Vanderbilt ends IU’s postseason

IU’s season ended in the fifth inning.

The three tying runs were represented on base for IU as Vanderbilt maintained a slight 3-0 lead. Hoosier base runners stood, awaiting a hit that would never come, despite the three outs at their disposal. The inept plate stint led to the conclusion of IU’s season, as they fell 10-0 to Vanderbilt.

“You just kind of walk away with a hollow feeling,” IU coach Tracy Smith said after the game. “But the reality is, that is college baseball. Every season ends with a loss for all but one team.”

Vanderbilt would go on to score five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, extending its lead beyond IU’s reach. The exchange led to a premature end to IU’s first trip to the NCAA Regional since 1996.

Poor pitching performances and a lack of run support spelled the end for IU, which failed on both sides of the ball.

Vanderbilt jumped on IU’s Matt Bashore right off the bat.

The Hoosiers ace gave up a home run to the first batter he faced in shortstop Brian Harris. Center fielder Jonathan White followed Harris with a triple and was sent home later in the inning. The two provided the Commodores with a two-run lead they would continue to build upon.

“We got some big hits early in the game to get momentum and give us some confidence right from the start,” Vanderbilt right fielder Steven Liddle said.

Bashore was given the loss in allowing eight runs, seven earned. Despite the volume of offensive numbers, Bashore had seven strikeouts and walked only one batter. His day ended after 4 1/3 innings.

Joey O’Gara stepped in after Bashore handed Smith the ball and took his trek to the dugout. He lasted 1 2/3 innings before allowing two hits and one run. Three other pitchers touched the mound Saturday, each of them allowing a hit and three of them giving up a run or more.

Vanderbilt preserved an 8-0 lead after its five-score inning and increased that by adding two more runs for a 10-0 win.

Few IU batters picked up hits, and those who did were stranded on base. The Hoosiers came up with a total of nine hits, although they failed to bring any of the base runners home. Eight batters went hitless, and only two others tallied more than one hit.

Left fielder Kipp Schutz tried his best to keep his team in contention.

He was 3 for 3 on the day with no other batter besides third baseman Vince Gonzalez tallying more than one hit. Schutz was stranded on many occasions, just like every other Hoosier, as they nabbed no runs on the day.

Timely hitting had been a problem for IU in early season games and reared itself once more Saturday.

Smith said he thought IU pressed under a pressure it has rarely faced.

“It was an overwhelming sense,” Smith said. “For whatever reason, there was a little bit more of looseness to what they were doing. I thought we were a little tight and uninspired this week. I think we were trying a little too hard.”