The day after IU Coach Chris Lemonis called his teams performance “uninspired” following its first shutout loss of the season against Cincinnati, the lack of effort continued to show.
However, the team caught a break. As IU Trailed Evansville 15-0 entering the bottom of the fifth, lightening struck and the continuous rain poured onto the turf at Bart Kaufman Field. This forced the game to be canceled. Evansville was just three outs away from an official complete game, but instead all the statistics were reset and no game was recorded.
During a week with two non-conference games that could have sprung the Hoosiers into Big Ten play, IU will now have to regroup in the field and at the plate. It has just one loss to their credit, although it could have been a lot worse.
“We’ve got to get a little tougher,” Lemonis said. “Everyone in college baseball has to do it, but unfortunately our group struggles with it a little bit being able to show up day in and day out.”
IU scored 40 runs last week over the course of four games, but the struggles have been apparent during the most active week of the Hoosier season so far. Lemonis said the offensive consistency isn’t there and that he questions at times some of the leaders on the team.
After being shutout for the first time all season, IU was only able to scratch out one hit during four innings of the terminated game against Evansville.
The Hoosiers will head out to the East Coast this weekend for their first conference matchup of the season against Rutgers. Carrying a 6.34 team ERA this season, the Scarlet Knights are the ideal Big Ten opponent. IU hitters will seek more quality at-bats at the plate to produce in-run scoring situations.
Lemonis talked extensively about the amount of opportunities IU had to score against Cincinnati, with a runner at second and no outs and runners at the corners with one out. But the Hoosiers failed to come through at the dish.
“We had three or four opportunities early to score a run and we just don’t even come close to it, with the right people at the plate too,” Lemonis said. “That’s the hard part of being able to get a run or two.”
The starting weekend rotation will also seek to recover in the conference opener this weekend after gaining a few unexceptional starts from a stellar staff.
Senior Kyle Hart had his worst start of the season but still earned the win Friday at Indiana State. Lasting just five innings, the Hoosier ace allowed five runs while striking out just three in the IU comeback victory.
Senior starting pitchers Evan Bell and Caleb Baragar each lasted six innings throughout the weekend. Earning just one earned run, Bell had little run support once again from the Hoosier offense.
Baragar watched his scoreless streak end at 27.2 innings as he allowed three runs Sunday. Every starter was able to escape their respective starts with a no decision as IU split the two matchups.
Lemonis and the rest of the Hoosier group said they have been impressed with the starting staff throughout the entire year. Their arms might have to carry the team in the opening conference series if the offense isn’t able to stay consistent at the plate.
“We have a real good shot to do well in conference if we keep pitching like we have been all year,” junior second baseman Tony Butler said. “If we can do those things then hopefully we can get after Rutgers.”
