Hoosiers win 3 of 7 during spring break trip

After playing seven games in seven days in Bradenton, Fla., the IU baseball team completed an eventful spring break road trip with a 5-1 loss to the University of Illinois-Chicago on Saturday. The Hoosiers went 3-4 on the trip and now have an overall record of 4-10.\nIU kicked off the road trip March 12 with a wild contest against Eastern Illinois University. After three innings of play, the score was tied 10-10. The Hoosiers eventually dropped the contest 12-11 when EIU first baseman Erik Huber hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning. IU tallied 14 hits in the loss, including back-to-back home runs by senior Reggie Watson and junior Keith Haas. \nWhile the first game of the trip was a high-scoring affair, the second game proved to be much more of a pitcher's duel. Battling the University of Northern Iowa, senior starting pitcher Josh Lewis picked up his first complete game victory after limiting the Panthers to one run on nine hits. The IU offense generated three runs in support of the right-hander, who struck out seven while not allowing a walk.\n"That first game was a really tough loss for us, and I knew I needed to step up with a strong performance," Lewis said. "Every time I go out there I want to throw all nine, that's definitely my goal."\nThe Hoosiers followed up the victory over UNI with a loss to another Missouri Valley Conference opponent. Despite a strong start from sophomore Chris McCombs, IU lost 6-5 to Bradley University in 10 innings. McCombs, who made his second start of the season, allowed two runs on four hits in six innings and left the game with a 4-2 lead. However, that lead was quickly reversed in the seventh inning when Bradley shortstop Dan Brewer hit a three-run home run off sophomore reliever David Trager. IU battled back in the eighth to tie the game at 5-5. After a scoreless ninth and a scoreless top half of the 10th for the Hoosiers, Bradley won the game when Colby Luttrell hit a fly ball with the bases loaded over the heads of a drawn-in outfield. \nIU bounced back from the extra inning defeat in resounding fashion the next day against Fairfield University. The Hoosiers scored 15 runs on 15 hits to beat the Stags 15-2. The offense was led by the hot bats of senior Zach Boswell and junior Steve Head. Boswell went 2-3 with his second home run of the season and drove in four runs, while Head went 4-5 with two triples. Senior Clint Crosier made his first career start for IU and allowed just one earned run in six innings while striking out nine.\n"That was really exciting for me," said Crosier, who said he didn't know he was starting until the night before the game. "It was my first start and my first win, and it was one of the happiest days I've had with the IU baseball team."\nThe fifth game of the trip saw the Hoosiers drop another one-run game, this time at the hands of Eastern Kentucky University. The Hoosiers couldn't hold on to a 4-1 lead, as the Colonels rallied in the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4, but the Hoosiers regained the lead in the eighth when junior Ben Greenspan doubled home two runs. That lead quickly evaporated in the bottom half of the inning when EKU pinch hitter Joe Oliver hit a two-out, three-run home run to give the Colonels a 7-6 lead, which turned out to be the final score.\nOnce again, the Hoosiers rallied from a loss to win the next day, this time against the University of Vermont. IU's hot bats continued in the victory, as it defeated the Catamounts 10-6. IU also swiped seven bases, which continued another recurring theme in the Hoosiers' road trip. The seven steals against Vermont pushed the Hoosiers' steals total to 19 over their last three games, and without a single runner thrown out.\nTrager picked up the win for IU against the Catamounts after throwing 7 1/3 innings of relief. Freshman Joe Vicini picked up his first save for the Hoosiers. \nThe Hoosiers concluded the road trip with the 5-1 loss to Illinois-Chicago on Saturday, which put their record at 4-10 overall. \n"Our ultimate goal was to win all seven games, and it was a little disappointing because the four games we lost, we were in the ball game and gave up leads," assistant coach Ty Neal said. "But overall, the trip was a great opportunity for us to get to know ourselves and what kind of team we are"