IU baseball swept Northwestern behind an offensive onslaught this weekend in Evanston, Illinois, to open Big Ten play.
The Hoosiers’ bats were hot in each game and helped the team score 13, 6 and 10 runs to give IU nine wins in its last 10 outings and move its record to 13-8-1. Northwestern dropped to 5-16.
“We’ve been playing some tough, gritty games — not perfect games, but to go on the road and sweep is huge to start Big Ten play, so we’re excited about that,” IU Coach Chris Lemonis said in an IU Athletics recap video.
Sophomore utility player Matt Lloyd could earn Big Ten Player of the Week consideration after his consistent output of production at the plate and on the mound throughout the weekend.
After securing a Hoosier victory Wednesday against Cincinnati with a four-out save, Lloyd’s success continued against Northwestern.
IU played a doubleheader Friday and was able to count on Lloyd’s bat in both games. Lloyd entered the series with a .200 batting average for the season. After the three games, it now sits at .327.
In Friday’s first game, Lloyd went 4-5 with three home runs and five runs batted in. Freshman first baseman Matt Gorski and junior right fielder Logan Sowers also went deep in the 13-9 victory.
As if his hitting weren’t enough, Lloyd took the mound in the ninth inning and recorded the final three outs of the ballgame.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Lloyd took over right where he left off when he was penciled into the lineup for designated hitting duties. Lloyd crushed a three-run home run in the first inning to extend IU’s early lead to 4-0. He didn’t reach base again until reestablishing his presence on Sunday.
Junior pitcher Brian Hobbie pitched a complete game to get the win.
In IU’s 10-9 victory Sunday in the third game of the series, the Hoosiers almost let their lead slip when the Wildcats pushed across one run in the eighth inning and five runs in the ninth inning. Lloyd went 4-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
As things got hairy in bottom of the ninth, the sophomore was called upon to close out the game to give the Hoosiers a victory and a series sweep.
Lloyd earned the save despite giving up a run by recording two outs on two strikeouts in the ninth.
“He was pretty good offensively and on the mound,” Lemonis said. “He had two huge closes and saves in there, and then at the plate he just had some huge swings.”
Freshman pitcher Andrew Saalfrank got the start for Hoosiers but was only able to get one Wildcat out before being yanked in the first inning and replaced by sophomore Pauly Milto. Saalfrank’s line was one-thirds innings pitched, four hits, three earned runs and one walk.
Milto protected the Hoosiers in the last six and a third innings by not allowing a single run and striking out eight along the way. Lemonis said he was proud of Mito after the game.
“He’s had some really tough outings and he’s been out there in some tough times and he saved the day today,” Lemonis said. “He came in and found his slider, which he’s been working really hard and looked really great.”
Sophomore third baseman Luke Miller also put up big numbers Sunday by going 4-5 with an RBI and three runs scored.
IU is host to Evansville next at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington on Tuesday.
