USC @ IU, Game 1: IU gets doubled up in a poorly played game, 10-5...

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LHP Ryan Kraft is on the mound with an ERA of 5.29 and a WHIP of 1.53 in 17.0 IP. He has 20 Ks against 7 BBs with an OBA of .279. Stadler is behind the plate.

The batting order is Wiggins, Taylor, Dickerson, Hanley, Denny (DH), Cerny, Stadler, Malamazian, and Moore.

Cerny is back at 2B for the second straight game and I wonder if his recent errors in three straight games have put him back at 2B where he started at when he arrived at IU. Malamazian is at SS and Moore is at 3B for what may be the rest of the season with Pyne reportedly being out for the rest of the season.

LHP Caden Hunter is on the mound for USC with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.21 in 33.0 IP. He has 38 Ks to 14 BBs and an OBA of 220.

As I post this, it's partly sunny with the temp at 77 and they are expecting the temp to reach 80 today. It's windy with the wind WSW at 13 mph with some wind gusts as high as 32 mph.

T1st:

Kraft got the leadoff batter on a groundout. A slow roller put a runner on with one out. A double put runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs. A grounder retired the side with no damage done.

B1st:

Wiggins grounded out to lead off. Taylor walked on a 3-1 count. Dickerson Kd for two outs.

Taylor stole 2nd and Hanley then hit a two-run homer to left center to give IU an early 2-0 lead.

Denny Kd to end the inning.

End of 1st: IU 2 USC 0

 

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T2nd:

Kraft put them down in order.

B2nd:

Cerny led off with a double that hit the bottom of the wall in left center.

Stadler grounded out to 1B with Cerny taking 3rd and one out.

Malamazian grounded out to 3B keeping Cerny there and two outs.

A balk scored Cerny. Moore reached on a bunt single with the top of the order up in Wiggins.

Moore was picked off at 1st to end the inning.

End of 2nd: IU 3 USC 0

 

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T3rd:

Kraft faced the 9 thru 2 hitters and he gave up a leadoff single. An infield pop out got the first out. A DP retired the side, and IU has completed several DPs of late. Kraft has done a good job of keeping the ball on the ground on this windy day.

B3rd:

Wiggins led off and he Kd swinging. Taylor flied out for two outs and Dickerson grounded out in a very quick 1-2-3 inning for IU.

End of 3rd: IU 3 USC 0

 

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T4th:

Kraft faced the 3 thru 5 hitters and he gave up three straight homers with no outs with the wind playing a big part in balls that probably shouldn't have left the field if not for the wind.

It tough to get past giving up three straight homers, but Kraft got a K for the first out. Seebold was warming up in the bullpen.

A flyout and then a single put a runner on with two outs.

A groundout retired the side.

B4th:

It was the middle of the order up with Hanley leading off and he reached on a single. Denny flied out for the first out.

Cerny and Stadler both Kd to end the inning.

End of 4th: IU 3 USC 3

 

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T5th:

RHP Gavin relieved Kraft and he had an ERA of 6.51 and a WHIP of 1.63 in 27.2 IP. Seebold has pitched extremely well coming out the pen.

Seebold faced the top of the order and he Kd the leadoff hitter. He then walked a batter on a full count.

A foul out to Stadler got the 2nd out. A K retired the side.

B5th:

It was the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Malamazian leading off. Malamazian singled and then advanced to 2B on a WP.

Moore walked on a 3-1 count to put runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs with the top of the order up in Wiggins.

Wiggins popped out on the infield for the first out.

Taylor walked on four pitches to load the bases with one out.

My goodness. Dickerson fouled out to 1B with the wind blowing the ball back into play for two outs.

Hanley Kd to end the inning and IU blew a big chance to take the lead.

End of 5th: IU 3 USC 3

 

[Seyton]

T5th:

RHP Gavin relieved Kraft and he had an ERA of 6.51 and a WHIP of 1.63 in 27.2 IP. Seebold has pitched extremely well coming out the pen.

Seebold faced the top of the order and he Kd the leadoff hitter. He then walked a batter on a full count.

A foul out to Stadler got the 2nd out. A K retired the side.

B5th:

It was the 8 thru 1 hitters up with Malamazian leading off. Malamazian singled and then advanced to 2B on a WP.

Moore walked on a 3-1 count to put runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs with the top of the order up in Wiggins.

Wiggins popped out on the infield for the first out.

Taylor walked on four pitches to load the bases with one out.

My goodness. Dickerson fouled out to 1B with the wind blowing the ball back into play for two outs.

Hanley Kd to end the inning and IU blew a big chance to take the lead.

End of 5th: IU 3 USC 3

Seebold's overall numbers are really bad, but I wonder what the splits are re: starting vs. relief?

 

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T6th:

Seebold faced the 6 thru 8 hitters. A flyout and a single put a man on with one out. The runner was caught stealing 2nd and then a groundout retired the side.

B6th:

It's the 5 thru 7 hitters up with Denny leading off. Denny grounded out and Cerny walked on a 3-1 count.

Stadler singled to put runners on the corners with one out and IU has a scoring threat for the 2nd straight inning.

Malamazian was up and he grounded out scoring Cerny with two outs.

Moore singled to put runners on the corners with two outs and Wiggins up who is 0 for 3 so far.

Wiggins popped out on the infield to end the inning.

End of 6th: IU 4 USC 3

 

[ptrich]

Seebold's overall numbers are really bad, but I wonder what the splits are re: starting vs. relief?

His ERA was really high to start the season as a starter with a really bad start at Penn St., but coming out of the bullpen, he has pitched extremely well although I don't know the ERA differences between being the starter and being a bullpen pitcher.

 

[Seyton]

His ERA was really high to start the season as a starter with a really bad start at Penn St., but coming out of the bullpen, he has pitched extremely well although I don't know the ERA differences between being the starter and being a bullpen pitcher.

It's always interesting where pitchers settle in, isn't it? How the routine, the part of the game, etc. all affect them - so many human elements. There's lots of things analytics just can't explain.

 

[ptrich]

It's always interesting where pitchers settle in, isn't it? How the routine, the part of the game, etc. all affect them - so many human elements. There's lots of things analytics just can't explain.

It's been the exact opposite with Kraft. He was really bad coming out of the bullpen to start the season, but he has pitched really well as a recent starter although he gave up the three homers today on a very windy day. He had kept the ball on the ground for much of the game until the homers.

 

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T7th:

Seebold faced the 8 thru 1 hitters and he gave up a leadoff double. A groundout moved the runner to 3B and Seebold really needs to bear down here to keep the runner a 3rd.

A single tied the game again at 4-4 with a runner at first and one out. A two-run homer to CF gave USC the lead for the first time at 6-4 and one out.

A flyout got the 2nd out with the bases empty. A groundout retired the side.

B7th:

It's the 2 thru 4 hitters up and our power hitters have not been able to take advantage of the windy day. USC is not a home run hitting team, but they have four homers today so far.

USC pulled their starter and brought in RHP Brodie Purcell with an ERA of 1.26 and a WHIP of 0.91 in 14.1 IP.

Taylor grounded out to lead off. Dickerson singled to put a runner on with one out.

Hanley doubled to put runners at 2nd and 3rd and one out and here we go again with the Hoosiers having a chance at a big inning after blowing it the last two innings.

Denny K and Cerny grounded out and IU has blown big scoring chances the last three innings. IU has stranded 10 runners so far while USC has stranded 4 runners.

End of 7th: USC 6 IU 4

 

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T8th:

A flyout, a solo homer, and two groundouts retired the side. USC is one of the worst long ball teams in the B1G, but they have five homers today, while IU can't do anything with a strong wind blowing out.

B8th:

It's the bottom of the order up and maybe they can get something going since the top of the order hasn't done much. The top of the order is 1 for 10 on the day so far with a strong wind blowing out.

IU went down in a whimper with a flyout and two Ks to end the inning.

End of 8th: USC 7 IU 4

 

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T9th:

Seebold was back out there to try and hold USC to their seven runs and give IU a chance in the bottom of the inning.

Seebold got a flyout and a groundout for two outs. An infield hit put a runner on with two outs.

Another single was misplayed by Dickerson for an error and an unearned run scored to make it 8-4.

A walk and another single scored another unearned run to make it 9-4 and IU should be embarrassed over their performance in this game, and it was a well-deserved loss assuming they continue to do nothing at the plate in the bottom of the inning.

Another single scored another unearned run to make it 10-4 and LHP Caleb Koskie replaced Seebold as he comes in to try and get that elusive third out after Seebold got the first two batters to start the inning.

A flyout finally retired the side.

B9th:

It's the top of the order up for IU and they have had a pitiful time at the plate in this game going 1 for 10 so far and that's with a strong wind blowing out.

Too little, too late, Wiggins hits a solo homer to left center. Taylor grounded out and Dickerson Kd for two outs.

I guess it was appropriate that Hanley Kd to end the game.

Final: USC 10 IU 5

 

[ptrich]

Not much you can say about this game as IU was a no show in all aspects of the game. USC outhit IU 16-10 and they came into the game as one of the weaker hitting teams in the B1G with a team average of .258. They also were a team that doesn't hit the long ball much, but they took advantage of the strong wind blowing out and had five homers today.

It was not a good day from a pitching standpoint and the lack of clutch hitting, especially at the top of the order, killed chance after chance of a big inning in this game. IU gave up three unearned runs in the 9th after a two-out error which killed practically any chance of a 9th inning comeback.

There were two multi-hit players. The top of the order went 2 for 13 with a meaningless solo homer in the 9th by Wiggins being one of the two hits.

Hanley - 3 for 5 with a double and a homer and two RNIs.

Moore - 2 for 3, but no RBIs or runs scored.

Cerny had a double.

Kraft gave up three earned runs on three straight solo homers, but pitched well outside that by keeping the ball mostly on the ground.

Seebold gave up the other runs and I saw that the stat sheet had him being charged with 7 earned runs, but I can't figure that out since three runs in the 9th came after a two-out error and were unearned runs.

The 9th inning error cost IU any chance of a 9th inning comeback with three runs scoring after the two-out error.