IU completed a winless series Sunday but technically avoided a sweep.
After losing the first two games in the series on Friday and Saturday, the 14-11-2 Hoosiers tied with 15-10-1 Nebraska in the series finale.
The 1-1 tie after 11 innings was the second time this season that IU has finished a game without a winner due to a travel curfew.
“No one likes ties,” junior right fielder Logan Sowers said. “It’s just disappointing because you look back at the game and there’s plenty of times we could have scored an extra run, and it’s just frustrating.”
The Hoosiers tied with Florida Atlantic, 6-6, Feb. 26, which was the first tie of IU Coach Chris Lemonis’ career.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a tie, and then to have two in a year is disappointing,” Lemonis said. “It’s tough. It’s part of baseball. We had it happen earlier on our flight. It’s just part of it, but yeah, it’s frustrating.”
Sunday’s travel curfew for Nebraska was set for 3:20 p.m., which cut it close for a baseball game that began at 12:05 p.m.
The last batter in the game, junior shortstop Colby Stratten, struck out for IU to end the bottom of the 11th at exactly 3:20 p.m. Had he gotten out just a minute earlier, a new inning could have been played by rule.
Stratten made a costly base running blunder in the bottom of the ninth inning. After walking with one out, Stratten stole second base to set the Hoosiers up with the winning runner in scoring position and only one out.
Senior left fielder Alex Krupa hit a hard line drive to Nebraska freshman Mojo Hagge in left field, who made a tough catch on a ball that Stratten believed was going to drop.
Hagge was then able to make a strong throw to second base to double off Stratten, who had ventured too far from the bag while on his way to third, and send the game to extra innings.
“Colby’s reacting, and he thought the ball was going to hit,” Lemonis said. “The guy made a great play, and Colby’s going one way. Tough play, but yeah it was probably being a little too aggressive.”
Sophomore pitcher Pauly Milto’s first start of 2017 was all for naught though he lasted six and one-third innings and gave up just one run on seven hits with five strikeouts.
“Pauly was great,” Lemonis said. “I thought that was the best he’d thrown in our program. I’m excited for that, to see him and see him pitch and command the zone. He just had good stuff all day.”
