Just short

Coach Bob Morgan's bid for his 1,000 victory fell as fast as the setting sun as Wright State's two-run eighth inning rally propelled the Raiders to a 7-6 victory over IU. Sophomore Ty Brown's grounder to second took a bad hop on sophomore Jay Brant, and Raider runners senior Kofi Gyimah and freshman Justin Wilson came around to score to provide the winning margin.\nMorgan said he would have enjoyed winning at home, but he'll move on.\n"If I had my druthers, I'd much rather win at home," Morgan said. "Maybe my wife might make me a cake or something. It would have been more meaningful because you see all your friends around saying good luck. So I kind of feel like I let them down a little bit, but life goes on."\nTwo southpaws squared off as freshman Troy Ragle (0-0) got the nod for IU in his first start and junior Casey Abrams (0-3) started for Wright State. It was the Raiders who drew first blood. With the runners going on a full count, sophomore Adam Morton's slow roller found a hole on the left side to score freshman Pat Masters and secure a 1-0 lead.\nIU countered in the bottom of the third when senior Mark Calkins' single to center scored Brant to even the score. Moments later Raider freshman catcher Kirk Seddon's wild attempted pick off throw scored Calkins and senior Vasili Spanos to give IU the lead, 3-1.\nRaider revenge occurred in the top of the fifth when freshman Dan Pezley replaced Ragle. Masters' two-run double drew Wright State even, and Morton struck again with a single to right plating Masters and giving Wright State the lead 4-3.\nThe Hoosiers manufactured a run in the bottom of the fifth when senior Brad DeStefano scored on a Calkins groundout. An inning later IU took the lead when junior Ryan Donley stole home during a run-down between first and second with junior Cody Wargo making the score 5-4.\nDeStefano scored another run in the Hoosier seventh, but the Raiders refused to quit. Wilson's run scoring single scored Morton to bring Wright State within one before Brant's error provided the final margin.\nConsistency on defense was a problem all day for the Hoosiers (14-3). Calkins and DeStefano highlighted the days action with two breathtaking web gems. Calkins robbed Brown with a fully extended diving grab in left center that perhaps saved a run in the top of the second. And DeStefano refused to be beat with his own diving catch that seemed to come inches from the grass. \nCalkins said it was a fortunate catch.\n"It was pretty lucky I guess," Calkins said. "I got a good bead on it right off the bat, layed out and reached out my glove and I guess I had it. I didn't really think I had it, but I knew I had a chance off the bat."\nOn the other side of the coin the Hoosiers had some breakdowns. Brant was one Hoosier who had a tough day. Overall offensive and defensive execution needs improvement before IU travels to Champaign, Ill., this weekend to open the Big Ten season against Illinois. But junior Seth Bynum said the mental errors can be overcome.\n"I think our defense did pretty well," Bynum said. "We had a couple of mental mistakes. I think we played real good defense, but we've just got to execute more and take it to Illinois this weekend"