Live Game Thread: Indiana vs Michigan State 3/26

[MatthewByrne5]

Starting Lineups:

IU:

1. LF Drew Ashley
2. DH Kip Fougerousse
3. CF Grant Richardson
4. 3B Cole Barr
5. 2B Paul Toetz
6. 1B Jordan Fucci
7. C Jacob Southern
8. RF Hunter Jessee
9. SS Jeremy Houston

SP: Tommy Sommer - LHP

MSU:

1. 2B Trent Farquhar
2. LF Bryce Kelley
3. CF Joe Stewart
4. 3B Zach Iverson
5. RF Zaid Walker
6. 1B Brock Vradenburg
7. DH Bailey Peterson
8. SS Mitch Jebb
9. C Gabe Sotres

SP: Mason Erla - RHP

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T1:

Leadoff hitter LF Drew Ashley singled through the left side. DH Kip Fougerousse then struck out looking. CF Grant Richardson singled through the left side and Ashley advanced to second base. 3B Cole Barr then singled to right field and Richardson moved to second base, but Ashley was thrown out at home trying to score. 2B Paul Toetz then struck out swinging to end the frame.

B1:

Tommy Sommer got two quick outs as the first two hitters grounded out. CF Joe Stewart then singled to center field and advanced to third base after 3B Zach Iverson singled up the middle. However, Sommer struck out the next batter RF Zaid Walker to end the frame.

T2:

1B Jordan Fucci led off the inning with a double to left field. C Jacob Southern then popped out to second base. The next batter RF Hunter Jessee reached base on a fielder's choice after he hit a ground ball to shortstop and Fucci was thrown out at second base attempting to dive back. SS Jeremy Houston then hit a ground ball to third base and MSU 3B Iverson got the force out at second base to end the frame.

B2:

1B Brock Vradenburg led off the inning by flying out to deep center field. Next up to bat, DH Bailey Petersen drew a one-out walk but was then picked off at first base by Tommy Sommer. SS Mitch Jebb then drew a two-out walk, but the next hitter C Gabe Sotres, popped out to first base to end the frame.
__________________________

Heading into T3 --> Still scoreless.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T3:

The Hoosiers failed to break the 0-0 tie.

Drew Ashley led off the inning and flew out to center field. Fougerousse then grounded out to second base and Richardson grounded out to shortstop.
____________

Heading into B3 --> 0-0 game.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B3:

Farquhar grounded out to first baseman Jordan Fucci who made the play unassisted. Kelley then flew out to center field. Stewart singled to left field, but Iverson struck out swinging to end the frame.
__________

Heading into T4 --> tie game 0-0.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T4:

Cole Barr led off the inning and drew a walk. He then advanced to second base after Toetz singled up the middle. Jordan Fucci then grounded into a 1-6-3 double play and Barr moved to third base. However, Barr was left stranded at third base as Southern flew out to right field.
__________

Heading into B4 --> Tie game 0-0.

 

[mk23]

Poor base running biting them again. 🤬🤬

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B4:

The Spartans break the scoreless tie.

Walker led off the inning with a single to left field and then advanced to second after Vradenburg grounded out to second base. Jebb hit a ball sharply to second base, which got by Toetz and went into right field. Walker came around to score from second base.
_______

Heading into T5 --> Michigan State leads 1-0.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T5:

The Hoosiers take a 4-1 lead!

RF Morgan Colopy, who was substituted for Hunter Jessee, singled up the middle and then advanced to second base after Houston sacrifice bunted. Drew Ashley then reached second base on an error by MSU's CF Stewart and Colopy moved to third base. Fougerousse then grounded out to shortstop, but Colopy came across to score to make it a 1-1 game. Richardson then singled to right field and Ashley advanced to third base. Next up to bat, Barr singled to shortstop and Ashley came around to score to give Indiana a 2-1 lead. Toetz then singled up the middle, but SS Jebb knocked it down before it reached the outfield. Fucci then doubled to the right-center gap and both Richardson and Barr scored to make it a 4-1 game.
________________________________________________________________________

Heading into B5 --> Indiana leads 4-1.

 

[ptrich]

T5:

The Hoosiers take a 4-1 lead!

RF Morgan Colopy, who was substituted for Hunter Jessee, singled up the middle and then advanced to second base after Houston sacrifice bunted. Drew Ashley then reached second base on an error by MSU's CF Stewart and Colopy moved to third base. Fougerousse then grounded out to shortstop, but Colopy came across to score to make it a 1-1 game. Richardson then singled to right field and Ashley advanced to third base. Next up to bat, Barr singled to shortstop and Ashley came around to score to give Indiana a 2-1 lead. Toetz then singled up the middle, but SS Jebb knocked it down before it reached the outfield. Fucci then doubled to the right-center gap and both Richardson and Barr scored to make it a 4-1 game.
________________________________________________________________________

Heading into B5 --> Indiana leads 4-1.

All runs were unearned brought on by the error. Sommer is at a low pitch count so far.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B5:

The Spartans cut Indiana's lead to 4-2.

Farquhar led off the inning and flew out to left field. Next up to bat, Kelley grounded out to second base. With two outs, Stewart hit a solo home run over the center-field wall to make it a 4-2 ballgame. Iverson then drew a two-out walk but Walker hit a ground ball to shortstop and Houston got the force out at second base to end the frame.
__________

Heading into T6 --> Indiana leads 4-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T6:

Indiana takes an 8-2 lead.

Jeremy Houston with one out hit a ground ball to the pitcher, who knocked it down and threw to first, but Houston beat the throw at first base. A pitch then hit Drew Ashley and Houston advanced to second base. With two outs, Richardson was hit by a pitch to load up the bases. Next up to bat, Barr then drew a two-out RBI walk to make it a 5-2 game. Toetz then hit a bases-clearing double to center-field and Ashley, Richardson and Barr all came around to score to make it an 8-2 game.
_______________________________________________________

Heading into B6 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[ptrich]

T6:

Indiana takes an 8-2 lead.

Jeremy Houston with one out hit a ground ball to the pitcher, who knocked it down and threw to first, but Houston beat the throw at first base. A pitch then hit Drew Ashley and Houston advanced to second base. With two outs, Richardson was hit by a pitch to load up the bases. Next up to bat, Barr then drew a two-out RBI walk to make it a 5-2 game. Toetz then hit a bases-clearing double to center-field and Ashley, Richardson and Barr all came around to score to make it an 8-2 game.
_______________________________________________________

Heading into B6 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

I was somewhat surprised that MSU stayed with Erla as long as they did.

 

[ptrich]

Any idea of why they pulled Sommer after five innings and his pitch count at 73? They brought in Braden Scott who loaded the bases with three walks, but managed to pitch out of it. I don't know if the coach saw something with Sommer that made him want to bring in Scott.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B6:

Braden Scott LHP replaces Tommy Sommer

The Spartans loaded up the bases but failed to plate any runs.

Vradenburg led off the inning and flew out to left-center field. Peterson then drew a one-out walk and then advanced to second base after Jebb also drew a walk. Next up to bat Sotres then struck out swinging. Farquhar drew a two-out walk to load the bases. However, Kelly lined out to third base to end the frame.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heading into T7 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T7:

Indiana goes 1-2-3
____________________

Heading into B7 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B7:

Michigan State goes 1-2-3.

Stewart grounded out to shortstop, Iverson struck out looking and Walker grounded out to the pitcher.
___________________________

Heading into T8 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T8:

Drew Ashley led off the inning with a single through the left side but next up to bat, Fougerousse grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Richardson singled to center field, but Cole Barr lined out to third base to end the frame.
________________________

Heading into B8 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B8:

RHP Reese Sharp replaces Braden Scott

Michigan State goes 1-2-3 again.

Vradenburg led off the inning and grounded out to second base. Peterson struck out looking and Jebb flew out to LF Drew Ashley in foul territory.
_______________________________________________

Heading into T9 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T9:

Indiana goes 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.

Toetz led off the inning and grounded out to shortstop. Next to bat, Fucci struck out swinging and then pinch hitter Collin Hopkins hit a fly ball to right field and Walker made a diving catch to end the frame.
____________________

Heading into B9 --> Indiana leads 8-2.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B9:

That's the ballgame! Indiana beats Michigan State 8-2 and takes the series opener.

Sotres led off the ninth with a fly out to deep left-center field. Farquhar then drew a one-out walk. Next up to bat, Kelley struck out swinging. Stewart drew a two-out walk which moved Farquhar to second base. However, Iverson struck out looking to end the game.

 

[ptrich]

Great start to the series. We had 14 hits to their 6 hits, and everyone in the lineup had at least one hit except for DH Fougerousse who was 0-5, and Southern who was 0-4. We had a couple of late replacements that also didn't get a hit. We gave up too many walks (8), but they didn't hurt us.

 

[ptrich]

Michigan lost their game to PSU today, so we increased our lead for 1st place a little bit.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

Michigan lost their game to PSU today, so we increased our lead for 1st place a little bit.

Indiana now has a 1.5 game lead over Michigan in the conference.