Indiana baseball lost 4-1 against Western Kentucky University at Nick Denes Field in Bowling Green, Kentucky on Friday. The Hoosiers will face the Hilltoppers three more times this weekend.
Graduate student left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck started the game for Indiana. The Hugo, Minnesota, native pitched 5.1 innings while recording five strikeouts. He allowed four hits and one earned run while throwing a total of 71 pitches.
Neubeck has allowed only two earned runs in three starts this season.
Western Kentucky graduate student right-handed pitcher Gavin Perry matched Neubeck’s performance on the mound. He threw five innings of scoreless baseball and allowed five hits while shutting down Indiana’s lineup. Perry also struck out six Indiana batters.
Western Kentucky drew first blood on an RBI double from senior catcher Camden Ross in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Broomfield, Colorado, native’s extra base-hit scored fifth year senior catcher and outfielder Kyle Hayes from second base.
The Hoosiers offense struggled against the Hilltoppers’ pitching staff until the final inning, recording seven hits.
Indiana’s best scoring opportunity came in the top of the fourth inning. The Hoosiers had the bases loaded with one out, but freshman infielder Landen Fry lined into a 4-6 double play to end the inning.
The Hoosiers left seven players on base while Western Kentucky stranded eight. Indiana had eight opportunities with runners in-scoring position but couldn’t convert, ultimately going 1-for-6 with two walks.
Western Kentucky junior right-handed pitcher Mick Uebelhor pitched 3.2 innings in relief for Perry. He recorded four strikeouts and allowed one earned run on two hits.
Junior right-handed pitcher Zach Lyles got the save for the Hilltoppers, his third of the season.
Meanwhile, Indiana’s bullpen covered 2.2 innings but allowed three runs.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Michael Sarhatt pitched 1.2 innings. He struck out two batters and allowed one hit and one earned run.
Redshirt-junior Jacob Vogel inherited a runner on first base with nobody out in the eighth inning in place of Sarhatt. Vogel pitched the final inning for the Hoosiers but walked three batters and allowed two earned runs.
Sophomore infielder Cooper Malamazian put Indiana on the board with an RBI double into left-center field in the ninth inning. Malamazian’s double was his team-leading 11th RBI of the year.
Indiana got the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning with two outs, but freshman catcher Owen ten Oever grounded out to second-base to end the game.
Indiana's record moved to 3-6 with the loss Friday. The Hoosiers will continue their four-game series against Western Kentucky with a doubleheader Saturday in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The first game will be at 2 p.m. while the second game takes place at 5 p.m.
Follow reporters Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) and Will Kwiatkowski (@WKwiatkowski_15 and wdkwiatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
