IU searching for first win

After being swept in consecutive three-game road sets to open the season -- one in Charlotte, N.C., and one in Miami -- the IU baseball team is ready for its first game in the state of Indiana. \nWith its home opener set for Wednesday against Xavier, the Hoosiers (0-6) will travel to Terre Haute today to take on the Indiana State Sycamores in hopes of earning their first win of the season. \n"It will be nice to be back in Indiana," sophomore shortstop Tad Reida said. "We just have to get over that hump."\nIU has struggled through its first six games, as opponents have outscored the Hoosiers 46-20 on the season. Half of the Hoosiers' runs came in the final game of the Charlotte series. Aside from that game, they have yet to score more than four runs in a contest. \nCharlotte battered the IU pitching staff in the first series, scoring 29 runs in the three-game sweep. In their most recent series, the Hoosiers were held down by the Miami (Fla.) pitching staff. The IU offense managed only five runs in three games.\nTheir winless record aside, the tough early season competition has the Hoosiers ready for the game against the Sycamores.\n"We're gearing up for Indiana State the same way we did for Miami," sophomore pitcher David Trager said. "Hopefully, we'll get that first win under our belt."\nIU will try to get that first win against an Indiana State team that has already started to take off. The Sycamores (4-4) are riding a three-game winning streak after dropping four of their first five games to open the season. \nLead-off hitter Tim Brewer sets the table for the Sycamore offense with a .371 batting average and six stolen bases. Catcher Kyle Kolb anchors the middle of the order with a team-leading two home runs and eight RBIs.\nStarting the game on the mound for Indiana State will be sophomore right-hander Ryan Tatusko (0-1, 2.51 ERA). Tatusko led the Indiana State pitching staff a season ago with an 8-2 record and a team-leading 3.09 ERA, good enough for second team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors. \nIU will not determine its starting pitcher until game time.\nThe IU offense will look to get on track behind the hot bat of third baseman Steve Head and his team-high .375 batting average. Head is coming off a perfect two-for-two game with one RBI in the finale of the Miami series. \nIU swept the two-game series last year and improved its record against the Sycamores to 40-32.\nA win today could push the all-time wins to 41 and give the Hoosiers their first victory of the season, but that's not necessarily what coach Tracy Smith is focused on.\n"We're looking for people that have a belief and a strong commitment to win," he said. "I'm not that focused on our record at this point; our focus is on the Big Ten"