IU wins Game 1 of super regional

The tying run sat 90 feet away. The winning run stood 180 feet away. And the clean-up hitter Marcus Davis stepped in for Florida State against IU freshman pitcher Will Coursen-Carr.

After already surrendering one run in the inning and the crowd in Tallahassee, Fla., on its feet begging for another, Coursen-Carr stood calmly and delivered, and induced a pop out to right field and IU took Game 1 of the super regional, defeating Florida State 10-9 Saturday afternoon.

It was Coursen-Carr's first save of the season, as he has primarily been used as the weekday starter this season.

With the win, IU can clinch a trip to the College World Series with a win Sunday at 1:05 p.m. against Florida State in the best-of-three super regional.

In a game in which 19 runs were scored, it was two defensive errors in the seventh inning that helped IU to victory at Dick Howser Stadium.

After a leadoff hit to start the seventh by sophomore second baseman Chad Clark, senior center fielder Justin Cureton reached on an error. Sophomore outfielder Chris Sujka then drew a walk to load the bases for sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber, who had homered earlier in the day.

This time, Schwarber didn't homer, but he got a knock through the left side of the infield to score Clark and Cureton and put IU on top 7-6. IU would not trail after that.

Sophomore first baseman Sam Travis ripped a shot through the left side to plate Sujka, putting the Hoosiers up 8-6.

But it was a mistake by Florida State catcher Stephen McGee that scored Schwarber from third, adding the extra run that would come back to bite the Seminoles.

McGee fired a strike down to third base in an attempt to pick off Schwarber, but the ball leaked into left field, allowing Schwarber to score and giving the Hoosiers a 9-6 lead.

The error in the next inning ended up costing the Seminoles a chance at extra innings.

Tim O'Conner came on to run for junior outfielder Casey Smith who was hit by a pitch to start the eighth. He stole second, then advanced to third on a fielder's choice.

Then he scored on Florida State's third error of the game.

Sujka hit a grounder to third baseman Jose Brizuela, but throw to first got away from him, allowing O'Conner to score, and giving the Hoosiers the one run that ended up being the difference in the game.

Coursen-Carr did have a threat in the ninth. Coming in with runners on first and second in the ninth for IU's career saves leader Ryan Halstead, who had taken the ball with two outs in the seventh, he walked a batter and then allowed a hit to DJ Stewart that brought Florida State within one.

A wild pitch allowed two runners to move into scoring position.

But Coursen-Carr, who pitched a complete game to give the Hoosiers the Big Ten Tournament Championship and also started in IU's regional championship, shut the door on Davis, leaving those runners stranded.

IU started the flurry of scoring in the fourth when Schwarber launched a two-run moon shot to right field. It would tack on two more runs in the inning, accumulating five hits.

Florida State answered with four runs of its own in the fourth.

The Seminoles would take the lead back at 5-4 in the fifth, but IU would tie it back up in the top of the sixth, only to see FSU reclaim a 6-5 lead in the bottom of that inning.

Then IU's seventh inning busted the game open for the time being.

IU starter Joey DeNato lasted just 3+ innings, as he failed to find the strike zone in the fourth inning after cruising to start the game. It caused IU to burn through five subsequent pitchers following DeNato's departure.

Schwarber led the way offensively for IU, with two hits and four RBI. Leadoff hitter Will Nolden also reached base in all three of his plate appearances with a hit and two walks.