IU struggling as Schwarber faces limited playing time

After starting the season 8-0 in the Big Ten, IU has lost its last four conference games.
They will get a break from the Big Ten when they play Butler this weekend, which freshman infielder Nick Ramos views as a benefit.

“We’ll just be getting back to the basics,” Ramos said. “I think there won’t be as much pressure, and we’ll be able to get back on track with where we were.”

In a rare April nonconference weekend stint, IU (26-8, 8-4) will play Butler (17-15, 7-5) in a home-home-away series this weekend.

The teams will play in Bloomington on Friday and Saturday, and then travel to Indianapolis on Sunday for the conclusion of the series.

Because of contractual obligations, the series had to be split between the two schools so the two programs could play, IU Coach Tracy Smith said.

The team really isn’t looking at conference statistics as much as they were in years past, Smith said.

“Everybody thinks we’re crazy but our team really isn’t looking at conference this, conference that,” Smith said. “We’re really not. We’re not looking at where we are in the conference because our goals are so much higher than that.”

Butler is on a four-game winning streak, coming off a sweep of the Dayton Flyers this past weekend where they posted an eight runs per game average.

Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber is a big part of IU’s offense. The catcher leads his team in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, home runs and total bases.

He injured his knee sliding into home plate against Illinois on April 6, and has seen limited playing time since then.

“We can insert him in the lineup to get at-bats right now,” Smith said. “But I think what we’re trying to do is be smart about the end goal, which is to be playing deep into the summer.”

Smith added they are trying to hold off putting Schwarber behind the plate for as long as possible to protect his health.

Of the six games since his injury, Schwarber has started in two of them, both at designated hitter. Last Sunday against Michigan State, Schwarber was brought in for a pinch hit opportunity, and responded with an RBI.

He did not play in the Hoosiers last outing against Ball State this Wednesday.

“I’ll save his at-bat if we need it somewhere like we did on Sunday,” Smith said. “But really, we’re just trying to hold him out until Michigan.”

However, IU has to treat this weekend with the same intensity as they would any other series, junior pitcher Joey DeNato said.

“We’re trying to get three wins this series,” DeNato said. “You have to approach it like it is a Big Ten game, because at this point of the season every game counts and every win is going to be important.”