Illinois St.@IU: IU 12 ISU 7. Seven-run 8th wins the game...

[ptrich]

Here we are at the last home game of the season and RHP Luke Hayden will be on the mound for IU with an ERA of 5.70 in 23.2 IP, while LHP Ryan Weaver will make just his second appearance in a game this season for the Redbirds and has an ERA of 6.75 in 1.1 IP.

In the T1st, Hayden gets the first two batters on a ground out and a K. but gives up a two-out single. A force out at 2nd ends the inning for the Redbirds.

In IU's 1st, Whalen leads off and grounds out. Jessee then strikes out for two outs. Glasser reaches on a throwing error by the SS, but Mathison strikes out to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the T2nd, obviously it's going to be pitching by committee today as Mercer goes to the bullpen to bring in RHP Joe Moran with an ERA of 37.80 in 3.1 IP. Moran hasn't pitched since the end of April and he immediately gives up a single to the leadoff hitter. Moran gets the next batter on a K with the runner still at 1st. A fielder's choice forces the runner at 2nd with two outs and a runner on 1st. A WP moves the runner to 2nd with two outs. Moran ends the T2nd with another K.

In IU's 2nd, Tibbetts fouls out to lead off and Ellis grounds out for two outs, and Doanes flies out to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the 3rd, Moran is back on the mound to face the 9, 1 and 2 hitters. For the 2nd straight inning, Moran gives up a hit to start the inning and this time it's a double. Another double scores a run to make it 1-0 with no outs and Mercer goes to the bullpen to bring in RHP John-Biagio Modugno with an ERA of 10.20 in 30 IP and it's been a while since we have seen Modugno on the mound. Modugno gets an infield pop out for the 1st out and the runner still at 2nd. A passed ball moves the runner to 3rd and one out. A SAC fly results in the runner scoring from 3rd and it 2-0 and the passed ball really hurt this inning. A K ends the inning.

In IU's 3rd, IU is still looking for the first hit. IU is at their 8, 9, and 1 hitters. Goforth strikes out to lead off. Serruto walks to put a runner on with one out and we are at the top of the order in Whalen. Whalen hits into a DP to end the inning and a freshman pitcher who had just 1.1 IP on the season coming in, has dominated IU hitters so far and IU is still looking for their first hit.

 

[ptrich]

In the T4th, Modugno is still on the mound. The leadoff hitter gets a single and for the third straight inning the Redbirds have had their leadoff hitter reach on a hit. Serruto throws out the runner trying to steal 2nd for the first out. Modugno then gives up a double for the third double of the game for the Redbirds and it was a good thing the runner was thrown out trying to steal 2nd before that. Modugno gets the next hitter on a K for two outs and the runner still at 2nd. Modugno then gives up a two-out single to score the runner from 2nd. A ground out ends the inning. IU has been outhit 7-0 so far with three of those hits being doubles.

In the 4th, Jessee gets IU's first hit of the game leading off with a single. Glasser hits a deep ball that is nothing more than a long out at the warning track with Jessee holding at 1st. Mathison then is hit by a pitch to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Tibbetts reaches on an error in the outfield to load the bases and one out. Ellis grounds out to 1B that scores Jessee with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two outs. The Redbirds go to the bullpen to bring in LHP Keegan Gagliardo with an ERA of 6.06 in 16.1 IP. Doanes walks to load the bases and two outs. An infield hit scores Mathison to make it 3-2 ISU with two outs and Serruto up and the bases still loaded. Serruto grounds out to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the T5th, it's the top of the order for the Redbirds and Mercer brings in LHP Jack Walker with an ERA of 5.40 in 16.2 IP. With the Iowa series starting on Thursday, it's clear that Mercer is trying to save pitchers for that series. Walker gives up a base hit to the leadoff batter, and the leadoff hitter has reached four times so far in this game for the Redbirds. Walker then walks the next two batters on 8 straight balls to load the bases with no outs. Walker finally finds the plate and gets a K for the first out and the bases still loaded. A flyout to Mathison results in two outs with the runner holding at 3rd. A fly ball is taken on the hop in CF and two runs score with two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. A fly out ends the T5th but it wasn't a pretty inning for Walker.

In IU's 5th, IU has the top of the order up. Whalen grounds out and Jessee singles and then steals 2nd with one out. Glasser singles to score Jessee with one out and a runner on 1st and the score at 5-3, ISU. Mathison grounds into a DP to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the top of the 6th, Walker gave up four singles to go along with a WP with a flyout mixed up in that, to give up two more runs, and the damage was limited by a DP to end the Redbirds 6th. The leadoff hitter has reached in five innings so far for the Redbirds.

In IU's 6th, the Redbirds go to the bullpen and bring in RHP Kolton Scherbenske with an ERA 7.46 in 25.1 IP. Tibbetts walks to leadoff and takes 2nd and 3rd on a WPs with no outs. Ellis then doubles to score Tibbetts and maybe IU's bats are waking up after a mostly quiet day. Ellis then takes 3rd on another WP, the 3rd of the inning by the ISU pitcher. A sliding catch in the outfield gets Doanes for the 1st out on a SAC fly that scores Ellis to make it 7-5, ISU. ISU goes to the bullpen again to bring in LHP Nate Davis with an ERA of 7.50 in 6 IP. Goforth strikes out for the 2nd out, but Serruto doubles to keep the inning alive and brings up the top of the order. Another WP sends Serruto to 2nd with two outs. Whalen flies out to end the inning and Whalen is 0-4 so far at the top of the order.

 

[ptrich]

In the T7th, after two bad innings by Walker, IU brings in RHP Nathan Stahl with an ERA of 9.89 in 23.2. Stahl gave up that 2-run homer to Minnesota in the 9th in the final game, so hopefully he can forget about that. Yet again, the leadoff hitter reaches on a single as the leadoff hitter has reached in 6 innings so far today for the Redbirds. Here we go again as another single puts two on and no outs. A fielder's choice gets the lead runner at 3rd and there are runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Stahl manages to work around the two leadoff singles to get out of the inning with no runs scored.

In IU 7th, the 2 thru 4 hitters are up and the Redbirds go to their bullpen again and bring in RHP Cameron Mabee with an ERA of 3.32 in 21.2 IP. Jessee grounds out to lead off. Glasser then singles with one out and Glasser seems to be getting his hitting stroke back after the broken finger. Glasser then steal 2nd with one out. Mathison then flies out for the 2nd out and Glasser holding at 2nd. Tibbetts then walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd and Ellis up. Ellis grounds out to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the 8th, IU brings in RHP David Platt with an ERA of 8.31 in 4.1 IP. ISU is at the top of the order and the first three batters are 6-9 at the plate. For the the 7th time tonight, the leadoff hitter reaches this time on a throwing error by Goforth at SS. Platt then throws a WP to move the runner to 2nd and no outs. A ground out gets the 1st out with the runner holding at 2nd. Another ground out moves the runner to 3rd with two outs. Another ground out ends the T8th and Platt gets out of the inning after the leadoff error.

In the B8th, ISU goes to the bullpen again to bring in RHP Erik Kubiatowicz with an ERA of 4.15 in 39 IP. IU has the bottom of the order up and it's clear that ISU wants the win since the last two pitchers brought in have good ERAs and have pitched a lot of innings. Doanes leads off with a flyout. Goforth then walks to put a runner on and one out. Pyne pinch hits for Serruto with one out and a man on. Pyne walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out and we are at the top of the order with Whalen, and Vecrumba comes in to run for Pyne. Whalen is hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Redbirds go to the bullpen and with three lefties up starting with Jessee, they bring in LHP Zach Holcomb with an ERA of 7.94 in 11.1 IP. Jessee walks to bring in a run and IU has yet to have a hit but have the bases still loaded with one out and are now down just 7-6. Without a hit in the inning, IU has scored two runs to tie it as Glasser walks and the bases are still loaded with one out. In an unusual move, the Redbirds put J.P. Gauthier on the mound and he has zero pitching numbers since he has not pitched this season and was the DH for this game. Amazingly, on a 3-2 count, Mathison goes down looking against a non-designated pitcher and all he had to do was put the ball in play to possibly give IU the lead. Tibbets is up with two outs. Tibbetts beats out a throw for an infield hit to give IU the lead at 8-7. Ellis then hits a grand slam to make it 12-7, and Tibbetts beating out that throw by inches is huge. The Illinois State coach has been tearing into the umps since Tibbetts beat out that throw and after coming out a 2nd time, he appears to have been ejected from the game. Doanes popped out to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the 9th, LHP Ryan Kraft comes in with an ERA of 10.19 in 35.1 IP. Kraft strikes out the side to end the game.

 

[ptrich]

It was clear as this game progressed that Coach Mercer was saving pitchers for the Iowa series with it starting on Thurs. IU was outhit 15 to 9 by a team that was next to last in hitting in the MVC. He primarily went with little-used pitchers with elevated ERAs after starting Hayden in the 1st and then pulling him after one inning. If IU was going to win this game, they were going to have to score a lot of runs with the three pitchers used after Hayden bleeding hits and runs. Moran followed Hayden and went 1.0 IP, giving up 3 hits to include 2 doubles, a WP, and 2 ERs. Modugno followed him and went 2.0 IP giving up 3 hits to include a double and 1 ER. Mercer then brought in Jack Walker and stuck with him for 2.0 IP although he was getting hit hard in both innings and gave up 6 hits, 2 BBs, a WP, and 4 ERs, and Walker threw just 21 strikes in 45 pitches. Stahl and Platt were also used with each pitching 1.0 IP and didn't give up any runs with Stahl pitching around two leadoff singles. Kraft pitched the final inning to close it out with three Ks. IU didn't hit anyone so we are holding at 98 hit batters on the season. Jessee, Glasser, and Ellis had two hits each with Ellis having the big grand slam in the 8th, his 17th homer of the season.

 

[ptrich]

I thought I would add that Michigan beat Michigan State tonight in a game that DOES NOT count as a conference game, so they remain tied with IU at 10-11 in the B1G.

 

[ptrich]

Here's the box score:

Baseball vs Illinois State on 5/17/2022 - Box Score - Indiana University Athletics

The official box score of Baseball vs Illinois State on 5/17/2022

iuhoosiers.com

 

[mobilehoosier]

Here's the box score:

Baseball vs Illinois State on 5/17/2022 - Box Score - Indiana University Athletics

The official box score of Baseball vs Illinois State on 5/17/2022

iuhoosiers.com

Ptrich: Thank you for your dedication to this board and IU baseball. I have not been able to stay too close this season. Life is in the way. You help me bridge the knowledge gap. Grateful and wanted you to know. Respectfully, Mobile.

 

[mk30]

To me, ptrich is the MVP this season.

 

[ptrich]

Ptrich: Thank you for your dedication to this board and IU baseball. I have not been able to stay too close this season. Life is in the way. You help me bridge the knowledge gap. Grateful and wanted you to know. Respectfully, Mobile.

To me, ptrich is the MVP this season.

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes I think maybe I'm being a little too gabby or wordy in covering the games, but I feel that along with the stats, it would help to provide a little sense of how those stats came about, at least from my perspective for what it's worth. Steve Nowling (RIP) used to provide a lot of good comments and kept us abreast of what was going on with the program, and he is missed. While I know there are people on here that probably know far more than me about the intricacies of the game and are probably somewhat closer to the program, I try my best.

 

[mobilehoosier]

I think Steve would be pleased with your efforts. He and I communicated from time to time. He is missed and you are valued. Respectfully, Mobile.

 

[mk30]

I think Steve would be pleased with your efforts. He and I communicated from time to time. He is missed and you are valued. Respectfully, Mobile.

Amen.