Having just taken a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning, IU was just three innings from sweeping Stanford to start its season. What followed was two Stanford runs courtesy of a walk, a hit batsman, a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly and a ball thrown up the right ?field line.
“I guess you could say we’re happy with the trip,” Lemonis said. “Our goal is to win every day. I know it ain’t going to happen, but I’d love for somebody to beat us instead of us making an error or something.”
IU won the first two games of the series 4-2 and 4-3 before losing the finale 4-3. Friday night, junior Scott Effross got the win after pitching six innings and ?allowing one run.
The big play in Friday night’s game came in the seventh inning. Junior Brian Wilhite drew a one-out walk from Stanford reliever Logan James. Next up was senior leadoff hitter Casey Rodrigue, who sent James’ pitch over the right field wall for his first career home run.
“He’s got something in there. It didn’t shock me by any means,” Lemonis said. “He’s hit some in practice.”
IU turned to senior reliever Luke Harrison for two shutout innings, and IU scored another run in the eighth before senior Ryan Halstead recorded his first save of the season.
IU also used a lengthy relief performance in Saturday’s win. Sophomore Thomas Belcher pitched three scoreless innings to get Saturday’s game into extra innings, where IU was able to win.
“We feel like (the bullpen’s) the strength of our team,” Lemonis said. “We have all those veteran guys back. They all came out attacking the strike zone and getting two strikes on hitters.”
Saturday, IU got its first run thanks to a couple of Stanford mistakes. Freshman Isiah Pasteur drew a one-out walk. Pasteur then advanced to third after Stanford pitcher Marcus Brakeman overthrew his pickoff throw. Rodrigue drove him in with an RBI ground out.
It was the third of a team-high four RBIs for Rodrigue during the weekend.
“I was just trying to move the runner,” Rodrigue said. “Situations like a runner on third base and less than two outs, I just do my job.”
IU would benefit from a Stanford throwing error in extra innings, as well.
After a leadoff walk from senior Will Nolden, IU tried sacrifice bunting twice with Hartong and senior Scott Donley. Both times Stanford pitcher Quinn Brodey overthrew his first baseman, allowing Nolden to score and give IU a 3-2 lead.
Dedelow followed that with a single to left, IU’s first hit of the inning, to score Hartong from third.
After Stanford scored a run in the bottom of the tenth, it brought in pinch runner Jonny Locher at first base. Halstead threw over once to check on him at first and Locher was back in ?plenty of time.
Hasltead then threw home, and Locher broke for second. Hartong sprung out of his squat and fired down to second where Ramos caught the low throw and applied the tag on Locher, ?ending the game.
Sunday, IU sent sophomore Jake Kelzer to the mound for his first career start. He made it 4.1 innings, allowing two runs before handing the ball to junior Evan Bell, who would eventually take the loss after the hitless two-run seventh inning from Stanford.
Lemonis said at this level of baseball, games are decided by pitching and defense. He said both teams pitched well all weekend, but every game was decided by ?defensive lapses.
Rodrigue said despite losing the game the way it did, IU will be flying home with confidence.
“They didn’t really beat us there, we kind of gave that one away,” Rodrigue said. “We can hang with anyone in the country.”
