N. Kentucky @ IU: Lack of effective pitching costs IU in 13-11 loss...

[ptrich]

RHP Henry Brummel is on the mound for IU and he has an early ERA of 6.35 in 5.2 IP so far with a WHIP of 1.94. He has 4 Ks and 3 BBs. Schuyler will be behind the plate. NKU will counter with LHP Bobby Bartlett.

The batting order is Wiggins, Taylor, Dickerson, Brenczewski (DH), Hanley, Cerny, Oliver, Schuyler, and Malamazian (again at 3B.)

It's currently cloudy and 64 degrees with the wind SSE at 9 mph and gusts to 19 mph.

T1st:

Brummel walked the leadoff hitter on a 3-1 count. The runner stole 2nd and then Brummel hit a batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

Just like that, IU went down 2-0 as Brummel gave up a triple and there is still no outs.

Another walk put runners on the corners and no outs and Mercer had better pull Brummel before this inning gets totally out of control and we just started the game.

Mercer went to the bullpen and brought in LHP Ryan Rushing. Brummel just didn't have anything going into this game.

Rushing got a K for the first out. A FC got the runner at 2nd with the run scoring from third. There is a runner on 1st and two outs. Schuyler gunned down an attemped steal at 2B to retire the side.

B1st:

Wiggins walked on a full count. On a FC, Taylor reached with Wiggins being safe at 2b on a throwing error and there were runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs.

Dickerson popped out in foul territory for one out.

Brenczewski singled to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd. Hanley singled to score Wiggins and Taylor with one of those runs unearned.

There were runners at 1st and 2nd and one out with the score 3-2 UNK. Cerny and Oliver both flied out to end the inning.

End of 1st: UNK 3 IU 2

 

[ptrich]

T2nd:

Rushing faced the bottom of the order and he lined out the leadoff hitter. He got another out on a groundout.

A two-out single put a man on. Another single put a runner in scoring position with two outs and runners at 1st and 2nd.

A third straight single scored a run to make it 4-2 and all of this happened with two outs. There were runners on the corners.

My goodness, Rushing then hit a batter to load the bases. A FC finally retired the side.

B2nd:

It's the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Schuyler leading off. Schuyler walked on a 3-1 count. Malamazian flied out for the first out and Schuyler holding with the top of the order up in Wiggins.

Wiggins lined out to 3rd with Schuyler still at 1st and two outs.

Taylor singled to put runners at 1st and 2nd and two outs.

Dickerson flied out to end the threat and the inning.

End of 2nd: UNK 4 IU 2

 

[ptrich]

T3rd:

RHP Aydan Decker-Petty replaced Rushing and D-P is off to a rocky start to the season and he faced the 5 thru 7 hitters.

D-P got a leadoff infield pop out for the first out. A K got the 2nd out with a single putting a man on. A lineout retired the side.

B3rd:

It's the 4 thru 6 hitters up with Brenczewski leading off. Brenczewski and Hanley grounded out. Cerny singled and Oliver lined out to end the inning.

End of 3rd: UNK 4 IU 2

 

[ptrich]

T4th:

A walk and a single on a SAC bunt put two on. A K got the first out and Mercer went to the bullpen and brought in LHP Grant Holderfield.

A single and a double brought in two runs. There were runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out and UNK now up 6-2.

With the pitching the way it's been, we had better find our stroke at the plate since this is not looking pretty.

Holderfield then gave up a three-run homer to LF and then got a groundout for the 2nd out. None of our pitchers have looked good in this game and the bullpen, at least on the backside of it, has been really shaky so far this season.

A double then put a runner in scoring position, and it seem that Mercer has given up on the pitching and is letting Holderfield finish this inning with there being two outs.

A K retired a horrible inning for IU. In fairness, the homer was wind aided and probably would have stayed in the field on a good day.

B4th:

Another poor inning at the plate with a K, a single by Malamazian, a foul out and a groundout.

End of 4th: UNK 9 IU 2

 

[rcaulfie]

How bad is this team? Getting smoked by the college baseball juggernaut, Northern Kentucky, lol.

 

[Bucket Getter]

How bad is this team? Getting smoked by the college baseball juggernaut, Northern Kentucky, lol.

Starting to remind me of the team that plays in Assembly Hall. Plenty of talent.

 

[ptrich]

T5th:

Another struggling relief pitcher came in RHP Will Eldridge and he got off to a rough start by giving up a single and a walk to put two on. Two straight WPs put runners on 2nd and 3rd.

A flyout to Wiggins and a great throw to home to get the runner at the plate produced two outs and a groundout retired the side. Eldridge owes Wiggins something for bailing him out in that inning.

B5th:

Dickerson flied out and Brenczewski and Hanley both walked to put two on. Cerny popped out.

Oliver doubled to RF to score Brenczewski and Schuyler singled to score Hanley and Oliver to make it 9-5.

UNK went to the bullpen with Malamazian up and two outs. IU's bats are finally showing some life.

Malamazian doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs.

A passed ball scored Schuyler with Malamazian taking 3rd on it.

Wiggins hit a two-run homer to RF to make it 9-8 UNK and they went to the bullpen again with Taylor up and the bases empty.

Taylor lined out to end the inning.

End of 5th: UNK 9 IU 8

 

[82IU]

This is the gut punch. Cerny had a 2-0 count and instead of taking a pitch, he swings away and pops up. He would have been the tying run if he had worked a walk in that situation. Come on guys let's win this thing before the rain sets in!
Go Hoosiers!
82

 

[ptrich]

T6th:

LHP Caleb Koskie replaced Eldridge and here's hoping they found someone who can get outs in a inning without getting into a jam. He gave up a leadoff double to start the inning. A SAC bunt moved the runner to 3rd and one out.

A 3-1 walk put runners on the corners with one out.

A single scored a run with runners still on the corners and one out. We still haven't found that pitcher. We got a K for the 2nd out.

My goodness, Koskie hit a batter to load the bases with one out.

A groundout retired the side and we are fortunate to only give up one run in that inning.

B6th:

Dickerson is having an off day at the plate and he flied out to lead off.

Brenczewski reached on an infield single with one out.

Hanley walked on a full count to put runners at 1st and 2nd and one out. Cerny flied out and Oliver popped out to end the inning.

End of 6th: UNK 10 IU 8

 

[ptrich]

T7th:

Another great pitching start to an inning as Koskie walked the leadoff hitter on four pitches.

A groundout on a 3-1 count sent the runner to 2nd.

RHP Seth Benes replaced Koskie.

Benes got a groundout for two outs but then gave up a two-run homer to make it 12-8 and with the weather worsening, that probably ended any hopes in this game in what has been an poorly played game for IU and another midweek loss.

A walk and a triple scored a two-out run to make it 13-8 and Mercer brought in RHP Pete Haas in what looks like a hopeless game at this point.

IU finally got that last out as they gave up three two-out runs in that inning.

B7th:

Schuyler flied out, Malazanian walked on a full count, and Wiggins reached on a FC for two outs and a runner at 2nd.

Taylor walked on four pitches to put runners at 1st and 2nd and two outs.

In a bad day at the plate for Dickerson, he grounded out to end the inning.

End of 7th: UNK 13 IU 8

 

[Radio Zero]

Per the radio, rain is getting quite close.

 

[82IU]

This is going to be a loooonnnngggg year!!!! You would think our pitchers were going up against the 1975-76 Big Red Machine! SMH!!
82

 

[ptrich]

Per the radio, rain is getting quite close.

Yes. It's on the outskirts of Bloomington and rain could give this game to UNK since it's a massive area of rain and the game will not be resumed if they stop play.

 

[ptrich]

T8th:

The rain is coming down harder and Haas faced the 9 thru 2 hitters.

In what is probably a too little, too late scenario, we finally found a pitcher that could go out on the mound and get outs. Haas put them down in order and he had retired four straight since coming in.

B8th:

It's the middle of the order up with Brenczewski leading off and he Kd.

Hanley walked on a full count and Cerny doubled to put runners at 2nd and 3rd and one out.

Denny came in to pinch hit for Oliver and he doubled to score Hanley.

Schuyler grounded out for the 2nd out with Cerny scoring to make it 13-10.

Malamazian walked on a 3-1 count to put two on and Wiggins singled to score Denny.

Taylor lined out to end the inning.

End of the 8th: UNK 13 IU 11

 

[ptrich]

T9th:

Haas walked the leadoff batter and then got a lineout for the first out. A single put runners at 1st and 2nd, but a K got the 2nd out. A K retired the side with no damage done.

B9th:

It's the 3 thru 5 hitters up and after an 0-5 day, Dickerson walked on a full count to put the leadoff hitter on. Brenczewski singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

Hanley grounded out ad Cerny fouled out for two outs and runners at 2nd and 3rd. Gilbert came in to pinch hit for Moore and he grounded out to end the game.

Final: UNK 13 IU 11

 

[Orbit7958]

playing for 26 now

 

[ptrich]

I'm surprised they got this sorry game in with the weather moving in. If this is what our midweek pitching is going to look like, we are going to have difficulty winning many of those games as just about every pitcher Mercer used, struggled to get outs. I could make a case of Rushing having a somewhat good outing and Haas at the end was the most effective of the bunch, but it was hard to watch. Our hitting didn't come around until the 5th inning, but when you are bleeding runs, it was too little, too late. Obviously, Mercer wasn't going to burn any pitchers that might be needed over the weekend at PSU.

We were outhit 16 to 14, and UNK had two homers, two triples, and three doubles. They reached on I don't know how many walks and hit batters, and we gave up quite a few WPs.

Enough of this game and it should be thrown out with the trash.

 

[Next time]

Ouch. I’m a lot scared when we start to play quality teams. So far we’ve only hung around and beat some historically average/below average teams. NKU made a regional last year and they took advantage of another game with horrible pitching. But inconsistent pitching and defense IS IU baseball under Mercer. This is his MO so we can’t act surprised when it happens time and time again.
I’d LOVE the iubase guys to start asking some tougher questions!!!!

 

[rcaulfie]

After that game, RPI has dropped 28 spots to 167. 5 of our 6 wins are against quad 4 opponents and the 6th vs quad 3. NKU moved up 24 spots to 123, so if anyone thinks they are a quality opponent - they are not. Idk how Gant can keep his job continually having the pitching staff do this. Way too much focus on spin rates and crap, instead of worrying about getting people out. And this team (per an interview Stadler that I read) had a goal of hosting a regional. Zero chance of that happening.....