After losing five of its last six games, Indiana baseball righted itself versus Belmont University on March 15-17, overcoming a 9-3 loss in the series opener and scoring 15 runs in each of the following two games to take its penultimate non-conference weekend series.
Indiana entered the weekend after suffering three consecutive losses in which its pitching staff gave up more than 10 runs, and the Hoosiers’ pitching struggles continued against the Bruins on Friday. Belmont tattooed senior right-hander Jack Moffitt, scoring four runs in two innings against Indiana’s starting pitcher.
Three runs scored in the first inning, all of which were unearned after a fielding error by junior third baseman Josh Pyne led to a three-run blast from senior Belmont infielder Mason Landers. The Bruins added another run in the second inning on a solo shot from senior outfielder Max Blessinger, the team’s second two-out homer in as many trips to the plate.
Defense has been an issue for Indiana throughout the season, allowing teams to extend innings on plays that would otherwise be harmless outs. The Hoosiers have committed 25 errors in 19 games this season and hold a .959 fielding percentage, which is tied for last in the Big Ten as of Sunday.
Belmont’s pitching staff kept Indiana quiet Friday, giving up just three extra-base hits and stranding 10 Indiana baserunners. Although sixth-year senior lefty Ty Bothwell kept the Bruins quiet in the middle innings, they finally broke through in the eighth and ninth innings, adding five insurance runs to put the game out of reach and seal a 9-3 victory in the series opener.
Things began in a similar fashion Saturday, as Belmont put up five runs in the first two innings against sophomore righty Connor Foley, Indiana’s most dependable shutdown starter. This time, the Hoosiers responded mightily.
They scored in every inning after the first, including seven runs between the second and fourth innings and a five-run explosion in the seventh. Eight of nine starters hit safely for Indiana, with six recording multiple hits. Junior infielder Brock Tibbitts and sophomore shortstop Tyler Cerny each homered, spearheading the Hoosier offense to a 14-hit performance that included eight extra-base hits.
Foley turned in back-to-back scoreless innings in the third and the fourth before allowing one more run in the fifth and turning things over to the Indiana bullpen. Junior southpaw Ryan Kraft, a first team All-Big Ten honoree in 2023, struggled again, allowing three runs on two hits, a hit batter and a walk in the sixth and seventh innings.
In 12 innings across six appearances this season, Kraft holds a 6.75 ERA, a 2.25 WHIP and a .327 batting average against, all of which are decidedly worse than his numbers in all three categories last season (team-best 2.48 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, .249 BAA).
Sophomore right-hander Ethan Phillips entered the game in the seventh with no outs after Kraft allowed a leadoff homer and a five-pitch walk. The Hoosiers led 9-8, and Belmont used a single and a hit-by-pitch to advance the tying and go-ahead runs into scoring position.
Phillips responded with back-to-back strikeouts, but as the lineup flipped over, senior right fielder Sam Slaughter gave the Bruins a 10-9 lead on a two-run single to right field. Indiana rallied with five runs after the seventh inning stretch, re-taking the lead on a two-run blast by Tibbitts.
The Hoosiers added insurance on a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single from junior outfielder Nick Mitchell. Sophomore right-hander Brayden Risedorph slammed the door and Indiana took game two of the series by a final score of 15-10.
Indiana demanded quality innings again Sunday, and Phillips answered the call after taking the mound less than 24 hours earlier. He toed the slab for the Sunday matinee, twirling three innings of one-run ball, with the lone Belmont run scoring after a two-out fielding error by Cerny and a double by junior catcher Landon Godsey.
Offensively, Indiana could do no wrong. It tied the game in the bottom of the first and tacked on three more runs in the second, spearheaded by two RBIs in as many plate appearances from Tibbitts and a two-run double by Cerny. Redshirt sophomore lefty Grant Holderfield ran into trouble in the middle innings, allowing runs to cross on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and a solo homer as Belmont whittled the Indiana lead down to one run.
The Hoosiers responded much like they did the day before, exploding for six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Indiana jumped all over Belmont’s bullpen, sending 10 batters to the plate and grinding out walks and base hits before sophomore outfielder Devin Taylor cleared the bases with a three-run double. He later scored on a wild pitch to punctuate the offensive ambush.
Looking to rally with the series on the line, Belmont refused to go away quietly. Facing junior righty Julian Tonghini, the Bruins put up four runs in the top of the sixth inning, bringing Indiana’s advantage from seven runs down to three. Tonghini was a pitch away from beginning the frame with a pair of strikeouts, but redshirt sophomore outfielder Michael Lareau poked an opposite-field single to begin the Bruin rally.
Another fielding error by Cerny loaded the bases for Slaughter and the top of Belmont’s lineup, and the visitors delivered again. The next four Belmont batters picked up run-scoring hits, with Indiana trading a run for a double play after a Landers ground ball found Cerny’s glove.
Tonghini forced senior designated hitter Max Jones to fly out to end the inning, stranding two baserunners and keeping the tying run off the basepaths. Indiana added five insurance runs between the seventh and eighth innings and sophomore right-hander Aydan Decker-Petty and redshirt freshman Jacob Vogel kept Belmont off the scoreboard for the final three innings to nail down the 15-7 series-clincher for Indiana.
The Hoosiers are now 11-9 this season and Sunday’s win brought their home record back to .500 (5-5). Indiana has already lost more home games this season than it did in 2023, when it posted a 26-4 home record and three of its home losses came in the same weekend.
Indiana visits Indiana State University at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Sycamores, who hold a 14-4 record and are coming off a series win at Xavier University, were an NCAA Super Regional team in 2023. They shut out Indiana 4-0 when they hosted the Hoosiers last season.
Big Ten play is on deck, as the Hoosiers host Illinois in their first conference series March 22-24. Friday’s game begins at 6 p.m., with Saturday’s game slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch and Sunday’s game scheduled for 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Nick Rodecap (@nickrodecap) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
