Radford opened up the game with back to back doubles off junior starting pitcher Caleb Baragar. So when Radford’s Patrick Marshall drove in another run with an RBI single with no outs, Radford led 2-0 and IU’s pitching situation was already in trouble.
Three pitching changes later and IU was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament with a 5-3 loss to Radford, due in large part ot a lack of offensive production.
“We just have to execute better,” IU Coach Chris Lemonis said. “The (hit-by-pitches), the walks, that’s not really characteristic of us.”
Baragar settled down and pitched two more solid innings before sophomore Jake Kelzer took over in the fourth.
IU had an opportunity to get the offense going with runners on first and second and one down. Freshman outfielder Logan Sowers came up and hit a hard line drive, but the ball was headed straight for Radford shortstop Chris Coia. Coia quickly caught it and threw the ball to second base to turn a double play on IU junior Nick Ramos.
IU’s momentum had ?ended in seconds.
Kelzer looked good for an inning of his own until he allowed two hits and another run in the fifth, putting IU down 3-0.
“They got a lead in the first, which really makes a difference,” Lemonis said. “We had a triple play the other day, which makes a difference.”
The next inning, IU finally put some runs on the board with a 2-RBI single from senior Casey Rodrigue. The Hoosiers even tied the game up when Radford pitcher Kyle Palmer’s pickoff attempt went wild and junior Brian Wilhite salvaged the opportunity to score.
Kelzer then loaded the bases in the sixth, once again putting the Hoosiers in trouble. Sophomore Thomas Belcher came in and got IU out of the jam as both teams were failing to take advantage of chances to take over.
Yet another opportunity opened up in the bottom of the seventh for IU as the two and three hitters came up with runners at first and second and one out. Nick Ramos and Brad Hartong both flew out, the score still tied 3-3.
“We’ve had our backs against the wall for five or six weeks,” Lemonis said. “it’s just a tough group. They won’t give in.”
Belcher began struggling himself in the eighth, putting two runners on. Senior closer Ryan Halstead came in to save IU’s hopes, but he walked a batter of his own. Halstead then gave up a single to hand the lead to the Highlanders and allowed a RBI sac fly to bring it to 5-3.
Lemonis attributed some of the pitching struggles to the rain and humidity, which made controlling the ball more difficult.
The next six IU batters were sat down to end the Hoosier hopes for an extended postseason run. Despite beating Radford just two days earlier, IU was unable to come out victorious.
“I’m not the happiest with the end result, but I think we played well and we ended up with a solid season,” Wilhite said.
Saturday night, IU was tied in the bottom of the ninth with Vanderbilt. The expectation was still there to go into the championship from the winner’s bracket and take the Regional comfortably.
Less than 24 hours later, IU’s season was over.
“The last 24 hours I think our guys fought as hard as they possibly could,” Lemonis said. “Just came up a swing short, a play short here or there. But that’s postseason baseball.”
