After winning 10 of its last 13 games, IU will head into its busiest week of the season with back-to-back mid-week games at home before starting Big Ten play this weekend.
IU will face Cincinnati on Tuesday and Evansville on Wednesday, and IU Coach Chris Lemonis has decided to balance out the pitching for the week.
“We have to keep the momentum going this week,” Lemonis said. “We have two good opponents coming here, so we need to play well.”
Up to this point in the season, Lemonis has given the starting nod to junior right-handed pitcher Luke Stephenson twice, including the first game against Evansville, but Stephenson has only provided three innings in each start.
Freshman pitchers Pauly Milto and Jonathan Stiever each have one start this season as well, and have allowed no earned runs in five and four innings respectively. The two of them each pitched in relief against Indiana State last weekend, and Lemonis said he doesn’t have any starters set in stone yet.
“We just have to see how guys feel,” Lemonis said. “It will be by committee a lot, I’m sure.”
The Bearcats’ season has resembled the Hoosiers’ in a way. After they lost 11 of their first 12 games, the Bearcats have rallied back to sit just a game under .500. Although Cincinnati has just one win away from home, the Bearcat bats can change a game in a hurry as they’ve hit 20 home runs as a team this season.
IU traveled down to Evansville two weeks ago for a game in which they didn’t play particularly well. The Hoosiers had to scratch their way back after trailing by four runs against the Purple Aces, and used a five run seventh inning to regain the lead before ultimately being victorious in 10 innings.
The game featured six Hoosier pitchers with junior right-handed pitcher Jake Kelzer doing most of the relief work, and tossed 2.2 innings while striking out four to earn the win.
IU will be helped this week by sophomore outfielder Logan Sowers, who returned to the lineup last week from a wrist injury that caused him to miss 11 games. The slugger belted two home runs in the victory against Indiana State on Sunday, which proved to be a vital part in the Hoosier victory and added another key element back to the lineup.
“The wrist has been feeling good the last week,” Sowers said. “It’s just a matter of me feeling comfortable in the box. I swung at some bad pitches but then I got myself together and told myself I need to swing at some good pitches, and just trying to get the ball in the air.”
IU knows the mid-week is big for the team in regard to keeping the momentum going and succeeding in the weekend’s conference play. The players continue to credit the pitching staff for the job they’ve done this season.
“This was a good start with winning this weekend,” junior second baseman Tony Butler said. “Hopefully we can keep it rolling then and keep pitching like we have. We have a real good shot to do well in conference.”
