Live Game Thread: Indiana vs Michigan State 3/27

[MatthewByrne5]

Starting Lineups:

IU:

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

SP: McCade Brown - RHP

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 Adam Proctor

SP: Adam Berghorst - RHP

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T1:

Indiana jumps out to an early 1-0 lead.

Ashley led off the inning with a great at-bat and drew a walk. With one out, 3B Cole Barr doubled off the wall in left-center field and Ashley advanced to third. 2B Paul Toetz then grounded out to shortstop, but Ashley came around to score. Barr was left stranded at third after DH Kip Fougerousse grounded out to third base.
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Heading into B1 --> Indiana leads 1-0.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B1:

Michigan State ties the game 1-1.

Trent Farquhar led off the inning by drawing a walk and then advanced to second base after a wild pitch. Next up to bat, Kelley bunted to third base and was safe at first. However, Barr committed a throwing error which allowed Farquhar to come around and score to tie the game 1-1. Michigan State then attempted a double steal with men on first and second. Stewart was caught stealing at second base, but Kelley safely advanced to third base. Walker then struck out looking to end the frame, stranding one runner in scoring position.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heading into T2 --> The game is tied 1-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T2:

1B Jordan Fucci led off the inning with a walk, but Colopy struck out swinging. Both C Jacob Southern and SS Jeremy Houston flew out to the outfield to end the frame.
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Heading into B2 --> The game is tied 1-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B2:

Indiana escapes trouble as Michigan State strands the bases loaded.

Vradenburg led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second base after Peterson sacrifice bunted. Next up to bat, Jebb then reached on a fielder's choice to the pitcher. McCade Brown elected to throw to second base to get Vradenburg out at second, but Vradenburg dove back and was safe. Proctor then drew a one-out walk which loaded up the bases. Farquhar then lined out to 1B Jordan Fucci, who stepped on first base for the unassisted double play to end the inning.
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Heading into T3 --> The game is tied 1-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T3:

Indiana takes a 5-1 lead!

LF Drew Ashley led off the inning with a solo home run to left field, his second home run of the season to make it a 2-1 game. With two outs, Toetz doubled to left-center field and then Fougerousse drew a walk. Fucci then hit a three-run home down the right-field line to extend Indiana's lead to 5-1.
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Heading into B3 --> Indiana leads 5-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B3:

McCade Brown struck out the side.
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Heading into T4 --> Indiana leads 5-1.

 

[ptrich]

It's good to see the long ball going for us today. Five runs on just four hits so far and I believe we have three walks, so far, while MSU's only run was unearned, which is not good, but it shows that Brown is on top of his game, so far.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T4:

Indiana goes 1-2-3.

RHP Sam Benschoter replaces Adam Berghorst with two outs.

Jacob Southern struck out swinging, Jeremy Houston bunted to third base but was thrown out at first and Ashley struck out looking.
_______________________

Heading into B4 --> Indiana leads 5-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B4:

Michigan State goes 1-2-3.

Walker lined out to right field, Vradenburg grounded out to third base and Peterson struck out looking.
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Heading into T5 --> Indiana leads 5-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T5:

Indiana strands one runner in scoring position.

Richardson led off the inning and reached base after 1B Vradenburg committed a throwing error to MSU pitcher Benschoter trying to cover first base. Barr then flew out to left field and Toetz struck out looking. Richardson then stole second base, his second stolen base of the year, but he was left stranded after Fougerousse struck out swinging.
____________

Heading into B5 --> Indiana leads 5-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B5:

Michigan State leaves two runners on base.

Farquhar drew a two-out walk and then advanced to second base after Kelley singled to left field. However, Stewart then hit a ground ball to shortstop and Houston got the force out at second base to end the inning.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heading into T6 --> Indiana leads 5-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T6:

Indiana extends its lead to 8-1.

Fucci led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second after pinch hitter Hunter Jessee singled through the right side. Pinch hitter Ethan Vercrumba then reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop to load up the bases. MSU SS Jebb tried to get the force out at second base, but Jessee was safe at second. Jeremy Houston then grounded out into a 6-3 double play and Fucci came around to score to make it a 6-1 game. Jessee then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 7-1 game. Next up to bat, Drew Ashley singled to right-center field and then advanced to third base after Richardson singled down the right-field line. Cole Barr then singled to shortstop and advanced to second on a throwing error. Richardson moved to third base and Ashley scored to make it an 8-1 game.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heading into B6 --> Indiana leads 8-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B6:

John Modugno replaces McCade Brown

Michigan State goes 1-2-3.

Iverson grounded out to second base, Walker struck out swinging and Vradenburg flew out to left field in foul territory to end the frame.
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Heading into T7 --> Indiana leads 8-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T7:

Fougerousse and Fucci both struck out swinging. Next up to bat, Hunter Jessee singled over Farquhar's head into right field. C Collin Hopkins then struck out swinging to end the frame.
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Heading into B7 --> Indiana leads 8-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B7:

Michigan State goes 1-2-3 again.

Peterson struck out swinging, Jebb grounded out to the pitcher Modugno and Proctor grounded out to second base.
______________

Heading into T8 --> Indiana leads 8-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T8:

Indiana extends its lead to 10-1.

With one out in the eighth, Ashley was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second base after Richardson singled to left-center field. Cole Barr then doubled down the left-field line and both Richardson and Ashley came around to score.
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Heading into B8 --> Indiana leads 10-1.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B8:

Indiana RHP Braydon Tucker replaces John Modugno

Michigan State cuts the lead to 10-2.

Farquhar led off the inning with a single to left-center field and then advanced to second after Kelley grounded out to third base. With one out, Iverson reached base after he hit a ground ball to shortstop and Jeremy Houston committed a throwing error. Farquhar came across to score to make it a 10-2 game.
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Heading into T9 --> Indiana leads 10-2.

 

[ptrich]

Yet another throwing error (2nd) by the infield with both scoring unearned runs by MSU. Fortunately, the runs will have no bearing on this game unless we totally fall apart in the 9th.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

T9:

MSU RHP Nick Smith replaces Sam Benschoter

Indiana goes 1-2-3.

Fucci struck out swinging, Jessee grounded out to first base and Hopkins grounded out to shortstop.
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Heading into B9 --> Indiana leads 10-2.

 

[ptrich]

What's going on with Houston? Yet another throwing error that scored a run and Tucker has had trouble getting a string of pinch hitters out.

 

[MatthewByrne5]

B9:

That's the ballgame! Indiana wins 10-4.

Pinch hitter Jack Frank led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to left-center and then advanced to third base after pinch hitter Andrew Morrow doubled off the left-field wall. Pinch hitter Casey Mayes then singled to left-center field and Frank came around to score to make it a 10-3 game. Pinch hitter Dillon Kark then grounded out to first base unassisted and Mayes moved to second base. With one out, Kelley reached on a throwing error by Jeremy Houston, which advanced Mayes to third and Morrow came around to score to cut Indiana's lead to 10-4.

Indiana LHP Braden Scott replaces Braydon Tucker

Pinch hitter Reese Trahey struck out swinging and Scott struck out Iverson looking to end the game.

 

[ptrich]

Three throwing errors on the game by the infield to include two by Houston, and needless to say, that's not good. It's a good thing our hitting was really on today or that 9th would have been disastrous in a close game. It's still a win and keeps us in first place, so I'm happy.

 

[mk23]

Three throwing errors on the game by the infield to include two by Houston, and needless to say, that's not good. It's a good thing our hitting was really on today or that 9th would have been disastrous in a close game. It's still a win and keeps us in first place, so I'm happy.

I love Houston, but dang. Seems like he does this every year. I just don’t really understand why he’s still out there - preventing young guys from getting innings.

 

[ptrich]

I love Houston, but dang. Seems like he does this every year. I just don’t really understand why he’s still out there - preventing young guys from getting innings.

Yeah, he's certainly prone to throwing errors, but one thing about Houston that I would like to see improve is for him to get his batting average up to around .240-.250, but he has never been a big bat at the plate or even an average one. His batting average sits at .200 after today's game.

 

[mk23]

Yeah, he's certainly prone to throwing errors, but one thing about Houston that I would like to see improve is for him to get his batting average up to around .240-.250, but he has never been a big bat at the plate or even an average one. His batting average sits at .200 after today's game.

Exactly my point. Weak stick and shaky arm in your 5th year is head scratching.