Belmont @ IU, Game 2: IU's hitting wakes up in a 15-10 win...

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It's RHP Connor Foley on the mound for IU with an ERA of 2.95 in 18.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.20. Taylor is out of the lineup for IU today in what was described as "personal reasons," and he will be back tomorrow. Tibbitts is behind the plate with Brenczewski at 1st, and Stadler is the DH.

LHP Dominic Baratta is on the mound for Belmont with an ERA of 3.52 in 15.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.44.

The wind is SSW at 15 mph blowing out to right field.

1st inning:

T1st:

Foley got the leadoff hitter on a flyout to LF. A hitter that was struggling coming into the game got a double to LF. Foley got a flyout to CF with the runner holding at 2nd and two outs. A single scored a two-out run and IU has found themselves trailing again early in the game.

A two-run homer gives Belmont a 3-0 lead with all runs coming after two outs, and like yesterday, we have given up three runs in the top of the 1st. A two-out single puts another runner on and Glant paid a visit to the mound. A flyout retires the inning.

IU has given up 32 homers in 19 games. IU has not hit a homer in the last three games.

B1st:

It's Mitchell, Pyne and Mathison at the top of the order, and Mitchell chased a ball for strike three and the first out. Pyne flied out for two outs. Tibbitts Kd swinging as IU had a meek response to Belmont's big inning by going down in order to include two Ks.

End of 1st: Belmont 3 IU 0

 

[kraft cheese+macaroni]

Devin Taylor not in the lineup

 

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2nd inning:

T2nd:

Foley got to two quick outs on a K and a flyout, and Foley then gave up a walk, and like in the first inning, he gave up a two-out, two-run homer and all five Belmont runs have come after two outs. Belmont is the worst hitting team in the MVC. Foley got a K to retire the side after the damage had been done.

Belmont is 4 for 6 at the plate after two outs so far.

B2nd:

It's the 4 thru 6 hitters up for IU with Mathison leading off.

Mathison got a double to lead off.

After being behind 0-2, Cerny walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

Brenczewski Kd for the first out. Colopy doubled to drive in two runs with one out.

Stadler was hit by a pitch to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out with Oliver up. Oliver grounded out moving runners to 2nd and 3rd and two outs and the top of the order up in Mitchell.

Mitchell hit a slow grounder to the pitcher to end the inning and IU couldn't do what Belmont has done twice already and that's scoring runs with two outs.

End of 2nd: Belmont 5 IU 2

 

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Devin Taylor not in the lineup

They said he was out for "personal reasons" and would be back for tomorrow's game.

 

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3rd inning:

T3rd:

Foley walked the leadoff hitter on four pitches. After the walk, Foley struck out the side to retire the side.

B3rd:

It's the 2 thru 4 hitters up with Pyne leading off. Pyne singled to put a man on.

Tibbitts singled to put runners on the corners and no outs with Mathison up.

Mathison Kd for the first out with Cerny up.

Cerny clubbed a no-doubter 3-run homer to make it a new game at 5-all. It was IU's first homer since last Sunday. Cerny has had some fielding problems at short, but he has made up for it with his bat.

Brenczewski was hit by a pitch to put a runner on with one out. Colopy Kd for the 2nd out and Stadler grounded out to end the inning.

End of 3rd: IU 5 Belmont 5

 

[Seyton]

Awful pitching. As usual.

 

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Awful pitching. As usual.

Foley got three straight Ks to retire the side in the T3rd, so hopefully he's back to being the Foley we expected going into the game.

 

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4th inning:

T4th:

The wind has shifted to CF right now with the Foley facing the 8 thru 1 hitters.

Foley got his 4th straight K to get the leadoff hitter. A groundout resulted in the 2nd out with the top of the order up for Belmont. Another groundout retire the side as Foley put them down in order.

B4th:

It was the 9 thru 2 hitters up for IU with Oliver leading off.

Oliver reached an infield hit. Mitchell doubled to left center to put runners on 2nd and 3rd and no outs with Pyne up.

Pyne scored Oliver on a SAC fly to give IU a 6-5 lead and their first lead of the series, with Mitchell taking 3rd with one out.

Tibbitts reached on a FC with Mitchell able to get back to 3rd, and there were runners on the corners with one out, and Mathison up.

A SAC fly scored Mitchell to make it 7-5 IU, and there was a runner on 2nd with two outs and Cerny up.

Cerny walked on a full count to put runners at 1st and 2nd with two outs and Brenczewski up. Brenczewski Kd to end the inning.

End of 4th: IU 7 Belmont 5

 

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5th inning:

T5th:

Foley was back out there to face the 2 thru 4 hitters. Foley opened the inning with back-to-back walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Kraft is warming up in the bullpen.

A base hit scored a runner to make it 7-6 and there are runners on the corners with no outs. A single scored a run, then Foley got two Ks and a groundout to retire the side in an inning that could have been big for Belmont but they got just one run.

B5th:

It was the bottom of the order up and Colopy Kd and Stadler grounded out for two outs.

Oliver walked, Mitchell was hit by a pitch and Pyne walked to load the bases with two outs.

Tibbitts reached on an error by the SS with Oliver scoring an unearned run. Mathison popped up to end the inning.

End of 5th: IU 8 Belmont 6

 

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6th inning:

T6th:

LHP Ryan Kraft replaced Foley and he had an ERA of 4.91 in 11 IP.

Kraft hit the first batter he faced. He then gave up a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs.

Kraft got a K and then got a groundout which scored the runner on 3rd.

Another groundout retired the side with Belmont getting another run.

B6th:

Cerny led off and singled. Brenczewski lined out for the first out.

Colopy doubled to score Cerny. Stadler Kd for the 2nd out.

Oliver walked to bring up the top of the order and Mitchell grounded out to end the inning.

End of 6th: IU 9 Belmont 7

 

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7th inning:

T7th:

Kraft was back out there to face the 4 thru 6 hitters and Kraft gave up a leadoff homer.

Belmont came into the series as the worst hitting team in the MVC and they have had three homers in this game and six homers through the first two games so far.

Kraft then walked a batter and he was gone as Mercer went the bullpen to bring in RHP Ethan Phillips with an ERA of 6.23 in 13 IP and a WHIP of 1.31.

Phillips gave up a single to put runners on 1st and 2nd and Phillips then hit a batter to load the bases with no outs.

The next two batters that Phillips faced with the bases loaded were hitting .150 and .188 and Phillips Kd both hitters for two outs and the bases still loaded.

The top of the order was up and Phillips gave up a single to bring in two runs to give Belmont the lead at 10-9. Phillips got a groundout to retire the side but only after the damage was done.

B7th:

It was the 2 thru 4 hitters up for IU with Pyne leading off. Belmont went to the bullpen to bring in RHP Jordan Zuger with an ERA of 5.11 in 12.1 IP and a WHIP of 1.62.

Pyne doubled on a blooper that landed in no-mans land in RF.

Tibbitts then hit a two-run homer to give IU the lead again at 11-10.

Mathison and Cerny both flied out for two outs with Brenczewski up and no one on. Brenczewski walked on a 3-1 count to bring up Colopy with two outs.

Risedorph is warming up in the bullpen.

Colopy walked on a 3-1 count to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs and Stadler up.

Stadler was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs and Oliver up. Oliver walked to bring in Brenczewski and Oliver has three walks on the day.

The top of the order was up in Mitchell and the bases still loaded with two outs.

Mitchell singled to bring in Colopy and Stadler with runners on the corners and two outs still.

Pyne flied out for the final out.

End of 7th: IU 14 Belmont 10

 

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8th inning:

T8th:

RHP Braden Risedorph came in with an ERA of 9.22 in 13.2 IP and a WHIP of 1.83.

Risedorph faced the 3 thru 5 hitters. He had an excellent inning putting them down in order to include two Ks.

B8th:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up with Tibbitts leading off.

Tibbitts lined out to 3B for the first out. Mathison doubled off the wall in left center.

Cerny fouled out for the 2nd out.

Brenczewski singled up the middle to drive in Mathison.

Colopy was hit by a pitch to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs.

Stadler flied out to end the inning.

End of 8th: IU 15 Belmont 10

 

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9th inning:

T9th:

Risedorph was out there to close it out and he had another excellent inning in which he retired the side which included two Ks.

Final: IU 15 Belmont 10

 

[Im4iu89]

Our pitching is God awful. I thought after the star of the season we would be okay, but that is not the case at all

 

[ptrich]

The game started out like we were going to get our doors blown off after we got down 5-0 in the top of the 2nd and all runs scored came with two outs and included two homers. Belmont was dead last in the MVC in hitting coming into the IU series, but they finished the day with another three homers to give them six homers in the first two games. Half of the 10 hits today for Belmont were extra base hits.

We had no errors today which is kind of a rarity this season so far, while Belmont had one error.

We outhit Belmont 14 to 10 and were 14 for 38 and a team average of .368, while Belmont was 10 for 37 for a team average of .270 . Stadler was the only Hoosier to not get a hit and the first six batters in the batting order all had two hits apiece and went 10 for 24 and they had two homers and four doubles, and Tibbitts and Cerny had three RBIs apiece and each had a homer.

The bottom of the order was productive and Mercer didn't pinch hit for anyone with all 9 players in the starting lineup playing the entire game. Colopy had two hits with both being doubles and 3 RBIs, Stadler didn't have a hit but he reached twice after being hit by pitches, and Oliver at the No. 9 spot went 1 for 2 with an RBI and scored 2 runs while walking 3 times. IU had 8 Ks and was hit five times.

IU used four pitchers and I have no idea who will be on the mound to start the game tomorrow, but one thing is for sure, it will probably be a bullpen day.

Foley's pitching was a mixed bag today and he gave up five earned runs through two innings after two outs that included two homers. He put them down in order in the 3rd and after giving up a leadoff walk in the 4th, he retired the next three batters to retire the side. Foley then walked the first two batters in the 5th and ended up giving up a run before he retired three straight batters to limit the damage that could have been much greater in that inning. He gave way to Kraft in the 6th and Kraft had another bad outing. Phillips got the win but didn't have a good outing and Risedorph was great through the last two innings and maybe he's best coming out of the bullpen. IU had no WPs in the game and the team ERA of the game was 6.76.

Foley - 5.0 IP, 6 hits to include a double and two homers and 6 earned runs, 8 Ks, and 4 BBs, He threw 90 pitches with 54 being strikes.

Kraft - 1.0 IP, 2 hits to include a double and a homer and 3 earned runs, 1 k, 1 BB, and he hit a batter. He threw 26 pitches with 13 being strikes.

Phillips (W) - 1.0 IP, 2 hits and 1 earned run, 2 Ks, no BBs, and a hit batter. He threw 16 pitches with 13 being strikes.

Risedorph - 2.0 IP, no hits or earned runs, 4 Ks, and no BBs. He retired all six batters faced in the two innings.

 

[TomEric4756]

Well at least the hitting slump is over … I thought pitching would be good enough after an 8-4 start.

Looks like we’ll have to out hit our BiG competition this year.