IU's postseason dreams shattered

IU’s season ended in the fifth inning of the Louisville Regional.

The Hoosiers lost 10-0 to Vanderbilt, eliminating them from the NCAA tournament. The Commodore team the Hoosiers faced had lost by one run against Middle Tennessee in its 5-4 opening game at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Hoosiers were 32-26 on the season and gained their first Big Ten tournament win and NCAA Regional since 1996.

IU had the bases loaded in their 10-0 elimination game loss to Vanderbilt, no outs. Three batters then came up to bat; they were all immediately sent back to the dugout, ending the inning and stranding three base runners. The scenario would prove IU’s most threatening and it would never score in the contest.

Tyler Rogers, Jake Dunning and Brain Lambert represented the three tying runs as Vanderbilt had a 3-0 lead. The inept stint at the plate squandered IU’s first and only offensive opportunity of the contest. IU would tally a total of nine hits without any runs.

Vanderbilt found itself in a similar fifth-inning situation. However, they ended the session with five runs and added two insurance runs in the final three innings for a 10-0 victory. Vanderbilt posted 13 hits and 10 runs, leaving only three innings unblemished.

Junior pitcher Matt Bashore had one of his worse days on the mound and only lasted four and a-third innings. He allowed eight runs, with seven of them earned and struck out seven. A home run he allowed to Brain Harris, the first batter he faced, sent Bashore reeling toward the hitter-friendly day.

Four other pitchers would touch the mound and allow two more runs.