Cardinals down IU, 15-1

Freshman pitcher Drew Leininger entered Tuesday’s game against Louisville with hopes of earning his first collegiate victory. Unfortunately, all did not go as planned.  

Leininger (0-2) gave up nine runs on nine hits after just three and one-third innings on the mound. The rough start early on for IU (12-17) resulted in a dominant 15-1 win for the Cardinals (21-9). IU coach Tracy Smith summed up the reason of his team’s loss in one word: “pitching.”

“We didn’t pitch well,” Smith said after the game. “We got to do a better job in our midweek stuff of getting more quality out of some of those guys. (Leininger) was up in the strike zone today and got hit around.”

IU fell behind early, with seven runs scored by Louisville in the first two innings. In the first inning, Louisville sophomore left fielder Phil Wunderlich began the offensive attack with a triple down the left-field line, scoring junior first baseman Andrew Clark. A single by freshman third baseman Ryan Wright scored Wunderlich. Later in the inning, senior shortstop John Dao singled to left center field to bring Wright home.

More trouble came for the Hoosiers in the second inning. Louisville sophomore right fielder Josh Richmond doubled to left center field, scoring senior designated hitter Alec Lowrey. Two batters later, Clark brought home Richmond and junior second baseman Adam Duvall with a three-run home run.

Louisville added to its total with two runs scored in the fourth inning and six more after the sixth inning.

“It just seemed like we couldn’t get anything by them,” sophomore catcher Dylan Swift said of Louisville’s hitting. “Whenever we made a mistake, they took advantage of it. They just pounded it.”

While Louisville generated plenty of offense at Jim Patterson Stadium, IU struggled to get on base. Of the 17 Hoosier players with an at-bat, only five recorded a hit.

IU’s lone run came in the eighth inning, as sophomore first baseman Kipp Schutz’s RBI single to right field scored sophomore center fielder Brian Lambert.

The Hoosiers will have a chance to redeem themselves at 4 p.m. today as they take on Valparaiso at Sembower Field. The Crusaders are 10-14 on the season and are currently on a two-game losing streak.

“It stings a little bit to lose 15-1,” senior outfielder Chris Hervey said. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that big of a deal ... it’s baseball. We can come out tomorrow against Valparaiso, beat them and feel good going into the weekend.”