Hoosiers, Nittany Lions split in weekend series

The baseball team headed into action this weekend stuck in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten standings, and after dropping Sunday's series finale with Penn State in University Park, its lot has not improved.\nPrior to losing 7-3 in the finale, the Hoosiers had swept the double-header on Saturday but had fallen in Friday's 15-12 slugfest.\nLast week coach Bob Morgan and his players vocalized the team's need for better performances at the plate, and the Hoosiers responded this weekend by tabulating 36 runs and pounding 13 home runs in the four game set. However the old baseball adage that pitching wins ball games rang truer than IU's offensive onslaught. \nNo Hoosier starter went over five innings, and the staff allowed 51 hits during the weekend, surrendering 19 in the first game alone. \nSenior Jacob Cary had another rough outing in the opener, giving up five runs in three innings of work. Cary opened the season with a perfect 7-0 record and a string of five straight complete games. But in his last three starts the senior has gone 0-2, giving up 17 earned runs in 15.1 innings of work.\nThe staff received a break during Saturday's double-header as the IU offense put up 21 runs in games two and three. \nThe Hoosiers used junior Cody Wargo's three hits and four RBIs to outlast the Nittany Lions in game two, winning 13-9. IU then turned to sophomore Corby Heckman's three for four effort into a 8-4 victory in the nightcap. Heckman went five for seven on the day with two home runs and six RBIs. \nPenn State jumped on the Hoosiers early in the finale, tagging IU freshman starter Austin Rhoads for five runs in his two innings of work. Sophomore Brian Lortz and freshman Chris Hynes pitched well in relief, but home run baseball couldn't save the Hoosiers this time. Heckman and senior Vasili Spanos both homered in the 7-3 loss. \nNot only are the Hoosiers still tied with Penn State after the split, but both Michigan and Northwestern took three of four in their respective series with Ohio State and Iowa this weekend meaning that the Hoosiers are now tied for fifth place in the Big Ten. Only the top six teams earn the right to go to the conference tournament.\nOn the bright side, the Hoosiers close the regular season with eight of nine games inside the friendly confines of Sembower Field, going out of town for a non-conference tilt with Valparaiso next week. \nThe team has no midweek game this week due to final exams and heads back into action next weekend against Purdue.