In its final exhibition game of the fall season, the IU baseball team dominated Southern Indiana, 8-0, on Oct. 20.
It was a performance largely highlighted by the Hoosiers’ pitching. IU's new coach, Jeff Mercer, sent out four pitchers in the game, and the group combined to one hit Southern Indiana, while allowing just two walks.
Junior Tanner Gordon and sophomore Tommy Sommer each pitched three innings, while junior Andrew Saalfrank threw two innings and junior Cal Krueger pitched one. Sommer struck out six hitters, while Gordon struck out five. Gordon is a junior college transfer to IU from John A. Logan College, who has impressed in his first two appearances in an IU uniform this fall.
Offensively, senior Matt Lloyd led the Hoosiers against the Screaming Eagles. Lloyd went three-for-four in the game with a home run and two doubles. Junior Matt Gorski hit in the leadoff spot, and was effective setting the table, going two-for-four with a run scored and a stolen base. Gorski led IU in batting average last season at .356, and Lloyd led the team in RBIs with 41.
Sophomore Justin Walker, junior Scotty Bradley and freshman Jake Skrine each had a double in the game.
This victory proceeds IU's annual intrasquad scrimmage — the Fall World Series — which will be played at Bart Kaufman Field Nov. 2-4. Game 1 will be played at 4 p.m. Nov. 2, game 2 will be played at 2 p.m. Nov. 3 and game 3 will be played at 1 p.m. Nov. 4.
It will be a weekend where IU fans get their first chance to see this year’s team.
IU lost ample talent to the MLB draft in the form of Logan Sowers, Luke Miller and Jonathan Stiever among others. Players like Gorski, Lloyd, Bradley and senior Logan Kaletha will have big rolls this year, while players like Walker and junior Jeremy Houston will be expected to also help fill voids.
