Hoosiers drop 3 straight in opener

The IU baseball team opened its season by dropping a three-game set to the Charlotte 49ers, with the final game slipping out of the Hoosiers' grasp after 14 innings. \nThe two teams combined for 38 hits and 21 runs in the last matchup, but IU found itself on the losing end, eventually falling 11-10 on a two-out game-winning single off IU reliever David Trager by Charlotte catcher Kris Rochelle.\nMatt Landphair picked up the victory in relief for the 49ers.\nLeading the Hoosiers (0-3) on both sides of the field in the final game was freshman outfielder Andrew Means. Means went 3-for-6 with two RBIs, and extended the game by throwing out a runner at home plate for the final out of the 12th inning. \n"It's exciting -- every day you go out there and want the ball," Means said. "It feels great to help the team out."\nFirst baseman Michael Nilles added to the Hoosier offense, going 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Senior designated hitter Zach Boswell added two RBIs on a 2-for-5 day at the plate. \nThe Hoosiers fell behind early in the first game of the series. Charlotte second baseman Corey Lane led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw from freshman pitcher Eric Wagner (0-1). IU then committed three errors, leading to three unearned runs and a 4-0 deficit.\n"It couldn't have started any worse," IU coach Tracy Smith said. "It was our first time out and guys were trying too hard. We played tight." \nCharlotte added a run in the third before exploding for five runs off IU reliever Adam Poole in the fifth to extend the lead to 10-0. \nIU failed to score until the eighth inning when left fielder Jay Brant led off with a solo home run, his first of the season. The Hoosiers then added two more runs, but failed to score again, losing the game 11-3.\nJunior right-hander Adam Mills held down the Hoosier bats for seven innings, allowing only four hits and no earned runs to pick up the win for Charlotte.\nShortstop Mike Ambrose led the 49er offense, going 4-5 at the plate and scoring three runs.\nThe second game didn't get any easier for the Hoosiers offensively. \nBrant led off the game by sending a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for his second home run in as many days, but the Hoosiers would fail to score the rest of the game, mustering only five hits.\n"Friday and Saturday we were hitting the ball, just right at people," Nilles said. "It seemed like everything they hit found a line or opening."\nCharlotte attacked the IU pitching again in the second game, putting up three runs on starting pitcher Josh Lewis (0-1) and four runs on reliever Clint Crosier, for a 7-1 victory. \nKeith Moreland picked up the win for Charlotte in the second game with 5 1/3 innings pitched, giving up one run on five hits.