IU Coach Chris Lemonis said before the season started he wanted IU to steal between 80 and 100 bases this season.
Lemonis hasn’t changed him mind. He attributes the lack of running against Stanford to the Cardinal’s ability to hold runners on with their quick times to the plate and their catcher’s throwing ability.
“We like to run when you can run,” Lemonis said. “But when they’re 1.2 (seconds) to the plate or 1.3 (seconds) to the plate and the catcher throws good, you just don’t run. We got picked off one time.”
IU (2-1) plays in the First Pitch Invitational this weekend in Greenville, S.C., against Presbyterian (4-1), Furman (1-3) and Xavier ?(2-2).
Lemonis expects IU to be more active on the bases against these teams.
In five games this season, Presbyterian has allowed seven stolen bases in 11 attempts. In four games, Furman has allowed six stolen bases in six attempts and Xavier six stolen bases in 10 attempts.
“It’s just got to be the right combination out there where we feel like we can put it together off that guy,” ?Lemonis said.
Lemonis also said he will keep the same starting rotation as last weekend. That means junior Scott Effross will start Friday against Presbyterian, junior Christian Morris will start Saturday against Furman and sophomore Jake Kelzer will start Sunday against Xavier.
Effross pitched six innings in his debut and allowed one run, Morris pitched 5.2 innings and allowed two runs and Kelzer pitched 4.1 innings and allowed two runs.
“They all pitched pretty good starts,” Lemonis said. “With Jake, that was the first time he’s started, so we’re just trying to build him up in terms of his endurance.”
So far this season, the power and run production has come from unlikely sources. Junior shortstop Nick Ramos and senior second baseman Casey Rodrigue combined for seven of IU’s 10 RBIs against ?Stanford.
Rodrigue hit IU’s only home run and Ramos hit one of IU’s two doubles.
“I just felt like I wasn’t getting fooled a lot,” Ramos said. “I wasn’t chasing any balls, so I felt like I was always in good counts and had a good feel of what was coming. And I was fortunate enough to squeak some hits by.”
IU will also continue to platoon at first and third base throughout the weekend, Lemonis said. First base will continue to be shared by sophomores Austin Cangelosi and Craig Dedelow while third base will alternate between junior Brian Wilhite and freshman Isaiah Pasteur.
“Until somebody jumps out there and gets hot, we’ve got 11 or 12 position players right now that we feel like can play every day,” ?Lemonis said.
Cangelosi went hitless in four at bats while Dedelow went 3-for-9 while drawing four walks. Both Wilhite and Pasteur went hitless in four at bats, but both drew two walks and each scored a run.
“You want to see everybody first and give them all an opportunity,” Lemonis said. “But then hopefully someone will win that job.”
