NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Coming into Friday night’s NCAA Regional opener against Radford, it was easy to view it at as a potential pitching duel.
IU junior Kyle Hart was on a hot streak and Radford’s Michael Boyle was 10-2 with a 2.27 ERA.
It seemed to be going that way three innings in, as IU led just 1-0 and Boyle held IU to four hits.
That was before junior third baseman Brian Wilhite hit a two-RBI double in the fourth and Nick Ramos brought him in with an RBI triple of his own. It was before IU put together 13 hits — seven of which came off of Boyle — to open up the NCAA Regional with a 7-1 victory against Radford.
“I just think we got some clutch hits … that’s postseason baseball,” IU Coach Chris Lemonis said.
The rally began with a single from sophomore Craig Dedelow. After a fielder’s choice and a walk came Wilhite’s double off the left field wall. He said he was late on a couple foul balls to the right side and then took advantage of the pitch he wanted.
“Honestly, I felt pretty good early on,” Boyle said. “In the fourth inning there, I kind of just got one dimensional — fastballs, changeups, really stopped using the breaking ball. Left a couple balls over the plate and that really hurt me today.”
Radford Coach Joe Raccuia said he thought Boyle pitched a good game. It came down to IU simply taking advantage of the few opportunities he gave the Hoosiers, Raccuia said, and that it was really only two swings that provided the four runs off Boyle.
So while Boyle attempted to keep the Highlanders in the game with his pitching, Hart did not give up an inch on the mound for IU. He threw seven innings, allowing just one run, which was unearned. Raccuia said his team failed to mime IU’s offensive production.
“There’s only so many times we can put a number one in a position where he’s got to throw all zeroes,” he said.
Lemonis echoed Raccuia’s satisfaction with Boyle’s performance. He tipped his cap to him and referred to him as a quality left hander. Earlier in the day, he told the team that everybody is facing somebody like that right now.
For Wilhite, his big hit came in addition to two great defensive plays. One, an impressive diving grab on a line drive grounder that he finished with an assist, and the other a leaping catch on a ball over his head. He called himself a defensive player primarily, so his recent hitting success was important to him.
IU carried a 5-0 lead into the seventh inning before sophomore outfielder Craig Dedelow clinched the victory with a soaring 2-run home run over the right field wall. He leads the team with seven home runs this season.
The win advances IU to the next round and sets up an 8 p.m. Saturday matchup with Vanderbilt, as the Commodores defeated Lipscomb 9-1.
Despite the team’s up and downs, it is a Hoosier squad occupied by many players who were a part of the previous two post season runs.
“We’ve been here before and we know what it takes to play postseason baseball,” senior Brad Hartong said.
