In what was a pitchers duel for game two of the IU-Hawaii series in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Thursday night, it only made sense that a position player would get the win for the Hoosiers on the mound.
Sophomore transfer infielder Matt Lloyd, who boasted a 7-0 record and 2.78 ERA as a pitcher and First Team All-Region selection at Iowa Western Community College as a freshman, pitched 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit against Hawaii.
Lloyd’s effort was enough to tame the Warriors until the Hoosiers could get across the winning run in the ninth to secure their eighth victory of the season, 4-3.
After getting rocked for six hits and four runs in 3.2 innings of work against Middle Tennessee State in Bloomington last weekend, sophomore pitcher Tim Herrin took the mound to start against Hawaii and surrendered five hits for three runs in three innings pitched.
Herrin didn’t give up an extra-base hit, but after two RBI singles — one in the second inning and one in the third — and his throwing error to allow another run in the third inning, IU Coach Chris Lemonis brought in junior pitcher Kade Kryzsko with the Hoosiers trailing 3-1 in the fourth.
Kryzsko, Lloyd and freshman pitcher Brad Littleton combined for six innings of work, allowing just five hits and no runs.
With the Warriors’ lineup tamed by the bullpen, the Hoosiers needed to score three runs in six innings to win the game, and that’s what they did.
Sophomore third baseman Luke Miller drove a ball out of the park with freshman Matt Gorski on base to tie the game at 3-3 in the eighth inning. In the ninth, Gorski knocked in senior second baseman Tony Butler by beating out an attempted double play.
Lemonis left Lloyd on the mound for the bottom of the ninth with a 1-run lead, and Lloyd delivered to push the Hoosiers above .500 for the first time since Feb. 24.
IU has now won four straight games and has a chance to sweep the series Friday night in Honolulu. The game will take place at 12:35 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday morning.
Taylor Lehman
