Hoosiers pull out big bats against Purdue in game three

You’ll have to forgive the IU baseball team; it’s not their fault the scoreboard is too small. \nAfter an 11-run first inning in game three of the Hoosiers’ four-game series with Purdue, the scoreboard at Sembower Field read just one run for the Hoosiers – there wasn’t room enough for two-digit numbers to be posted in the score line. \nThe Hoosiers sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning in game two Sunday, registering 13 hits and 11 runs and going through three different Purdue pitchers. The first 10 IU batters reached base – Andrew Means did it twice – and the Hoosiers put three home runs on the board. Kipp Schutz hit a grand slam, the team’s second of the season. \nCatcher Josh Phegley said the Hoosiers didn’t take it too easy after the first inning, but he admitted IU’s hot start to game three of the series helped the home squad relax after an exciting game-two win. \n“We totally deflated the other team with that first inning,” Phegley said. “Hits were definitely contagious that first inning. The confidence was so high, I don’t think anybody thought they could get out.”\nAndrew Means said after the game the real challenge for he and his teammates was staying focused after the big inning.\n“It’s tough,” Means said. “You really just gotta go out there and concentrate.” \nThe Hoosiers put another four runs on the board in the second inning en route to a 18-8 victory. Senior right-hander Chris McCombs picked up the victory, going all seven innings and giving up eight runs and striking out six batters. \nMcCombs was the second IU pitcher to pitch a complete game on the day after game-two starter Matt Bashore threw a full seven innings in a 5-4 IU victory. Smith said it helped the Hoosiers’ bullpen get a day off after five different pitchers threw in the team’s 11-7 game-one loss Saturday. \n“That was big for us to get the quality starts from both of those guys,” Smith said. “It helps us for tomorrow.”\nThe game also saw several Hoosiers get a chance in the field or at the plate, including backups catcher Dylan Swift and infielder Brad Henke. Left-handed pitcher Chris Squires even spent the last half inning patrolling left field. \nThe win gave the Hoosiers (20-25, 8-15) eight conference wins, matching their mark from all of last year.\nIt would be hard to believe that the opponent being Purdue didn’t make the win any sweeter for the Hoosiers. \n“Any time you can put up 11 runs in the first inning on your rival school, whether it’s high school, middle school anything,” Means said. “It’s good to get a Sunday sweep against them.”\nSmith said he doesn’t like getting caught up too much in rivalry, but he did say he thought his team enjoyed the festivities of Senior Day and beating Purdue. \n“It was a good emotional day, and I think the kids enjoyed that today, because it was a couple of years ago here that they put it on us in a game like that,” Smith said. “It’s a little nicer when you’ve got your in-state rival that you put it on. Still got one game left though.”\n“It’s a crazy game. I’ve been on both sides of it.”