UN Game 2 / UN wins 2-0 / Game 3 is on BTN, Saturday at 2p EDT

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Hoosiers Fall to Cornhuskers, 2-0

Next Game: at Nebraska
5/21/2016 - 2:05 P.M.
Big Ten Network

LINCOLN, Neb. — Indiana baseball (30-21, 15-8 Big Ten) ran into a strong outing by Nebraska's Matt Waldron on Friday night, as it fell to the Cornhuskers by a score of 2-0.

Senior Caleb Baragar tossed six quality innings, scattering six hits for two runs, while mixing in two strikeouts. The Hoosiers' bullpen accounted for two hitless innings, with sophomore B.J. Sabol and junior Thomas Belcher splitting the final two innings of work.

Small ball led Nebraska to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Two singles put two base runners on, while a sacrifice bunt and RBI groundout pushed across a run. The Hoosiers got their first baserunner in the top of the second when freshman Ryan Finemanled off with a single up the middle. A two-out walk to sophomore Laren Eustace put two on before Nebraska used a fly out to end the frame.

Baragar settled down after the first inning and went on to retire 12 of his next 13 batters, surrendering only a two-out double in the third. Freshman Luke Miller led off the fifth with a single down the line in left and eventually stood on third following sophomore Isaiah Pasteur's fielder's choice, but the Huskers used a strikeout to retire the side.

Back-to-back hits helped Nebraska push across its second run across in the bottom of the fifth, but a quick throw from freshman Logan Sowers in right field gunned down the runner at third, preventing any additional damage. A back-handed snag by Pasteur at second closed the frame and stranded two.

Nebraska silenced Indiana's bats until junior Craig Dedelow let off the ninth with an infield hit, but the Huskers would quickly retire the side on a two groundouts, one being a double play, to secure a 2-0 win.

The Hoosiers' final game before the Big Ten Tournament gets underway tomorrow at 2:02 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

Go Hoosiers!

Boxscore within:
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2016/5/20/baseball-hoosiers-fall-to-cornhuskers-2-0.aspx

 

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IU’s title hopes muted in 2-0 loss at Nebraska
by Mike Miller in Baseball on Friday, May. 20, 2016 at 10:52 PM.

Indiana’s pursuit of the Big Ten regular season title ended on Friday night.

The Hoosiers’ bats remained cold in a 2-0 loss at Nebraska that eliminated IU from the conference championship race. With one game remaining in the regular season, Indiana is now a game and a half behind Minnesota, which clinched its first league title since 2010 along with the top seed in next week’s Big Ten Tournament.

For now, Indiana (31-21, 15-8) and Nebraska (36-18, 15-8) are tied for second and playing for seeding in the conference tournament, which begins Wednesday at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. Winning the Big Ten tournament remains Indiana’s only avenue to a program-record fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, and a victory over the Cornhuskers on Saturday at 2:02 p.m. would allow IU to clinch the second seed.

To get it, the Hoosiers will need more production from their offense. Nebraska has now out-hit Indiana 15-6 through the first two games of the series after IU collected only three hits for the second night in a row. Indiana put the leadoff man on base in the second, fifth and ninth innings, but couldn’t cash in on the way to the team’s third consecutive loss. Ryan Fineman, Luke Miller and Craig Dedelow each picked up singles for the Hoosiers, who struggled against Nebraska’s Matt Waldron.

The right-hander struck out seven and walked two across eight innings. Waldron, the recipient of the Big Ten’s most recent weekly honors for pitchers and freshmen, retired 10 batters in a row until Dedelow’s leadoff single chased him three pitches into the ninth inning. He was relieved by Chad Luensmann, who earned the save after inducing a double-play and a groundout by Fineman to end the contest.

Caleb Baragar gave the Hoosiers a quality start, scattering six hits, while walking two and striking out two during his six innings on the mound. Ben Miller’s first-inning RBI groundout plated Ryan Boldt for Nebraska’s first run before Cole Klemke added an RBI single off Baragar in the fifth. The IU left-hander tossed 61 of his 91 pitches for strikes.

Friday marked the fourth time Indiana has been shut out this year. The Hoosiers will look to avoid the sweep with right-hander Evan Bell scheduled to pitch Saturday’s game, which will air on Big Ten Network.

Go Hoosiers!