Hoosiers score 32 runs to win Gent Classic with 3-1 record

The hits just keep on coming for the IU baseball team, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Hoosier offense scored 32 runs in their four games this past weekend and came away with three victories.\nIU took its potent offense into the Gent Classic in Shreveport, La. and improved its season record to 6-2. The team swept its doubleheader Friday against the University of Arkansas-Little Rock in the first game and Centenary in the second. The Hoosiers then fell to Centenary in Saturday's game, but were victorious in Sunday's contest against Arkansas again. IU coach Bob Morgan said despite taking three out of the four games, he still sees plenty of room for improvement.\n"We're still not playing as well as we should be," Morgan said. "We made some mistakes with our base running and we need to capitalize more on our run production. We need to be more efficient."\nIn the first game of the four-game classic, the Hoosiers were victorious 9-4. IU led 4-1 going into the eighth inning of play before reeling off five runs to seal the victory. The Hoosiers executed a double steal with pinch runner Tyler Cox and third baseman Corby Heckman, who both scored on a single by designated hitter Steve Head. Joe Kemp later tripled to drive in two more runs and cap off the inning. Junior pitcher Josh Lewis allowed only one run in six innings and picked up his first win of the season.\nThough the Hoosiers also won the second game of the doubleheader, it did not come as easy. IU rallied in the ninth inning, scoring two runs to defeat Centenary. Kemp extended his hitting streak to 13 games and first baseman Ryan Parker hit his first home run of the season. As they did in the first game of the doubleheader, the Hoosiers used the double steal to their advantage to put a run on the board. \n"We do that stuff a lot," Morgan said. "We could have been in some better situations, but we're starting to score some runs."\nSenior reliever Steve Nielsen picked up his first save of the season and only the second in his career in Friday's victory against Centenary. Nielsen has now pitched six innings of relief without giving up a hit. Heckman followed up his 4 for 5 performance in the first game with two more hits and a run scored. \nIU had a rematch with Centenary Saturday afternoon, but things did not turn out the same way they had the first time the teams met. Though the Hoosiers tallied more hits than Centenary, they were only able to score three runs. IU not only lost the game 11-3, but also lost Heckman to an injury. Despite the injury, Heckman hopes to be back and ready to play sometime this week.\n"I don't want to rush it right now," he said. "This weekend was much better for me and I got a lot more at-bats."\nThough Heckman was forced to sit out Sunday's contest because of the injury, the Hoosier offense did not falter and scored 16 runs in a 16-0 shutout of Arkansas-Little Rock. Freshman Brad Davidson picked up his first career win as an IU pitcher, giving up only two hits and no runs in five innings pitched. \n"It feels great," Davidson said. "The team is playing great and this was a big boost of confidence. We're going to keep going strong from here on out."\nParker, left fielder Zach Boswell and third baseman Steve Head each tallied three hits apiece in Sunday's win, while center fielder Reggie Watson and catcher Jon Fixler each had two. Second baseman Jay Brant drove in four runs in the winning effort and belted his second home run of the season.\n"We had some really timely hitting," Brant said. "Overall it was a good weekend and we need to maintain this momentum going into this week's games."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Matt Mattucci at mmattucc@indiana.edu.