Top hitters slow down at OSU

Two of the IU baseball team's best batters cooled off slightly from their blistering pace during the weekend in a losing series at Ohio State.

Junior first baseman Jerrud Sabourin and sophomore outfielder Alex Dickerson, both of whom were in the top 15 in the country in hits at the start of last week, combined to go just 4-26 at the plate with a total of 4 RBI.

Heading into the weekend series, both Sabourin and Dickerson were batting better than .400, with Sabourin topping out at an impressive .480. His 1-12 weekend performance at OSU dropped his batting average to a still-stout .444 in 135 at-bats in 2010.

Part of the hitting struggles for both could certainly be attributed to Alex Wimmers, the Buckeye pitcher who threw Friday. Wimmers — a preseason All-American — threw a complete game, struck out 14 Hoosiers and gave up just one run in Friday’s 7-1 loss for IU.

Still, after failing to get a hit in five plate appearances Sunday, Sabourin said he was a little bit perplexed on what exactly had reined in his hot bat.

“It’s definitely a little frustrating because I don’t really know what’s wrong. I’m seeing the ball well,” Sabourin said. “I just didn’t hit the pitches that I should have.”

IU coach Tracy Smith said his first baseman might have been a little too aggressive at the plate.

“Jerrud maybe was a little overanxious swinging at some pitches that he doesn’t normally swing at,” Smith said.

Dickerson, meanwhile, started the weekend 1-9 in the first two games but went 2-5 with a home run and 2 RBI in Sunday’s series finale.

The Poway, Calif., native hit his 13th home run of the year in the 10-8 loss.

“It was just one of those weekends where the hits didn’t drop, and you’ll have that in baseball,” Dickerson said. “I didn’t get a fat pitch over the plate, it seemed like all weekend. It’s just one of those small setbacks.”

Smith agreed on that point, acknowledging that Dickerson and Sabourin’s offensive production isn’t something he’s worried about.

“We need those guys swinging well for us to score runs,” Smith said. “But they’re allowed to have a bad weekend here and there.”