Ohio @ IU, Game 3: IU gets the sweep with a 9-2 win...

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It's RHP Seti Manase on the mound with an ERA of 1.61 in 28 IP. Serruto is behind the plate again and Mathison is the DH.

Ohio has RHP Zach Weber on the mound with an ERA of 8.89 in 27 IP.

It's 43 degrees at game time, cloudy, and the wind is 5-10 mph blowing out to right center field.

1st Inning:

T1st:

Manase got the leadoff hitter on a flyout to start the game. He then walked a batter on five pitches. On a FC, the runner reached 2nd on an attempted tag out with the batter reaching 1st to put runners on 1st and 2nd and one out.

Manase got a K for the 2nd out with runners still on 1st and 2nd. A flyout retires the side leaving to runners on.

B1st:

The batting order is the same as it was yesterday with the exception that it is Colopy in the No. 8 spot instead of Jessee.

Glasser led off with a GO. Whalen walked on a full count to put a runner on.

Taylor grounded out with Whalen taking 2nd and two outs.

Tibbitts singled through the infield to score Whalen and it was the first time in the series that IU scored first.

Mathison K'd to end the inning.

IU 1 Ohio 0

 

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2nd Inning:

T2nd:

It's the 6 thru 8 hitters up and Manase put them down in order.

B2nd:

It's the 6 thru 8 hitters up for IU and Pyne leading off. Pyne singled to start things off.

Cerny hit into a DP for two outs and no one on. A GO ended the inning.

IU 1 Ohio 0

 

[Dude Where Is My Car]

IU may get away with it today but I want to understand how everyone on here is comfortable with having Mercer as a coach come postseason when actual good teams are played?

This team continues to have very poor at bats at times against horrible pitchers, make very carless execution mistakes (not covering first and being so interested in picking off the runner instead of getting outs at the plate they give up a free run), and bad decisions on who should pitch when.

Look this team could win the Big Ten and make a Regional but at some point the way our brilliant manager teaches execution and manages decisions within games is going to end the season early than it needs to once postseason begins.

 

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3rd Inning:

T3rd:

It's the 9 thru 2 hitters up. The leadoff hitter reached on a single.

Another base hit puts runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

A FC gets the runner at 1st with runners moving to 2nd and 3rd and one out.

An infield hit scored a run with runners on the corners and one out, and Mercer pulled Manase.

IU brought in RHP Ethan Phillips with an ERA of 2.12 in 17 IP.

Phillips got a big K for the 2nd out with runners still on the corners.

A throwing error by Phillips on a pickoff attempt gives the Bobcats a 2-1 lead on an unearned run with a runner on 2nd and two outs.

A WP moved the runners to 3rd, but a GO retired the side.

B3rd:

It's the 9 thru 2 hitters up for IU with Serruto leading off. Serruto K'd to lead off.

Glasser reached on a single with one out.

A FC gets Glasser at 2nd with Whalen reaching and two outs.

Taylor then launched a 425 ft two-run homer to RF that gave IU the lead back.

Tibbitts flied out to end the inning.

IU 3 Ohio 2

 

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4th Inning:

T4th:

It's the 6-8 hitters up and Phillips got the first two batters on GOs, but then hit a batter to put a runner on.

Phillips then got a K to retire the side.

It was pointed out that the Bobcats have one freshman in the lineup and then every other player in their lineup are in their 3rd to 5th season of college ball, so it's a veteran team.

B4th:

It's the 5 thru 7 hitters up with Mathison leading off. Mathison doubled to lead off.

Pyne then singled to put runners on the corners and no outs.

Cerny walked to load the bases with Colopy up with no outs.

Colopy couldn't put the ball in play and K'd for the first out.

Absolutely incredible! Colopy K'd with the bases loaded and Serruto lined out to 2nd and doubled up Pyne at 2nd and after having the bases loaded and no outs, IU came up empty. It happens but that is really frustrating since IU had the chance to blow this game wide open.

IU 3 Ohio 2

 

[Dude Where Is My Car]

4th Inning:

T4th:

It's the 6-8 hitters up and Phillips got the first two batters on GOs, but then hit a batter to put a runner on.

Phillips then got a K to retire the side.

It was pointed out that the Bobcats have one freshman in the lineup and then every other player in their lineup are in their 3rd to 5th season of college ball, so it's a veteran team.

B4th:

It's the 5 thru 7 hitters up with Mathison leading off. Mathison doubled to lead off.

Pyne then singled to put runners on the corners and no outs.

Cerny walked to load the bases with Colopy up with no outs.

Colopy couldn't put the ball in play and K'd for the first out.

Absolutely incredible! Colopy K'd with the bases loaded and Serruto lined out to 2nd and doubled up Pyne at 2nd and after having the bases loaded and no outs, IU came up empty. It happens but that is really frustrating since IU had the chance to blow this game open.

IU 3 Ohio 2

Can't believe I am the one saying this but that was a pure case of the baseball gods being against IU. Colopy is not a good hitter but IU is forced to play him or Jessee with Ellis injured so you have one black hole in your lineup who struggles at the plate. Serruto's ball was hit perfectly and should have been a single that was just a case of the fielder being in the wrong place at the wrong time on what would normally be a hit.

That sucked but for once I cannot blame managing or execution and normally I would be first to do so. Mercer and team have a lot they need to fix fundamental wise but that inning was just terrible luck.

 

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5th Inning:

T5th:

It's the top of the order up for the Bobcats and Phillips K'd the leadoff hitter. A flyout resulted in the 2nd out.

Phillips then walked a batter on a full count to put a runner on with two outs.

A WP moved the runner into scoring position at 2nd with two outs. Phillips then got a K to retire the side.

B5th:

It's the top of the order up with Glasser leading off.

The Bobcats went to the bullpen to bring in RHP Hudson Boncal with an ERA of 4.50 in 20 IP.

Glasser was hit by a pitch to put the leadoff hitter on.

No frustrations this inning as Whalen then launched a two-run homer to LF to give IU a 5-2 lead.

Taylor and Tibbitts both grounded out and Mathison popped out to end the inning.

IU 5 Ohio 2

 

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6th Inning:

T6th:

Phillips is back out there with Risedorph warming up in the bullpen and Phillips faced the 5-7 hitters.

A GO got the leadoff hitter. A K got the next batter for two outs. Phillips then hit a batter to put a runner on.

A GO retired the side.

B6th:

It's the 6th thru 8th hitters up with Pyne leading off. Pyne led off with a double and he is 3-3 on the day so far.

Cerny was hit with a pitch that glanced off his helmet.

IU brought in a pinch hitter in Jorge DeGoti to hit for Colopy with runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs.

DeGoti flied out to CF which moved Pyne to 3rd and there were runners on the corners with one out.

The Bobcats have certainly been fortunate at times in this game. Serruto just barely made contact with the ball and the catcher tagged him out for the 2nd out with Pyne still at 3rd and Cerny taking 2nd.

Ohio went to the bullpen and brought in LHP Dillion Masters with an ERA of 2.76 in 16.1 IP.

Glasser singled to score both Pyne and Cerny to make it 7-2.

Whalen flied out to end the inning.

IU 7 Ohio 2

 

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7th Inning:

T7th:

RHP Brayden Risedorph replaced Phillips and he has an ERA of 5.06 in 21.1 IP. Murrison took over RF for Colopy.

Risedorph faced the 9 thru 2 hitters. After getting down 3-0 to the leadoff hitter, Risedorph K'd him for the first out. Risedorph then got a GO and another K to put them down in order.

B7th:

It's the 3-5 hitters up with Taylor leading off. Taylor K'd for the first out.

Tibbitts grounded out for the 2nd out.

Mathison then doubled with two outs.

Pyne then reached on an error with Mathison taking 3rd and two outs.

Cerny then doubled to score both Pyne and Mathison which were unearned runs because of the error.

Murrison then walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs.

Serruto flied out to end the inning.

IU 9 Ohio 2

 

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8th Inning:

T8th:

Risedorph is back out there and he faced the 3-5 hitters, and Risedorph put them down in order.

B8th:

It's the top of the order up for IU in what should be their last at-bats with Glasser leading off. Glasser grounded out to lead off. Whalen and Taylor were then called out on controversial plays to end the inning.

IU 9 Ohio 2

 

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9th Inning:

T9th:

It's the 6-8 hitters up with Risedorph out there to close it out.

Risedorph gave up a single to the leadoff hitter. He then got a GO for the first out with the runner taking 2nd.

Risedorph then hit a batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

A K and a GO ended the game.

IU 9 Ohio 2 (Final)

 

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IU pitching was pretty good for the most part and they gave up just four hits with two runs scored and just one earned run. They had some hiccups at times, but obviously nothing that led to a big inning. Ohio came into the series as a good hitting team with a team batting average almost identical to IU's, but for the 2nd game in a row they couldn't do much at the plate. IU outhit Ohio, 11-4. IU was 11 for 33 for a team batting average of .333 while Ohio was 4 for 32 for .125. IU had three players with a multi-hit game and six of IU's 11 hits were extra base hits:

Pyne was 3 for 4 with a double and he scored two runs.
Mathison was 2 for 4 with two doubles and he scored one run.
Glasser was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and he scored a run.
Cerny was 1 for 2 with a double, two RBIs, and he scored a run.
Whalen was 1 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs and he scored three runs.
Taylor was 1 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs.

Both teams had one error with IU's error on a pickoff attempt.

Manase has not gone past four innings in any of his starts and he pitched 2.1 innings before being replaced by Phillips. Manase pitched out of a two on, one out jam in the 1st and then breezed through the 2nd, but he gave up three singles to the first four batters in the 3rd before being pulled. Manase was charged with two runs with only one run earned. Phillips pitched 3.2 innings and did have some control problems at times but didn't give up a run. Phillips did give up the unearned run which was charged to Manase that was brought on by a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at 1st. Risedorph had the cleanest line of the three pitchers used. Here are their numbers:

Manase: 2.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs with 1 run earned, 2 Ks, 1 BB, and the rest of his slate was clean.
Phillips: 3.2 IP, no hits, no runs, 5 Ks, 1 BB, 1 WP, and he hit 2 batters.
Risedorph: 3.0 IP, 1 hit, no runs, 3 Ks, no BBs, and 1 hit batter.

 

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IU has reached the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2019 season in Mercer's first season with the team. You could say that his 37-23 record in 2019 was with mostly Coach Lemonis' players, but that's clearly not the case this season. IU won at least 30 games during the stretch from 2011 to 2019 so it's nice to be back in that area again with this team. Congrats Coach Mercer.

 

[TomEric4756]

IU has reached the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2019 season in Mercer's first season with the team. You could say that his 37-23 record in 2019 was with mostly Coach Lemonis' players, but that's clearly not the case this season. IU won at least 30 games during the stretch from 2011 to 2019 so it's nice to be back in that area again with this team. Congrats Coach Mercer.

Yes, I noticed the 30 win mark in the standings.
Lets not look past BSU on Tuesday.

 

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Yes, I noticed the 30 win mark in the standings.
Lets not look past BSU on Tuesday.

I assume the BSU game will be treated as a staff pitching day. The Cards have been hugging that line between a Q2 team and a Q3 team and the last I saw they were a high Q3 team. They will certainly want a win over IU for their resume.

 

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Here's the link to the box score:

https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/stats/bb/2023/IU41.pdf

Here's the link to the recap:

Series Sweep Caps Off Five-Win Week - Indiana University Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – With a 9-2 victory over Ohio on Sunday (April 23) the Indiana baseball program won its 22nd game of the season at Bart Kaufman Field to...

iuhoosiers.com

 

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I assume the BSU will be treated as a staff pitching day. The Cards have been hugging that line between a Q2 team and a Q3 team and the last I saw they were a high Q3 team. They will certainly want a win over IU for their resume.

Ball St did move back up in the RPI and is now a Q2 level team and that probably won't change before they play IU on Tuesday.