Offense comes alive in wins during weekend

The IU baseball team won three out of four games this weekend against the University of Akron in Asheville, N.C. Saturday was a tale of two teams for IU (5-1), clobbering Akron 17-7 before falling 6-2 to the Zips in the nightcap. Coach Bob Morgan's club showed consistency during Sunday's double header, winning 4-1 and 5-2, respectively. \nIU's bats came out hot in the weekend's first game as the Hoosiers totaled 16 hits and scored at least one run in every inning. The game remained somewhat in doubt until the bottom of the fourth inning when IU, leading 7-3, scored six runs in the frame to stretch its advantage to 13-3. The Hoosiers added four runs in their final two at-bats to ensure their 17-7 victory over the Zips.\nTwo Hoosiers continued their strong starts as both senior third baseman Vasili Spanos and sophomore designated hitter Corby Heckman led IU with four hits. Spanos, last week's Big Ten Player of the Week, had six RBIs as well to stretch his season total to 12. Heckman caused havoc at the plate and on the base paths by going 4-4 and scoring four runs for Morgan's squad.\nBenefitting from IU's offensive explosion was senior pitcher Jacob Cary (2-0). Cary picked up his second win for the young season. Cary pitched five innings, shutting out Akron through three but faltering in the fourth and fifth giving up five earned runs. Senior pitcher Kevin O'Brien came on in the sixth and finished the Zips off by limiting them to two hits and one run in two innings of work.\nIU was unable to carry over its offensive success to the second game as the Hoosiers ran into Akron senior pitcher Frank Mendoza (1-0). Mendoza limited IU to two runs on four hits through 6.1 innings, and fellow Akron senior Dan Swallie retired two Hoosiers to finish IU off, 6-2.\nJunior pitcher Adam Pegg was credited with the loss. Pegg (1-1) held tough through three innings before Zips freshman Marcus Geiselman plated four with a grand slam in the top of the fourth. Akron added another run in the fourth and a single run in the fifth to extend its lead well beyond IU's reach.\nThe Hoosiers looked to get even Sunday and got on the board first when junior shortstop Seth Bynum homered for the second time this season to put IU up 1-0. The Hoosiers stretched their lead to 4-0 in the sixth inning with a timely single by junior first baseman Kevin Mahar, an RBI sacrifice fly by junior outfielder Ryan Donley and opportunistic base running with Spanos scoring on an Akron throwing error.\nJunior pitcher Chris Behrens pitched 5.1 innings of shut-out ball before giving way to senior Ryan Smith. Smith completed the game for IU, only surrendering one run on a homer by junior Israel Victor.\nThe Hoosiers needed an extra inning to finish off Akron in Sunday's second game. Akron came out hot scoring two runs in the bottom of the first, but IU evened the tally in the top of the fourth with two runs of its own on a pair of RBI singles by Mahar and senior designated hitter Nick Evans.\nWith the game still tied after seven innings, three IU seniors decided to take matters into their own hands. Senior outfielder Brad DeStefano doubled to right to open the inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior outfielder Kenny Marrs walked, and senior outfielder Mark Calkins singled to center. The Akron centerfielder mishandled the ball, and DeStefano, Marrs and Calkins all came around to score.\nSmith (2-0) picked up his second victory of the season.\nIU opens its home season Wednesday against Butler at 3 p.m. at Sembower Field.