Hoosier skipper faces former team for 1st time

When IU baseball coach Tracy Smith glances right from his perch atop the steps of the Hoosier dugout today, he's going to see a team on the visitor's side with which he is very familiar.\nScouting reports aside, Smith will know everybody in the Miami of Ohio dugout because he spent nine seasons as the head coach there, compiling a .590 winning percentage and two NCAA tournament appearances as the Redhawks' skipper.\nSmith took over the IU program after completing the 2005 season with Miami, and while he looks forward to the reunion with his former team, he remains focused on the task at hand on the field.\n"With the timing of me taking this job, I didn't have a great opportunity to say goodbye to everybody," Smith said. "I look forward to seeing some of those guys, but we're going to try to kick their tail, there's no doubt about that."\nA victory against Smith's old team will help get the Hoosiers (14-23) back on track after losing three of four to Ohio State last weekend and moving three games back of the final spot in the Big Ten Tournament.\nIU has lost three of its first four conference series and has yet to win a series. The Hoosiers split with Purdue two weeks ago.\n"Right now we've dug ourselves into a pretty big hole," senior center fielder Reggie Watson said. "To make the tournament, we have to play good defense and clean everything up."\nIU was unable to overcome early defensive lapses in the final game of the Ohio State series, falling behind 8-0 early. The offense fought back with six runs but was unable to sustain the rally, eventually losing 8-6.\n"We need to come out and play with more focus and more of an intent," sophomore catcher Jon Fixler said. "If we do that, this team is very capable."\nThe Hoosiers will try to end their 10-game home stand with a win over Miami before hitting the road for a four-game series against Penn State this weekend. \nMiami (17-21) has lost five of its last six and Kent State swept the Redhawks in a three-game series last weekend. Miami has also struggled on the road, compiling a 5-17 record. \nFreshman Jordan Petraitis leads the Redhawk offense with a .331 batting average and is tied for the team lead with 23 RBIs. Senior Geoff Orr also has 23 RBIs to go along with three home runs and a .327 average.\nSophomore pitcher Doug Fleenor (1-1, 4.37 ERA) will make the start for the Hoosiers, his first of the season.\nSophomore Connor Graham (1-2, 5.87) will make his sixth start of the season for Miami. Graham allowed five runs and nine hits over five innings, walking four and striking out five, in his last start against Eastern Kentucky on April 18. He did not factor in the decision.\nFirst pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Sembower Field.