IU Misses Big Hit in Big Ten Tournament Loss
Indiana drops Big Ten Tournament opener to Michigan
MINNEAPOLIS -- Indiana dropped its Big Ten Tournament opener, 4-1, to Michigan on Wednesday morning at Target Field, setting up an elimination game for the Hoosiers.
Sixth-seeded Indiana will play No. 7 Ohio State, who lost to second-seeded Iowa on a walk-off home run Wednesday. IU swept the Buckeyes at Bart Kaufman Field to close the regular season.
Despite only scoring once and hitting four times, the Hoosiers had their opportunities to get back into their game vs. U-M after falling behind 4-0.
Indiana placed its lead-off hitter on base in four straight innings, including its first two in the sixth and seventh, but only managed to score one run.
Logan Sowers, who had two of IU's three hits, recorded a lead-off double in the fifth that the Hoosiers were unable to convert to the scoreboard.
Brian Wilhite and Casey Rodrigue each walked to open the sixth inning, before Michigan's Brett Adcock, who registered the win, retired three consecutive batters.
IU opened the seventh frame with Sowers' lead-off single followed up by a single from Craig Dedelow. Austin Cangelosi's RBI ground out put IU on the board, but the Hoosiers were held to one run.
Brad Hartong doubled and Scott Donley walked in the eighth, each reaching base with two outs, but Michigan prevented any damage.
Michigan pulled ahead in the bottom of the second with a 3-run home run by Johnny Slater with two outs. The Wolverines added a run in the bottom of the sixth on Carmen Benedetti's RBI double to lead 4-0.
UP NEXT
Indiana will play No. 7 Ohio State on Thursday, May 21, at 10 a.m. ET in an elimination game.
For more on the 2015 Big Ten Tournament,
click here.
GAME NOTES
••• Indiana dropped its opening Big Ten Tournament game to fall to the bottom side of the bracket in the double-elimination tourney. The Hoosiers will face No. 7 Ohio State on Thursday, May 21, at 10 a.m. ET.
••• The Hoosiers saw their six-game winning streak and a five-game Big Ten Tournament winning streak snapped, losing just their second game in the last 11 to fall to 32-21.
••• IU is 23-17 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament and 1-2 when facing Michigan. Additionally, the Hoosiers are 7-5 in Big Ten Tournament openers after losing their first in the last seven.
••• Despite the loss, Indiana is 9-2 in the month of May in 2015 and 33-9 since 2013. IU has won 26 of its last 29 games in the month.
••• Indiana's four hits were its fewest since posting just one vs. Michigan State on April 26. The Hoosiers entered the game having registered 10 or more hits in eight of their previous 12 showings.
•••Sophomore OF Craig Dedelow has reached base in 16 straight games, IU's longest streak of the season. Dedelow has a hit in 13 of the last 16 and hasn't gone consecutive games without a hit since April 14-17 (three games).
••• Senior C Brad Hartong continued IU's longest current hit streak at seven games, hitting his 12th double of the season and third in the last three games.
••• Freshman OF Logan Sowers had Indiana's first hit in the fifth inning, his team-high 15th double of the season. That marks Sowers' fourth double in the last eight contests. Sowers has a hit in six straight games and seven of the last eight, including four multi-hit games in that stretch. He has 12 total multi-hit games in 2015.
Go Hoosiers!
Boxscore access in the link:
http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/052015aaa.html