IU @ Baylor, Game 3: IU sweeps Baylor with a 15-5 win...

[ptrich]

RHP Ethan Phillips is on the mound with an ERA of 4.91 in 3.2 IP. Baylor will have RHP Jared Matheson on the mound with an ERA of 13.50 in 2.0 IP. Nick Mitchell makes his debut today as a Hoosier and he will be the DH although he is expected to eventually be the leadoff hitter. Joey Brenczewski, will be at 1B for IU.

We have a fresh Kraft in the bullpen.

1st inning:

T1st:

Mathison Kd looking on a full count to lead off. Pyne then walked on a full count to put a man on and Taylor up.

A WP moved Pyne to 2nd.

Taylor hit a 2-run homer for his second homer of the series and IU takes a 2-0 lead.

Tibbitts popped up in the infield for the 2nd out. Cerny grounded out to retire the side.

B1st:

Phillips gave up a leadoff double. He then got a flyout for the first out and runner holding at 2nd.

A WP moved the runner to 3rd and one out and Enzo Apodaca is up hitting .400, Baylor's best hitter.

Apodaca flied out and Taylor threw out the runner at home, but there was a review of the play and they reversed the call and Baylor cut the lead to 2-1. A K ended the inning.

It wasn't the best of starts for Phillips.

End of 1st: IU 2 Baylor 1

 

[Bucket Getter]

Devin Taylor is a problem. Wow!

 

[ptrich]

Devin Taylor is a problem. Wow!

We were very fortunate to get him on campus. Wiggins has the ability to be a similar player.

 

[Bucket Getter]

We were very fortunate to get him on campus. Wiggins has the ability to be a similar player.

I can’t wait to see Wiggins play consistently. Nick Mitchell in the line up today. Couldn’t write a better script on how to start a season. Now we just need to get AJ healthy. Lots of options with great talent up and down the lineup.

 

[Bucket Getter]

Now a great throw. Not a great tag. Taylor is the man.

 

[ptrich]

2nd inning:

T2nd:

It's the 6 thru 8 hitters up with Mitchell leading off as the DH in his first at bat for IU.

Mitchell first at bat of his Hoosier career was a single to put a man on and no outs.

A throwing error by the pitcher on a pickup attempt moved Mitchell to 2nd and no outs and Baylor immediately went to the bullpen.

Baylor brought in RHP Patrick Hail with an ERA of 0.00 in 0.2 IP and he faced Brenczewski with no outs.

Brenczewski popped up on the infield to keep Mitchell at 2nd and one out.

A high pop up was lost in the sun by Baylor with Colopy reaching 1st and Mitchell holding at 2nd with two on and one out.

Burckel flied out with Mitchell taking 3rd and there were runners at the corners with two outs and the top of the order up.

Baylor's 2nd error of the game allowed Mathison to reach and take 2nd with Colopy taking 3rd and Mitchell scoring an unearned run to make it 3-1.

Pyne Kd to leave to two runners in scoring position with the side retired.

B2nd:

Phillips was back out to face the 5 thru 7 hitters and he had a really good inning putting them down in order to include two Ks.

End of 2nd: IU 3 Baylor 1

 

[TomEric4756]

Now a great throw. Not a great tag. Taylor is the man.

I think the next runner on 3rd gets held.

 

[ptrich]

3rd inning:

T3rd:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up for IU with Taylor leading off. Taylor grounded out to leadoff.

Tibbitts homered off the scoreboard in left center to give IU a 4-1 lead with one out.

B3rd:

Phillips was back out there to face the 8 thru 1 hitters. Phillips was having another good inning and got the first two batters on a ground out and a K, but he then gave up back-to-back singles to put two on and two outs.

A flyout ended the inning with no damage done.

End of 3rd: IU 4 Baylor 1

 

[Bucket Getter]

Don’t see too many ground balls up the middle get all the way to the wall. Colopy is smashing the ball.

 

[ptrich]

4th inning:
T4th:
It's the bottom of the order up for IU and Baylor went to the bullpen and brought in LHP
Ethan Calder with an ERA of 7.71 in 2 IP.

Brenczewski flied out to the wall in CF with the center fielder crashing into the wall but he was okay.

Colopy doubled to left center with one out. Burckel grounded out and Mathison Kd to retire the side. It was Mathison 2nd K of the game.

B4th:

Phillips was back out there to face the 4 thru 6 hitters.

Phillips gave up a leadoff walk on a full count. Phillips then got a foul out to 3B with runner still at first and one out.

Phillips then gave up his second walk of the inning on a 3-1 count to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out. His PC is at 65.

With the bottom of the order up, Phillips gave up a single to score a run with runners at 1st and 2nd and one out. That sent Phillips to the showers with LHP Ryan Kraft coming in.

The first batter that Kraft faced hit a single down the RF line to load the bases. A SAC fly scored another run to make 4-3 IU. A single loaded the bases with two outs, but a ground out end the inning. Those two walks both scored in this inning with all of the runs charged to Phillips.

End of 4th: IU 4 Baylor 3

 

[ptrich]

5th inning:

T5th:

It was the 2 thru 4 hitters up. Both Pyne and Taylor grounded out and Tibbitts hit a triple to put a man in scoring position, but Cerny flied out to retire the side.

B5th:

It was the 3 thru 5 hitters up. Kraft got the leadoff hitter on a ground out. A K, a single, a balk sending the runner to 2nd, and another K, ended the inning.

End of 5th: IU 4 Baylor 3

 

[ptrich]

6th inning:

T6th:

It's the 6 thru 8 hitters up for IU with Mitchell leading off.

Mitchell Kd to lead off. Brenczewski singled with one out. Colopy hit into a DP to retire the side and IU's bats have gone cold over the last three inning.

B6th:

It's the bottom of the order up for Baylor. Kraft walked the leadoff hitter on a full count and the tying run is on with the go-ahead run at the plate and we are giving Baylor every chance to get back into this game.

A foul bunt to the catcher got the first out with the runner still at 1st.

A batter reached on an error by Cerny to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

A DP ball ended the inning.

End of 6th: IU 4 Baylor 3

 

[Bucket Getter]

Feels like we aren’t getting any breaks from the umps. Both slide reviews were toss ups ruled in Baylor’s favor and that balk was absolute BS.

 

[ekk]

Strike zone is terribly inconsistent.

 

[ptrich]

7th inning:

T7th:

It's the 9 thru 2 hitters up for IU. Burckel reached on an error by the pitcher.

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

Baylor goes to the bullpen to replace Calder who did a good job of holding down IU's hitters going into this inning. The Bears brought in RHP Gabe Craig with an ERA of 0.00 in 1.2 IP.

Craig, who they described as a flame thrower, will face Pyne. Pyne Kd and all outs (6) this season by Craig have been via the strikeout. IU still has runners on the corners with one out.

Taylor singled to give IU another run for some breathing room to make it 5-3.

It was runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Tibbitts was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out and Cerny up. Cerny was out on the infield fly rule with the bases still loaded and two outs with Mitchell up.

Mitchell walked on four pitches to bring in another run to make it 6-3 IU and Brenczewski up with two outs and the bases still loaded.

Baylor goes to the bullpen again to bring in LHP Jackson Elizondo with an ERA of 16.87 in 2.2 IP.

Brenczewski was hit by the new pitcher after two pitches to bring in a run to make it 7-3 and he was immediately replaced by a RHP Tanner Duke with an ERA of 3.86 in 2.1 IP. Duke would face Colopy.

Colopy calmly hit the first pitch over the fence for a GS and IU up 11-3. Burckel then walked to put a runner on with two outs.

With the game pretty much out of reach, Baylor goes to the bullpen again while trying to get that illusive 3rd out. They brought in LHP Kobe Andrade with an ERA of 11.57 in 2.1 IP.

With the top of the order up, Mathison singled for his second hit of the inning. Pyne Kd to retire the side.

B7th:

Kraft was back out there and he faced the 2 thru 4 hitters and he gave up two straight singles. Kraft is off to a slow start to the season and he was replaced by RHP Evan Whiteaker with an ERA of 3.00 in 3 IP.

Whiteaker faced the cleanup hitter and he gave up a single to make it 11-4 with the run charged to Kraft.

With runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs, Whiteaker got a big K for the first out and the runners still at 1st and 2nd.

Whiteaker then got a flyout for two outs with the runners holding. A ground out ended a long inning.

End of 7th: IU 11 Baylor 4

 

[Bucket Getter]

Who had Colopy picked for a HR hammer this year? Daaayyyam! Kid is on 🔥

 

[TomEric4756]

Baylor batting well today to close to 4-3. Big crooked number (7) for IU batting around in the top of the 7th. I think one might say Baylor is running out pitching.

 

[ptrich]

8th inning:

T8th:

IU had their 3 thru 5 hitters up and Baylor went to the bullpen again to bring in their eight pitcher of the game and Taylor launched a homer to left center and it's his 2nd homer of the game and 3rd of the series.

Tibbitts was hit by a pitch to put a runner on and no outs and it was the 2nd time Tibbitts was hit today.

Cerny singled to put runners on the corners with no outs.

Mitchell walked to load the bases with no outs and Brenczewski up, and Baylor brought in their ninth pitcher of the game and they are at the backend of the bullpen today.

Brenczewski hit a 2-run single and runners were at the corners with still no outs.

A SAC fly by Burckel drove in another run. Wiggins came in to pinch hit for Mathison and he grounded out to retire the side.

B8th:

It was the 8 thru 1 hitters up and IU went to the bullpen and brought in Drew Buhr with an ERA of 0.00 in 0.2 IP.

It was not a good start for Buhr as he walked the lead off hitter on four pitches and then gave up a single to the No. 9 hitter in the lineup with no outs.

There's a travel time cutoff set for this game and there may not be a 9th inning.

Buhr got a flyout for the first out with the runner on 2nd taking 3rd. A passed ball allowed the runner on 3rd to score with a runner on 2nd and one out.

Buhr then walked the next batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out and Mercer went to the bulllpen and brought in LHP Brandon Keyster with an ERA of 13.50 in 1.1 IP.

Keyster hit the first batter he faced to load the bases with one out and Mercer went to the bullpen to bring in RHP Jack Moffitt with an ERA of 4.50 in 2 IP.

Moffitt Kd the first batter he faced for two outs and the bases still loaded. A FC ended the inning.

End of 8th: IU 15 Baylor 5

After two long innings in the 7th and 8th, the travel time cutoff for the game was reached and IU got their sweep.

 

[TomEric4756]

🧹🧹🧹 after 8 innings in a time limited game.

 

[Bucket Getter]

🧹🧹🧹 after 8 innings in a time limited game.

Think it was actually called by the run rule. Regardless, a sweep against a southern team is a great way to start the season! Lots of talent all over the field lead by a guy who is rapidly developing into a generational superstar.

 

[Orbit7958]

Nice weekend!

 

[ptrich]

Think it was actually called by the run rule. Regardless, a sweep against a southern team is a great way to start the season! Lots of talent all over the field lead by a guy who is rapidly developing into a generational superstar.

I assumed it was a time rule set up since the coverage of the game said they had set up a time cutoff for the Sunday game to finish the game by 4:45 CT.

Anyway, hopefully Baylor improves on their season. They aren't going to help IU's RPI in the early going, but by not having a loss to them, it helped mitigate any RPI damage done by playing them. The RPI takes into consideration of what Baylor's opponents do on the season and they play in the Big 12, but trying to figure the RPI out is kind of confusing and it's very early in the season to be worrying about that.

 

[Bucket Getter]

I assumed it was a time rule set up since the coverage of the game said they had set up a time cutoff for the Sunday game to finish the game by 4:45 CT.

Anyway, hopefully Baylor improves on their season. They aren't going to help IU's RPI in the early going, but by not having a loss to them, it helped mitigate any RPI damage done by playing them. The RPI takes into consideration of what Baylor's opponents do on the season and they play in the Big 12, but trying to figure the RPI out is kind of confusing and it's very early in the season to be worrying about that.

I wasn’t impressed by anything I saw from them except their field. But you’re right, they need to get better in a hurry.

 

[ptrich]

IU is off to a great start after the sweep and will probably move up in the D1Baseball and Baseball America polls as well as moving into the other polls after being on the cusp of those polls. Hitting was great again although we kind of hit a lull in the middle innings. Pitching wasn't great but it was enough to beat Baylor. IU had one error to three for Baylor.

I have to think that Foley will be the B1G Pitcher of the Week while Taylor will be in the running for Player of the Week and he terrorized Baylor pitching even though they were trying to pitch to him carefully. Colopy had a game that he will probably never forget.

IU outhit Baylor 14 to 11 and IU had a team batting average of .357 on 14 of 39, while Baylor was .333 on 11 of 33 hitting. IU had six extra base hits to include four homers. IU had five players with multiple hits. IU Kd eight times today.

Colopy - 3 for 5 to include a GS homer and a double, 5 RBIs, and a run scored.

Taylor - 3 for 5 to include two homers and 4 RBIs and he scored 3 runs.

Tibbitts - 2 for 3 with a triple and homer, 1 RBI and 3 runs scored.

Brenczewski - 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs and he scored 1 run.

Mathison - 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Mitchell - 1 for 3 with an RBI and he scored 3 runs.

Pitching was a mixed bag today. In the early going of the season, Phillips as the Sunday starter, seems to do well through three innings and then he starts to run into trouble in the 4th inning. Today, he gave up two walks in the 4th with both scoring to pull within one run of IU at 4-3. Kraft is off to a slow start on the season. IU used six pitchers today after using five pitchers total for the first two games. The team ERA for the game today was 6.92.

Phillips - 3.1 IP, 4 hits with 3 earned runs, 4 Ks, 2 BBs, and a WP.

Kraft (W) - 2.2 IP, 5 hits with 1 earned run, 2 Ks, 1 BB, and 1 highly questionable balk.

Whiteaker - 1.0 IP, 1 hit and no earned runs, 1 K and no BBs.

Buhr - 0.1 IP, 1 hit with 1 earned run, no Ks, and 2 BBs.

Keyster - 0.0 IP, he hit a batter and was immediately pulled by Mercer.

Moffitt - 0.2 IP, no hits and no earned runs, 1 K while facing two batters.

IU faces Purdue Ft. Wayne at The Bart on Tuesday, and then head to the Frisco tournament in Texas which has three solid baseball programs in it to include #17 Arizona, Alabama, and Dallas Baptist.

 

[ptrich]

Recap from the IU site.

Taylor Homers Twice to Sweep Baylor - Indiana University Athletics

WACO, Texas -

iuhoosiers.com

 

[rcaulfie]

It's a fantastic start of the season for IU, but I don't take much stock in beating George Mason or Baylor. Next weekend will really tell us where we stand. I'm extremely optimistic, though, which I rarely am, lol.

 

[ptrich]

It's a fantastic start of the season for IU, but I don't take much stock in beating George Mason or Baylor. Next weekend will really tell us where we stand. I'm extremely optimistic, though, which I rarely am, lol.

Again, we played two solid teams to start the season and easily won the game against #18 Coastal Carolina while losing 6-3 to a Duke team that will probably enter the Top Ten in several polls this week after going 7-0 to start the season.

 

[ptrich]

It's a fantastic start of the season for IU, but I don't take much stock in beating George Mason or Baylor. Next weekend will really tell us where we stand. I'm extremely optimistic, though, which I rarely am, lol.

Here's this past week's records for that week for teams in the D1Baseball top 25, and there are a lot tune-up competition in those wins as well as some losses to questionable competition.

1	Wake Forest	6-1	3-1	at UNC Greensboro L 4-3, Dayton: W 14-2, W 9-3, W 9-6
2	Arkansas	5-2	3-1	James Madison W 4-0, Oregon State W 5-4, Oklahoma State L 2-1, Michigan W 4-3
3	LSU	7-1	4-1	Central Arkansas W 4-3, Northern Illinois W 10-2, W 5-2, Stony Brook L 5-2, W 18-10
4	Florida	5-1	5-0	North Florida: W 10-0, W 13-4, Columbia: W 15-6, W 7-3, W 12-5
5	TCU	7-0	4-0	Texas State W 6-5, UCLA: W 4-3, W 6-3, W
6	Vanderbilt	5-3	3-2	Dayton L 8-5, Eastern Kentucky W 5-3, Gonzaga: W 12-2, W 4-3, L 9-8
7	Oregon State	7-1	4-1	Minneesota W 6-1, Texas Tech W 10-4, Arkansas L 5-4, Michigan W 11-1, Oklahoma State W 8-1
8	Texas A&M	7-0	4-0	Incarnate Word W 9-3, Wagner: W 17-2, W 2-0, W 21-2
9	Tennessee	7-1	5-0	UNC Asheville W 3-2, East Tenn. State W 16-0, Albany: W 8-5, W 21-6, W 12-0
10	Clemson	6-1	3-1	Presbyterian W 8-2, Kennesaw State: L 18-1, W 8-6, W 7-2
11	East Carolina	5-2	2-2	at Campbell L 7-6, North Carolina: L 2-1, W 7-4, W 10-9
12	Duke	7-0	4-0	Liberty W 4-2, Northwestern: W 2-0, W 8-2, W 20-9
13	NC State	4-2	2-1	at Hawaii: W 17-12, L 7-5, W 10-8
14	Virginia	7-0	4-0	Old Dominion W 8-0, Wichita State W 5-4, Iowa W 12-9, Auburn W 6-4
15	North Carolina	5-2	2-2	Elon W 8-7, East Carolina: W 2-1, L 7-4, L 10-9
16	Texas	6-1	4-0	Houston Christian W 20-3, Cal Poly: W 2-0, W 6-0, W 7-0
17	Alabama	8-0	5-0	Middle Tennessee W 6-1, Alabama State W 12-0, Valparaiso: W 14-2, W 13-3, W 11-1
18	Iowa	3-4	1-3	Loras W 20-6, Auburn L 7-5, Virginia L 12-9, Wichita State L 12-6
19	Texas Tech	6-2	4-1	at UT Arlington W 13-1, Oregon State L 10-4, Texas Southern: W 32-5, W 20-4, W 16-5
20	UCLA	3-3	0-3	at TCU: L 4-3, L 6-3, L 13-3
21	South Carolina	7-1	4-1	Winthrop W 12-2, Queens W 13-3, Belmont: W 8-1, L 11-2, W 12-1
22	UC Santa Barbara	3-3	2-1	at Sacramento State: L 6-2, W 9-1, W 12-0
23	Indiana	6-1	4-0	Miami (OH) W 12-6, at Baylor: W 8-4, W 6-1, W 15-5
24	Kansas State	4-3	2-2	at Arizona State L 9-6, Holy Cross: W 17-11, L 13-10, W 5-4
25	Coastal Carolina	5-2	4-0	UNC Wilmington W 7-2, Illinois W 17-9, Ball State W 12-2

 

[Seyton]

Next weekend is going to be awesome!