Hoosier offense carries team

IU moved towards the middle of the pack in the Big Ten title race Friday when it traveled to Purdue and pulled out a 15-5 victory.\n"The offense played real well today," coach Bob Morgan said in a press release. "(Junior Jacob) Cary pitched a strong game and the offense really came alive in today's ballgame."\nThe Boilermakers started the game well, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning, but the Hoosiers came back in the top of the third with the help of seniors Eric Blakeley and Gibran Hamdan, junior Kennard Jones, sophomore Nick Evans and freshman Jay Brant.\nJones started the offensive run with a single to open the inning. Blakeley hit a RBI single scoring Jones, and Evans scored Blakeley off a single. Hamdan then hit a double and Brant knocked him home with a RBI single. IU had gained the advantage, 4-3.\nCary then took over the game, shutting down the Purdue offense from the mound. He threw 7 1/3 innings and gave up just three earned runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking just two. His record improves to 5-5 on the season.\nIU earned two more runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, and the team broke open the game in the top of the sixth, scoring four more runs to take a 10-3 lead. \nHamdan started the run with a two-run single, scoring Evans, who had walked, and junior Kenny Marrs, who was hit by a pitch. Then sophomore Josh Romero brought Hamdan and himself home with a two-run home run into right center field. \nThe Hoosiers continued to pour on the offense.\nJunior Vasili Spanos hit two home runs, one a three-run home run in the seventh inning and the other a solo home run in the ninth, to finish the Hoosiers' game.\nSpanos' two home runs were his 14th and 15th on the season and capped a 2-3 day. He also had three walks and four RBI. Friday was also his fourth multi-home run game this season.\n"We really did a good job today," Spanos said in a prepared statement. "Opening this series with a win is huge. We came in and knew there was pressure on us, but we came through. I think it's big to win on Friday and we did just that."\nThe teams were scheduled to play a double-header on Saturday, but the games were cancelled due to rain. Both games were made up Sunday beginning at 1 p.m., but results were not posted before press time.\nIU vs. Penn State\nLast weekend, IU lost three of the four games against Penn State at Sembower Field. \n"It's disappointing, especially since it's our last series here," Morgan said. "Credit Penn State, they played well. We didn't play as well as we have been playing."\nMonday's game consisted of a two-hour rain delay and inconsistent pitching and defense from the Hoosiers in a 14-9 defeat. Jones recorded a hit in his 17th consecutive game. Sophomore Joe Kemp went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and his fifth home run of the year.\n"It was a rough day," Jones said. "We didn't get hits in critical situations. We left a bunch of guys on base. We just didn't come through. It was just one of those weekends." \nPenn State swept Sunday's doubleheader with 6-4 and 6-2 victories. The lone win of the series for the Hoosiers came on Saturday in an 11-9 contest.\n"We've got our work cut out for us," Kemp said. "It's probably gonna come down to the last game of the season, win or lose to get into the playoffs. We have to step up."\nEnd of the Road\nThe Hoosiers will finish up the 2002 season on the road at Northwestern this weekend. \nThe Big Ten Tournament is held the following week at the location of the regular season conference champion. This year the championship could be determined the last weekend of the season, when first place Minnesota (27-21, 15-7 in the Big Ten) travels to second place Ohio State (30-16-1, 16-9 in the Big Ten).\nSports editor Ben Cunningham contributed to this story. For results on Sunday's double-header against Purdue, look for Thursday's edition of the IDS.