs as the Huskers also let a walk hurt them. The Huskers then give up another two-out walk to load the bases with two outs. Pyne then cleared the bases with a double to make it 5-1, IU. Pyne has reached base in 28 straight games. Tibbetts grounded out to end the inning as IU sent nine batters to the plate in that inning.

 

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In the 3rd, Neb is back to the top of the order and Brehmer puts them down in order all on flyouts.

In IU's 3rd, Mathison led off with a homer to make it 6-1, and Mathison, who was Indiana's Mr. Baseball and IU's top recruit that actually showed up on campus, has 10 homers on the season. Ellis then singled down the RF line to put a man on and no outs. Doanes and Murrison both fly out for two outs and Ellis still on 1st. A K by Johnson ends the inning.

 

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In the 4th, the Huskers 4, 5 and 6 hitters are up and Brehmer them down in order, all on Ks, as Brehmer looks really sharp through four innings.

In IU's 4th, Whalen lined out to CF on a diving catch. Jessee strikes out for two outs and Pyne singles to put a runner on. A WP moves Pyne to 2nd with two outs. Tibbets strikes out to end the inning with IU still up 6-1.

 

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In the 5th, the Huskers are at the bottom of their order with the 7 thru 9 hitters up. What's an IU game without a hit batter as Brehmer, who leads the B1G in hit batters, hit the leadoff batter on a 2-2 count and this is the third one for IU in the first two games so far. Brehmer then gets two straight Ks for the first two outs and a runner on 1st. Brehmer then walks the next batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Brehmer gets a K to get out of the inning and he has a season high 9 Ks so far and he is at a PC of 82 through 5 IP.

In IU's 5th, Mathison grounds out to 1st and Ellis pops out for the first two outs, and Doanes grounds out to end the inning with IU still up 6-1.

Added note: Iowa is leading Rutgers right now, 9-0, and Rutgers is in danger of losing the first two games of that series, as their hot start to the season is a little tarnished right now, and IU could have had two wins against them last weekend but blew the games late.

 

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In the 6th, the No. 3, 4 and 5 hitters are up for the Huskers. Brehmer walks the leadoff batter, but gets the next batter on a K for Brehmer's 10th K of the game. Brehmer went over 100 pitches with the bullpen warming up, and he gets another K for two outs and the runner still on 1st. A single puts runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs, and for the second straight inning, Brehmer has put two runners on and he is at 103 pitches, with No. 7 hitter up. Johnson makes a great play at SS to get the runner at 2nd to end the Huskers half of the inning and with Brehmer's pitch count at 107, his day is probably finished after pitching a great game.

In IU's 6th, Murrison and Johnson both strike out for the first two outs. Whalen then gets a two-out infield single to put a man on. Jessee grounds out to end the inning. The Nebraska pitcher is at 109 pitches and like with Brehmer, this is probably his last inning.

 

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In the 7th, IU brings in LHP Ty Bothwell with an ERA of 6.75 in 21.1 IP. The Huskers have their 8, 9, and 1 hitters up. Bothwell gets off to a good start by striking out the leadoff hitter. After a line out to CF for two outs, a double puts a runner on 2nd with two outs. Bothwell leaves the runner on 2nd with a K to end the Huskers 7th, and we are at the 7th inning stretch.

In IU's 7th, the Huskers go to their bullpen and bring in RHP Corbin Hawkins with an ERA of 6.75 in 5.1 IP. Pyne grounds out to lead off. Tibbetts then flies out just short of the CF wall for two outs. Mathison then singles to put a runner on with two outs. Ellis grounds out to end the inning.

 

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In the 8th, Bothwell gives up a ground-rule double to the the leadoff hitter, the Huskers best hitter as we are in the meat of the Husker order at the 3, 4, and 5 hitters. Bothwell then gets a big K on a 3-2 count for the 1st out and the runners still at 2nd. Johnson makes another good play at SS to throw out the runner at 1st with the man on 2nd moving to 3rd with two outs. Bothwell then walks a man on four pitches to put runners on the corners with two outs. Bothwell then loads the bases with another walk, and Mercer is not taking any more chances on Bothwell and is bringing RHP Reese Sharp who has an ERA of 10.34 in 31.1 IP. Sharp is not having a good season to say the least, but he needs to get just one batter here, and he is facing a pinch-hitter who has only one plate appearance on the season. Sharp gets a K to end the threat, and the Huskers are down to their last three outs.

In IU's 8th, the bottom of the order is up. Doanes grounds out for the first out. Murrison then hits a one-out single to CF. Johnson grounded out with Murrison taking 2nd to put him in scoring position with Whalen up who has three hits on the day. Whalen hits a triple for his 4th hit of the day (4-5) and he drives in Murrison to make it 7-1, and that chases the Husker pitcher. The Huskers bring in LHP Chandler Bensen who has an ERA of 4.15 in 8.2 IP. Whalen then steals home to make it 8-1. Jessee walks to put a man on with two outs. Pyne then beats out a slow roller with Jessee taking 3rd to put runners on the corners with two outs. Tibbetts grounds out to end the inning.

 

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In the 9th, Sharp is back out there to end it. Sharp strikes out a pinch hitter to open the 9th. Two flyouts end the game and IU wins their first B1G series of the season and go for the sweep tomorrow. The starting pitchers for tomorrow are TBA for both teams.

 

[mk30]

I guess the question becomes “where has this team been all season?” Much more fun watching this type of play versus what we’ve seen up to now.

 

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IU outhit the Huskers 13 to 5. It was like the old times today with good pitching and timely, clutch hitting and IU can't play much better than this. Brehmer was really good going 6 IP and giving up just the one run in the 2nd. He had 11 Ks which is a high for the season and it may be for his career at IU. IU did get into some jams late, but they pitched out of them which is all we ask, and it's something that they have not always been able to do this season, which is something we know all too well. Whalen was the star of the game at the plate going 4 for 5 and 3 RBIs and he stole home for a run, and Pyne was close to him going 3 for 5 and also having 3 RBIs. Mathison had two hits, and every batter had at least one hit except for Doanes and Tibbetts. IU also had no errors while the Huskers had two.

I thought I would add that a Husker fan wasn't happy that Whalen stole home in the 8th with IU up by six runs, and the Huskers didn't "plunk" the next batter. We have learned that in this season no lead is safe with this team and you get as many runs as you can.

 

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Here's the recap with a link to the box score:

Saturday Series Clincher - Indiana University Athletics

A five-run second inning and a quality start on the mound paved the way to a series-clinching win for the Indiana baseball program on Saturday (April 23) ove...

iuhoosiers.com

 

[mk30]

IU outhit the Huskers 13 to 5. It was like the old times today with good pitching and timely, clutch hitting and IU can't play much better than this. Brehmer was really good going 6 IP and giving up just the one run in the 2nd. He had 11 Ks which is a high for the season and it may be for his career at IU. IU did get into some jams late, but they pitched out of them which is all we ask, and it's something that they have not always been able to do this season, which is something we know all too well. Whalen was the star of the game at the plate going 4 for 5 and 3 RBIs and he stole home for a run, and Pyne was close to him going 3 for 5 and also having 3 RBIs. Mathison had two hits, and every batter had at least one hit except for Doanes and Tibbetts. IU also had no errors while the Huskers had two.

I thought I would add that a Husker fan wasn't happy that Whalen stole home in the 8th with IU up by six runs, and the Huskers didn't "plunk" the next batter. We have learned that in this season no lead is safe with this team and you get as many runs as you can.

Oh cry me a river Husker fan! Of course he stole home on your sound-asleep pitcher. We absolutely need every single run we can get. No lead has been safe all season long. I wanted a sweep before. Now I demand it! 😂

 

[Courtsensetwo]

Thank you for the updates.

 

[TomEric4756]

The hot and cold streaks have been incomprehensible… let’s hope pitching and fielding keep improving