Game 2: Clemson thumps IU, 19-4.
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Ellis followed that up with a two-out homer to put IU up 2-0. The portal transfers have come through early in the game.
Clemson got two hits in the B1st and had runners on the corners with one out, but Perkins got two big Ks to end the inning. Perkins was charged with two wild pitches in the inning, but fortunately they didn't hurt IU.
In the T2nd, back-to-back doubles by frosh Mathison and Tibbetts to lead off the inning scored a run. Then with Tibbetts on 3rd, Doanes single to right field to score another run. Doanes is 2 for 2 so far with 2 RBIs. IU had just three hits yesterday, but already have five hits in this one. We chased Clemson's starting pitcher with two outs in the 2nd after he walked a batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd for IU.
Perkins struck out the side in the 2nd and looked pretty good doing it. IU batting in the 3rd.
IU left runners on 1st and 2nd after a hit batter and a walk, but couldn't take advantage of it. Clemson batting in the 3rd.
As well as Perkins pitched in the 2nd, he had a bad start to the 3rd, hitting a batter and advancing him on a balk with no outs. The hit batter and balk cost IU a run as Clemson drove the runner in with a double with two outs in the inning. Clemson left two runners on in the inning. Perkins is at 61 pitches and has 7 Ks so far. IU batting in the 4th up 4-1.
IU's pitching fell apart with two outs in the 4th as Clemson tied the game scoring three times. With two outs and no one on, Perkins a walked a batter, then a single sent the runner to 3rd while the throw went to 3rd allowing a runner to advance to 2nd. and putting runners on 2nd and 3rd. Bothwell replaced Perkins and gave up a single up the middle to score two runs. Bothwell then advanced the runner on 1st to 2nd on a wild pitch and another single scored the runner. Bothwell then walked a batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd, but finally got the third out on a K. A lot of damage done with two outs.
IU had runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out in the 5th, but they were stranded there as IU struck out three times in the inning. I guess we are going to find out which team has the better bullpen, at least for this game.
Not a good start for Bothwell in the 5th as he hit a batter and then gave up a single that just got by the SS with no outs, so I don't know how long they are going to stick with him since he is struggling so far.
Just shortly after I posted this, Bothwell got an out on a SAC bunt, but then walked a batter to load them with one out in the 5th. Mercer finally goes to the bullpen bringing in Bradley Brehmer, the Wright State transfer.
Just great. Brehmer misplayed a grounder to his left which allowed a run to score on an error and the bases are still loaded with one out. That could have been a double play ball if it hadn't been muffed. Clemson up 5-4.
Okay, our pitching has just plain fallen apart since we had two outs and no one on for Clemson in the 4th. Brehmer got a K, but then hit a batter to drive in another run putting Clemson up 6-4. It's not what Clemson is doing, but it's our shabby play that has permitted Clemson to score six runs so far.
Brehmer in the 6th, gave up a single, hit a batter, and walked three batters as Clemson scored twice and still has the bases loaded with one out.
I'm not going to provide anymore updates on this one since it's clearly over with Clemson up 13-4 in the T7th, and there is just too much going on with the poor play to try and keep up with it. The scorecard is going to look pretty ugly in this one, and that's after playing pretty good ball until the bottom of the 4th. Anyone scoring this game would have difficulty finding space on the scorecard.
Great start and a horrible finish as Clemson scored 19 runs over five innings and left 17 runners on, so it could have been even worse. I'm beginning to wonder if the figure of speech "death by a thousand cuts" is starting to take hold when you consider the coaching changes over the years including the loss of our pitching coach that we lost to South Carolina, plus the team getting constantly hit by the MLB draft. We have 27 players that are redshirt sophs or younger, just six seniors with only two of them that were on the team last season, and 10 transfers. If the series with Clemson is any indication, then we may not even make it to the middle of the pack in the B1G. I hope not.
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This one started out very promising. Looked decent through 4 innings, just don't have the horses, I guess. Hard to judge how we will do against our Northern team schedule, just hope we see lots of improvement during the season.
Go Hoosiers!
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Go Hoosiers!
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With the attrition we had since the end of the last season, maybe we should have started with a mid-major team, but the mid-major teams down south also play some really good baseball. We have plenty of time to get things going in a positive direction, but it's certainly a disappointment with how the first two games went.
As god-awful as the team's performance has been, I can't help but be impressed with their record of strikeouts. IU pitchers have struck out 33 batters out of the 48 outs they've registered.
If you ignore the walks, hits, and hit-batsmen (ha, ha), that's an enviable stat. I wonder if we lead the NCAA in K's per inning?
If you ignore the walks, hits, and hit-batsmen (ha, ha), that's an enviable stat. I wonder if we lead the NCAA in K's per inning?
Scheduling wins is not a great RPI strategy for B10 teams. You want to make the tourney, you have to play good teams out of conference and compete.
This team is bad. I was at the game yesterday. Clemson had at least 2 infield hits because our SS and 3rd baseman couldn't make the throw in time to 1st.
The only good thing about yesterday was Jack Perkins looked very strong in his first game. He was still throwing 95 mph heaters but was losing his control.
Other than that, our pitching was beyond bad.
One thing I noticed was that, after we got out to a strong start by belting fastballs, Clemson went to more off-speed stuff and we didn't handle that at all.
Our coaches should be sending out resumes because they won't last long with this effort.
I took a look at our neighbor to the north in Purdue, and it looks like they scheduled wins or attempted to with their non-conference schedule. I don't like weakening a schedule, but maybe from a development standpoint we might have done that, but one can look at it both ways.
And where has that gotten Purdue the better part of the last decade, nowhere. I’d agree that IU should not of scheduled like they have early with a new team, things don’t get easier next weekend with Arkansas, UL-L, and Texas Tech. If you don’t win the big tournament you better have a good RPI for any chance at the NCAAs.
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