Bellarmine @ IU, Game 2: IU digs out of a hole for a 9-7 win...

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IU will have their usual Friday starter on mound in RHP Ben Seiler with an ERA of 5.23 in 10.1 IP.

Bellarmine will have RHP Arren Hash on the mound with an ERA of 5.40 in 11.2 IP.

It's a nasty day for baseball with the temp at 37 at game time and the wind at 16 mph out to right field, and it will probably be around 35-36 degrees around the end of the game.

1st Inning:

T1st: After getting two GOs, Seiler gave up a double. A single scored the runner from 2nd with some controversy over the tag at home. The runner on the single reached 2nd on the throw to home.

Another double scored the Knights 2nd run, and the Knights have scored twice after two outs. Yet another double scored a third run to make it 3-0. A pop out to Serruto retires the side with three doubles in the inning do all kinds of damage and the Knights up 3-0. Seiler is off to a rough start.

B1st:

Glasser doubled to lead off. Jessee K'd for the 1st out. Whalen doubled to score Glasser to make it 3-1.

Pyne grounded out for the 2nd out with Whalen taking 3rd. Mathison walked and the pitch was a WP which scored Whalen to make it 3-2 with a runner on 1st and two outs. Mathison is thrown out at 2nd on a FC to end the inning.

Both teams combined for five doubles in the 1st inning.

 

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2nd Inning:

T 2nd:

After a tough 1st after two outs, Seiler is back out there on the mound. He popped out the leadoff hitter.

After IU went nine innings yesterday with no walks, Seiler walked the next batter to put a runner on and one out.

Sieler then gave up his fourth double of the game to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, and Mercer has seen enough and he pulled Seiler. RHP Adrian Vega came in with an ERA of 4.76 in 5.2 IP. With two more games in the series this weekend, IU needs to find some innings from a pitcher and hopefully Vega is that guy.

A SF scored the runner from 3rd with the runner on 2nd taking 3rd with two outs. A GO retired the side and Vega limited the damage to one run given up, and the walk ended up biting IU.

B2nd:

It's the bottom of the order for IU in Cerny, Colopy, and Serruto. Cerny K'd looking to lead off, Colopy grounded out, and Serruto K'd looking to end the inning.

 

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3rd Inning:

T3rd:

A ball went off Tibbitts glove for a lead off single. A walk put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Vega got a big out on a fouled bunt attempt after two strikes.

Back-to-back doubles, the Knights 5th and 6th doubles of the game, scores three runs.

Mercer went to the bullpen again and brought in RHP Ayden Decker-Petty.

Decker-Petty got a pop up to CF and a K to retire the side.

B3rd:

Glasser singled and made it all the way to 3rd on an error. Jessee popped out for the 1st out. Glasser scored on a passed ball. Whalen popped out and Pyne lined out to end the inning.

IU cut into the lead by a run but they need to start getting some clean innings by the pitchers to give the hitters a chance to pull this game out.

 

[Orford]

Frustrating to see IU hitters jump on first pitch and make weak contact… freshman fireman looking great so far. About seen enough of the Seilar-Vegas combination two straight Fridays of low d1 level pitching.

 

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4th Inning:

T4th:

Decker-Petty put them down in order to include two Ks.

B4th:

It the 5 thru 7 hitters up for IU. Mathison grounded out to lead off. Tibbitts reached on an error and took 2nd on it. A Cerny single put runners on the corners with one out.

Colopy, who has really been struggling at the plate, got a big hit to score Tibbitts with an unearned run and runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

Serruto walked to load the bases with one out. A SF by Glasser scored Cerny to make it 7-5 with two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. Jessee popped up to LF to end the inning with the score at 7-5, Knights.

 

[ptrich]

Frustrating to see IU hitters jump on first pitch and make weak contact… freshman fireman looking great so far. About seen enough of the Seilar-Vegas combination two straight Fridays of low d1 level pitching.

Seiler is on the verge of heading to the bullpen. This is his 2nd straight bad start and that is obviously not what you want from your Friday starter against what is usually the opponent's best pitcher on the mound. At best for him, he might go to the Sunday slot, but I think the bullpen is more likely.

 

[Orford]

Yep I think you gotta consider Kraft or hope bothwell gets back to former self

 

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5th Inning:

T5th:

The leadoff hitter grounded out and Decker-Petty then walked the next batter. A GO moved the runner to 2nd with two outs. On a grounder, the runner on 2nd is called out a 3B on an interference call with Pyne looking to be injured on the play. It retired the side.

B5th:

Bellarmine went to the bullpen and brought in RHP Ryan Johnson who has just 1 IP and an ERA of 27.00.

Pyne appeared to be okay with the 3 thru 5 hitters up. Whalen grounded out to the P for the first out.

Pyne who looked okay after getting slammed into by the runner in the top of the inning, walked to put a runner on with one out.

Mathison singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out. A WP moved both runners to 2nd and 3rd.

Tibbitts was hit by a pitch to load the bases and one out with Cerny up. Cerny walked to make it 7-6 with the bases still loaded with one out and Colopy up.

Bellarmine went to the bullpen again to bring in RHP Crew Egan who doesn't have good numbers at 2.2 IP and an ERA of 27.00.

Colopy welcomed the new pitcher with a 2-run single to take the lead at 8-7. Serruto hit into a DP to end the inning with IU up 8-7.

 

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6th Inning:

T6th:

IU went to the bullpen to bring in RHP Craig Yoho after getting 2.2 solid innings from Decker-Petty.

IU brought in RHP Craig Yoho who has yet to give up a run in 4 IP, and Yoho put them down in order that included a couple of Ks.

It looks like the double-a-thon that Bellarmine had going early in the game is over after 6 of their first 8 hits were doubles.

B6th:

Glasser got a lead off walk. Jessee lined out. Glasser was caught stealing for the 2nd out. Whalen walked and Pyne fouled out to end the inning.

 

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7th Inning:

T7th:

Yoho is back out on the mound and he put them down in order again with two more Ks and a GO.

B7th:

RHP Webster Walls with an ERA of 10.12 in 2.2 IP comes out the bullpen for the Knights. It's the 5-7 hitters up.

Mathison leads off with a single. Tibbitts flied out for the 1st out.

Cerny singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out, and Colopy K'd for the 2nd out.

Serruto then walked to load the bases with two outs bringing up the top of the order in Glasser.

Glasser grounded out to the P to end the inning.

 

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8th Inning:

T8th:

Yoho was back on the mound and he got the lead off hitter on a K. He then gave up a single with the runner trying to take 2nd and he was thrown out by Whalen. A ground out retired the side.

B8th:

It's the 2 thru 4 hitters up and Jessee was hit by a pitch to put a man on.

A double by Whalen puts runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs.

The Knights bring in their right fielder, Casey Sorg, to pitch and he has a 9.00 ERA in 1 IP.

Pyne grounded out with the runners holding for one out. Mathison is intentionally walked to load the bases and put the DP in play.

Tibbitts walked to give IU a 9-7 lead with still one out and the bases still loaded with Cerny up.

Cerny and Colopy both K'd to end the inning as IU added an insurance run.

 

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9th Inning:

T9th:

LHP Kraft came in to close it out and he got the first two batters on K's. Kraft then gave up a single, but another K ended the game for Kraft's fourth save of the season.

 

[ptrich]

IU got themselves in a deep hole at 7-2 before they started chipping away at the lead while getting great pitching out of the bullpen after the first three innings. Seiler and Vega must have looked like batting practice pitchers to the Knights as they clubbed out 6 doubles of their first 8 hits on a cold blustery day with the game time temp at 37 degrees. The Knights went scoreless after the 3rd inning and it's clear that they do not have much of a bullpen to rely on.

IU had five multi-hits players today:

Glasser went 2 for 3 with a double and a RBI.
Whalen was 2 for 4 with two doubles and a RBI.
Mathison was 2 of 3 and reached on a couple of walks.
Cerny was 2 for 4 with a RBI.
Colopy who had been struggling at the plate was 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs.
While Serruto was hitless, he managed to reach on two walks.

IU had an error, while the Knights committed two errors.

Outside of Seiler and Vega who got hit hard in the first three innings, the pitching was really good and gave IU the opportunity to eventually grab the lead.

Seiler who has had two bad starts in a row, may have pitched his way out of the starting rotation. He went just 1.1 IP, gave up 5 hits of which 4 were doubles, gave up 4 runs all earned, 1 BB, and no Ks.

Vega entered in relief of Seiler and he went 1.0 IP, gave up 3 hits with 2 being doubles, 3 runs all earned, 1 BB, and 1 K,

Decker-Petty came out of the bullpen to relieve Vega and he put out the fire in the 3rd. He went 2.2 IP giving up no hits and no runs with 3 Ks and 1 BB.

Yoho had another really good outing and he went 3.0 IP, 1 H, no runs, 5 Ks, and no BBs.

Kraft had another great close-out game getting the first two batters on Ks, giving up a single and then ending the game on another K.

It seems obvious to me and probably others that Mercer will reevaluate his starting pitching rotation after today. Fortunately for us, Bellarmine doesn't have an effective bullpen up to this point in the season.

Here's the link to the box score:

Baseball vs Bellarmine on 3/10/2023 - Box Score - Indiana University Athletics

The official box score of Baseball vs Bellarmine on 3/10/2023

iuhoosiers.com

 

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Here's the game recap link"

Déjà Vu at The Bart - Indiana University Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the second straight day, the Indiana baseball program had to rally from an early deficit to earn a victory at Bart Kaufman Field. O...

iuhoosiers.com

 

[TomEric4756]

Keeping pace on unearned runs was a gift … but let’s not look at the horses teeth too much.

Good news is that bull pen pitchers are getting the job done and giving IU’s batters a chance in later innings.