Hoosiers look to regroup in Louisville

After a weekend of rough weather and tough losses, the IU baseball team gets a chance to rebound in a big way early this week as it travels to Louisville for the first of two non-conference games. The Cardinals (19-14) present a tall task for the Hoosiers (12-18) because they played in the College World Series in Ohama, Neb., last year. \nThe Hoosiers come into today’s game reeling after dropping three of four to Iowa this weekend. The Hoosiers struggled from the mound, surrendering 47 runs during four games against Iowa. IU has lost seven of its last nine, including three against each Illinois and Iowa. \nDespite his team’s weekend trouble, IU coach Tracy Smith said he sees great opportunity in playing Louisville. He said the Hoosiers plan to use some new personnel to try and get “back on track.” He said playing a team like Louisville gives his squad a chance to get back into the win column with style against a team fresh off a trip to Omaha last season. \nTaking the mound for the Hoosiers today will be senior right-hander Chris McCombs, a Louisville native. Smith said he hopes playing in his hometown will give McCombs even greater focus against the Cardinals. \n“Hopefully he’ll have a little extra in the tank for them,” Smith said by phone Monday. “We’re a little thin right now; we used a lot of guys this weekend.”\nMcCombs – 2-0 with a 4.05 earned run average in 10 appearances – said he’s just looking to throw strikes and use the defense behind him to get a win and pump some confidence into his young team. \n“We just need to see some consistency out of the pitching staff right now,” McCombs said. “We just need to get some confidence back.” \nMcCombs said the pitching staff is comforted by the fact that the offense was greatly improved from a year ago. The Hoosiers, currently first in the Big Ten in overall hitting, runs and total hits, are having little trouble lighting up the scoreboard.\n“I know my offense is going to be behind me,” McCombs said. “It’s a huge burden off our shoulders.”\nMcCombs will face a tough test against a Louisville offense ranked third in the Big East in hitting. The Cardinals are also second in the conference in runs and RBIs, though they are last in walks. \nPitching has been something of a different animal for the team along the Ohio River. Louisville is seventh in the Big East in pitching. However, it is second in the conference in strikeouts. \nThe Hoosiers need to regain their confidence as a team to know they can compete with anyone, McCombs said. As a senior, he said he’s seen some rough seasons in Bloomington, but said this is the most talent he’s seen in his four years in cream and crimson. The senior said he just needs to “keep reassuring these guys that we have what it takes.” \n“There’s a tendency for some guys at this point to say ‘here we go again,’” he said. “It’s so much different (this year) in just knowing we can compete.”