IU@Indiana St.: IU wins 6-5 with a 9th inning rally...

[ptrich]

RHP Modugno is on the mound for IU and he enters the game with an ERA of 9.39 in 23 IP. ISU is going with RHP Brennyn Cutts with an ERA of 8.35 in 8.2 IP. ISU has a team batting average of .301 coming into this game.

In the T1st, Whalen flied out and Glasser walked with one out. Ellis struck out and Pyne flied out to end the 1st for IU.

In the B1st, Modugno got the 1st out, but Whalen misjudged a fly ball coming in on it and it went over him for a triple. A pop up resulted in the 2nd out with the runner still on 3rd. Modugno got a K to end the threat and the inning as Whalen's mental error did not hurt IU.

 

[ptrich]

In the 2nd, Two Ks and a flyout ended IU's 2nd.

In ISU's 2nd, back-to-back doubles score the first run of the game. A single scores another run to make it 2-0 with no outs. What was initially ruled a DP was reversed on a video review which the MVC has, so IU got the runner at 2nd for the 1st out with a man on 1st. Modugno got a K for the 2nd out, but then gave up his 3rd double of the game in the inning to score another run. Modugno has given up 15 extra base hits on the season after that double. A WP moves the runner to 3rd with two outs. A K finally ends the inning. I don't know how many 2-out runs we have given up this season, but it's been a bunch to go along with the many walks that have crossed the plate this season.

 

[ptrich]

In the 3rd, Doanes gets a walk to leadoff after a 1-2 count. Doanes then steals 2nd and moves to 3rd on a WP with no outs. Whalen grounds out to score the runner from 3rd to make it 3-1. Whalen and Glasser then struck out to end IU's 3rd.

Bothwell replaces Modugno for ISU's 3rd and it was a good inning for him as he retires the side on a K and two ground outs.

Added note: Modugno in 25 IP this season has given up 15 extra base hits so far. Last season in 38.2 IP, he gave up just 7 extra base hits (6 doubles and a homer.)

 

[ptrich]

In IU's 4th, Ellis strikes out to leadoff. Pyne grounded out. Tibbetts gets IU's first hit of the game with a 2-out double, but a ground out ends IU's 4th. The ISU pitcher came into the game with a high ERA but IU hasn't done much against him and the lone run came without a hit.

In ISU's 4th, Bothwell gives up a leadoff homer to make it 4-1. He got the 1st out on a ground out. A K and a single put a man on with two outs. An Ellis to Doanes throw gets the runner trying to steal 2nd to end ISU's 4th.

 

[ptrich]

In the 5th, IU's leadoff hitter strikes out. The ISU pitcher came into the game with a high ERA and just 6 Ks on the season, and he already has 7 Ks in this game as IU thinks he is Sandy Koufax rejuvenated. A couple of flyouts ends IU's 5th.

In ISU's 5th, Bothwell retires the order on 3 flyouts to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the 6th, IU goes down in order on three Ks and the freshman pitcher for ISU now has 10 Ks in 6 IP and we still only have 1 hit so far.

In ISU's 6th, Bothwell gets the first out on a K. A blooper fell in LF for a single with one out. A flyout and ground out ended the inning as Bothwell has now gone 4 IP giving up the solo homer, so this is his best stretch of the season so far if my memory is correct.

 

[ptrich]

In IU's 7th, Pyne leadoffs and is hit by a pitch and ISU goes to the bullpen to bring in a reliever. ISU brings in RHP Matt Gauer with an ERA of 2.70 in 3.1 IP. A ground out and a flyout gets Tibbetts and Jessee, and a pop up ended it for IU. IU had 22 hits against Purdue in the last game of that series, but they have just one hit against the young, midweek pitchers of ISU.

Luke Hayden replaces Bothwell in the 7th who pitched well in this game over 4 IP. Hayden gets the first two batters, but walks the next batter with two outs which is the 1st BB for IU today and Mercer doesn't take any chances with the game still within reach as he goes to Ryan Kraft out of the bullpen. Ryan gets a ground out in a close play to end the inning.

 

[ptrich]

In the 8th, ISU intentionally walks Doane after a 3-0 count and they go to the bullpen to bring in Joey Hurth who has an ERA of 2.86 in 22 IP as ISU is through with their midweek pitchers as they are going for the win now. Hurth has really good control with 32 Ks and just 5 BBs on the season. A flyout, a K, and Doanes caught stealing, ends the 8th for IU.

Kraft gives up a leadoff homer in the B8th as ISU now has a 5-1 lead. Kraft then gets back-to-back Ks for two outs. Kraft then gives up a two-out double with two outs. A walk put another runner on, but Kraft gets a K to end the 8th.

 

[ptrich]

In the 9th, two walks to start the inning put runners on 1st and 2nd. Hurth had given up just 5 walks before this game in 22 IP. Pyne popped up and Tibbetts struck out for two outs. Jessee then singled to bring in a two-out run to make it 5-2. Amazingly, when it looked like IU was headed for a sure loss, Mathison hits a 2-out, 3-run homer to tie the game. IU then got a solo homer from Doanes to make it 6-5, IU. IU has scored 5 runs after two outs in the 9th. ISU goes to the bullpen and gets the final out of the 9th for IU on a flyout. Hopefully, our battered bullpen has three outs in them in the B9th.

In the 9th, IU brings in Braydon Tucker to face the No. 9, 1 and 2 hitters for the Sycamores. Tucker is the lone returner from our bullpen last season that has not seen a significant drop-off of his pitching. Tucker gets the first out on a K. Tucker then had the next batter on an 0-2 count and walked him to put a man on and one out. Tucker got the 2nd out on a flyout short of the warning track. Tucker then faced Sean Ross, ISU's most dangerous hitter at .421, and he walks him to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs, and ISU goes to pinch hitter Jackson Taylor with a .273 avg, and Tucker ends the game with a K.

 

[ptrich]

Well, it looked like IU was heading for a certain loss and couldn't hit hardly any ISU pitcher and were handcuffed by a freshman pitcher who struck out 10 Hoosiers over 6 IP. IU was outhit 10 to 4, and they really only had one bad inning with pitching in the 2nd when Modugno gave up 3 doubles and a single that scored 3 runs to put IU in an early hole. Two 9th inning homers by Mathison and Doanes after two walks to leadoff and then a two-out single by Whalen, won the game. Tucker walked two hitters in the 9th, the first with one out and the second with two outs, but that last walk wasn't all that bad since it was against ISU's best hitter and they had to be careful with him.

 

[82IU]

Nice comeback win tonight. It is still a head scratcher as to why our more seasoned pitchers are struggling. One question for those that might know, what is the deal with Ethan Vecrumba? I thought he was supposed to be the next Grant Richardson.

 

[ptrich]

Here's the box score:

Baseball vs Indiana State on 4/12/2022 - Box Score - Indiana University Athletics

The official box score of Baseball vs Indiana State on 4/12/2022

iuhoosiers.com

 

[mk30]

Hypothetical: Let’s say the new pitching coach is sent packing and the pitching staff is told “you’re on your own boys, go get ‘em!”

Would/could it really be worse?

 

[82IU]

Hypothetical: Let’s say the new pitching coach is sent packing and the pitching staff is told “you’re on your own boys, go get ‘em!”

Would/could it really be worse?

In the cut throat world of competitive Big Boy Athletics some might see this as an option but I'm not sure it might not come back to bite Mercer if he would do this. I could see Mercer keeping Glant employed for the rest of the season and telling him that this is not working and maybe decrease his influence and duties then evaluate where they stand after the season. Unless Glant is a real cancer to the team, they will not terminate him mid season. Jmho.
It would be nice if IU could bring in an ex Big Leaguer as a consultant to help the situation, but that probably won't happen due to money, egos, timing and or legalities. I am afraid that it is what it is for this season.
82

 

[mk30]

In the cut throat world of competitive Big Boy Athletics some might see this as an option but I'm not sure it might not come back to bite Mercer if he would do this. I could see Mercer keeping Glant employed for the rest of the season and telling him that this is not working and maybe decrease his influence and duties then evaluate where they stand after the season. Unless Glant is a real cancer to the team, they will not terminate him mid season. Jmho.
It would be nice if IU could bring in an ex Big Leaguer as a consultant to help the situation, but that probably won't happen due to money, egos, timing and or legalities. I am afraid that it is what it is for this season.
82

Yeah. It won’t happen. Probably shouldn’t. But dang, this is maddening/disheartening/sad. Take your pick. These year over year stats Ptrich posted are the literal definition of “train wreck”.