Starting pitching continued to be the strong suit for IU throughout the weekend as the Hoosiers (9-9) depended on the seniors who took the mound to carry them deep into the game.
Taking three out of four games from Toledo propelled IU to .500 for the first time in 16 games after a sluggish start to the season.
IU Coach Chris Lemonis received at least eight innings of work from his three senior starting pitchers Kyle Hart, Evan Bell and Caleb Baragar, and freshman Pauly Milto worked through five strong innings in the finale.
“We feel like we have one of the best starting staffs in the country, and that really gives us a chance once Big Ten play starts up,” Lemonis said. “I think those guys can pitch like that against anybody.”
Each of Lemonis’ senior starters tossed more than 100 pitches in their outings.
Hart settled down in the series opener after allowing one run on two hits in the first inning. He allowed just two hits throughout his final seven innings on the bump to pick up his fourth win of the season.
Bell was the only Hoosier to go the distance in a start this weekend, but ended up on the losing side of his matchup as the IU bats went cold in game two of the series.
After digging into a three-run hole by the fourth inning, the IU offense couldn’t provide any help at the plate as the lone run came via an RBI single off the bat of freshman catcher Ryan Fineman.
Three Hoosiers ended up reaching base for IU in the bottom of the ninth, but the team couldn’t push across any runs as Toledo took the contest 3-1.
“We can’t keep spoiling starts like that,” junior first baseman Austin Cangelosi said. “Bell pitched nine innings and didn’t have his best stuff, but offensively we just have to come together and manufacture runs.”
Baragar started game one of the Sunday doubleheader and was nearly untouchable as he faced the minimum through six. In the seventh inning Toledo shortstop Deion Tansel sent a single over the head of senior shortstop Brian Wilhite to end the perfect game bid.
The senior finished the game strong, allowing just one hit and recording 11 strikeouts in eight innings of work in the 8-0 shutout victory.
“Just trying to pound the zone early and get ahead was the big thing,” Baragar said of a potential perfect game. “I thought about it after the sixth, but you can’t ever try to be perfect. It’s just one of those things that happens.”
For the majority of the series, the Hoosier bats were dependable, plating 23 runs over the four-game series.
Cangelosi knocked a solo home run Friday for his first of the season, and Wilhite broke a 1-1 tie in the second game Sunday with a three-run home run to left over the Hoosier bullpen to secure the win on the mound for Milto.
“We feel like we can really match up with anybody on the weekends with the way we pitch,” Lemonis said. “We all know offense hasn’t come easy for us this year, but we’re having some guys play better which really helps.”
