Coming off a four-game series in Hawaii that resulted in three wins, IU is back home in Bloomington on Wednesday afternoon to play host to Cincinnati.
After winning their first three games, the Hoosiers gave up a six-run lead and eventually lost to the Rainbow Warriors, 11-10. Before the loss, though, the Hoosiers were riding a five-game win streak.
“I like how we’re playing right now,” IU Coach Chris Lemonis said. “We won three real gritty games out there, but the last one still leaves a sour taste in your mouth. We’re still trying to figure out the end of the game for us, and that’s been a little bit of our Achilles’ heel early in the season.”
Senior outfielder Alex Krupa starred for IU, 9-8-1, against Hawaii, 11-8, and took home Big Ten Player of the Week honors.
The Rainbow Warriors struggled to figure him out. Krupa batted .533 and smacked eight hits through the week.
“It doesn’t really matter to me,” Krupa said, referring to his recognition by the conference. “I mean I’m happy that it happened, I’m happy that we had a good weekend down there as a whole, but I wish we would’ve gotten that fourth one. But it doesn’t really mean anything to me.”
In the teams’ March 1 meeting in Cincinnati, the Bearcats, 9-9, defeated the Hoosiers 6-1 to drop them below .500 at 3-4-1. Now, IU is preparing to defend its home field and get more production at the plate after failing to record a single hit with a runner on base in 15 opportunities. They also went 0-6 with runners in scoring position in that loss.
Cincinnati has struggled on the road this year and found itself on the losing end of eight of its 12 road games.
IU, on the other hand, is 2-1 at home this season and 77-23 at Bart Kaufman Field since it opened in 2013.
Krupa said his own confidence has been raised based on his recent performances in addition to the team’s collective confidence improving after winning three tough road games last week.
“As a team, it’s huge,” Krupa said. “We really needed that, especially for Wednesday so we can pull this one out against Cincinnati because they have had some success at home against us, which doesn’t make us happy.”
The Hoosiers also received a boost at the plate in Honolulu by freshman infielder Matt Gorski, who recorded three hits including his first college home run Sunday.
Lemonis said Gorski, as a young guy, has been stuck behind older players but got his chance as some of the older guys faltered a bit recently.
“Guys have been coming along the last couple weeks,” Lemonis said. “I said at the beginning of the year that we’re talented. We just didn’t play well off the bat. It’s nice to see some of those guys have a great weekend like Alex Krupa, Matt Gorski, Luke Miller and Logan (Sowers).”
Lemonis had not yet made a decision on who will be the Hoosiers’ starting pitcher against Cincinnati as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, nor did he know who would get the call for the Bearcats.
“They’re a really good defensive team,” Lemonis said. “They have played us tough every time, so we know we’re in for a good match.”
