IU baseball had the opportunity it needed in its hands.
Down 4-1 in the ninth inning at Minnesota with the bases loaded and one out, the Hoosiers had their top two hitters in terms of batting average coming to the plate.
First, it was sophomore first baseman Scotty Bradley and his .363 batting average. He struck out looking.
Next it was sophomore left fielder Matt Gorski, a .386 hitter, coming to the plate. He grounded out to the shortstop.
It was a fitting ending to a tough offensive game for IU (31-11, 9-6) as the team dropped the opening game of a crucial three-game series with Minnesota (30-12, 12-3).
As much as the IU offense struggled, junior pitcher Reggie Meyer dominated on the mound for Minnesota.
Meyer pitched into the ninth inning while giving up just one run on four hits.
The lone run for the Hoosiers came on a solo home run from junior utility player Matt Lloyd in the fourth inning. It was his seventh homer on the year.
Meyer threw six strikeouts while walking two Hoosiers before he was replaced by closer Max Meyer — no relation.
Max was able to pitch the Golden Gophers out of the ninth-inning jam to earn his 12th save of the season, which ranks second among Big Ten pitchers.
On the mound for IU was the usual Friday starter, junior Jonathan Stiever
The loss marked the first time this season the Hoosiers have dropped back-to-back games in which Stiever started.
After picking up a no decision in last Friday's loss against Illinois, Stiever threw 6.2 innings while striking out four batters, walking four batters and giving up four runs.
Stiever gave up a run in the first on an RBI groundout by Minnesota sophomore catcher Eli Wilson.
Lloyd tied the game with his aforementioned home run, but Minnesota pulled away with a two-run, three-hit fifth inning.
Both starters, Meyer and Stiever, now own a record of 5-3.
Junior starting pitcher Pauly Milto will be missing a third consecutive Saturday start as he continues to battle arm soreness.
Milto leads the team’s starting pitchers in ERA, but will sit as sophomore Cam Beauchamp and junior Tim Herrin will take the mound the rest of the weekend for IU.
Stefan Krajisnik
