Hoosiers Season Ends in Nashville
Indiana eliminated in NCAA Regional on Sunday.
NASHVILLE -- Indiana was eliminated from the NCAA Nashville Regional and saw its 2015 season end with a 5-3 loss to No. 2 seed Radford on Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
The Hoosiers, who competed in their third straight NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, finished the season with a 35-24 record, which included 12 wins vs. ranked opponents and 16 vs. RPI Top 50 teams.
Although the season didn't end the way the Hoosiers had hoped, Indiana's fight to get this far was impressive, winning nine of its last 10 regular-season games and 11 of 13 to make a strong case for a postseason bid.
IU's 6-4 loss to top-seeded Vanderbilt on Saturday evening set up Sunday's elimination game.
The Highlanders were on fire from the start, opening the game with a pair of doubles and a single to take a 2-0 lead before IU could record an out.
Radford added another run in the top of the fifth to extend its advantage to 3-0.
Much like IU battled to make the postseason, the Hoosiers didn't go quietly.
Austin Cangelosi's sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth inning after
Craig Dedelow and
Will Nolden reached on a walk and a single, respectively.
Brian Wilhite, who tied for IU's lead with two hits, was hit by pitch to load the bases.
Casey Rodrigue's single put two runs on the board and an error on a pick-off attempt allowed Wilhite to score the tying run.
Radford appeared primed to respond with a score of its own in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs before
Thomas Belcher entered the game and retired the batter on the fly out to right field.
Indiana also put runners in scoring position in the seventh, but came up empty.
RU did not waste its opportunity in the eighth inning, loading the bases on a HBP, IU's lone error and a walk. A single and sacrifice fly was all the Highlanders needed to take a 5-3 lead.
TEAM NOTES
••• With the loss, Indiana finishes the 2015 season with a 35-24 overall record. Indiana made its third consecutive NCAA Regional for the first time in school history.
••• In the NCAA Tournament, Indiana is 10-10 all-time, falling to 7-8 in NCAA Regional contests.
••• Indiana was 12-5 in the month of May in 2015 and 36-12 since 2013.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
••• Senior 2B
Casey Rodrigue finished the season with a hit in 24 of his last 30 games. Rodrigue had his ninth multi-RBI game, leading Indiana with a pair.
••• Senior C
Brad Hartong's team-best streaks of 12 games with a hit and 18 games reaching base came to an end. The latter was IU's longest of the 2015 season.
••• Junior SS
Nick Ramos tied for the Indiana lead with two hits, marking his third multi-hit game in the last five and ninth overall.
••• Junior 3B
Brian Wilhite registered a hit in nine of the last 11 games and notched his third multi-hit game in that span.
Go Hoosiers!
Open link for access to video and boxscore:
http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/053115aad.html