Indiana baseball’s pitching staff delivered a much-needed response Tuesday afternoon.
In a 7-6 loss March 15, the Hoosiers’ bullpen surrendered six runs over the final six innings following sophomore left-handed pitcher Brayton Thomas’ departure after four innings. But on Tuesday, Indiana flipped the script against one of the country’s most productive offenses.
Vanderbilt entered the midweek contest averaging nine runs per game — and fresh off a weekend series win over then-No. 13 Louisiana State University in which it scored 11 runs per game in three contests. But Indiana held the Commodores to just one run in a 5-1 win at Charles Hawkins Field in Nashville.
Four pitchers on the Hoosiers’ staff combined to limit Vanderbilt to 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position, 2 for 20 with runners on base and 1 for 10 with two outs. The Commadores also went 9 for 36 (.250 batting average) in the contest.
The Cream and Crimson worked out of traffic all afternoon and prevented big innings that proved costly just days earlier in their 7-6 loss at Oregon.
Indiana graduate left-handed pitcher Conner Linn set the tone early. Prior to the Vanderbilt contest, the only other scoreless appearance of the year for Linn came against Bradley in a 15-3 win on Feb. 17.
Entering the outing with a 9.28 ERA after allowing 11 earned runs in 10.2 innings pitched this season and five earned runs on March 13, Linn turned in his most effective appearances of the year. The southpaw tossed 3.2 scoreless innings while striking out five, allowing the Hoosiers to settle into the game offensively.
Indiana’s bullpen followed with an efficient performance.
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel replaced Linn, inheriting a high-pressure situation in the fourth inning with two outs and Commodore runners on first and second. But he quickly erased the threat.
Vogel struck out Vanderbilt sophomore catcher Aukai Kea to end the inning and went on to deliver 2.1 scoreless innings in relief. His ERA went from 4.82 to 3.86 on the year after this appearance. Ultimately, the 6-foot-7 right-hander stabilized the middle innings for Indiana.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Ivan Mastalski continued his strong start to the season with another impactful outing in relief of Vogel.
Mastalski, who entered the game with a 2.53 ERA, worked two innings and struck out three batters. He allowed the Commodores’ lone run in the eighth inning but limited further damage, escaping a late jam with runners on base to preserve Indiana’s lead.
Following the appearance, the Saint John, Indiana, native increased his strikeout total to 13 against just 10 hits allowed this season.
Graduate right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold closed out the win with a scoreless ninth inning.
Seebold has been one of Indiana’s most reliable arms this season, allowing only two earned runs across 17.2 innings pitched (1.02 ERA). Both runs given up came in Indiana’s 3-2 loss March 13 at Oregon. Other than that outing, he has otherwise been a consistent late-inning option for the Hoosiers.
Indiana’s ability to piece together effective outings across multiple pitchers marked a significant improvement from its previous game, particularly in limiting baserunners from turning into runs. Vanderbilt hit five doubles, all of them coming in different innings, but only scored once.
The pitching effort was complemented by timely offense. Indiana scored five runs in support, with sophomore catcher/outfielder Hogan Denny driving in four of those runs to provide the cushion needed to maintain its lead throughout the game.
The win represents a potential turning point for an Indiana pitching staff that struggled in multiple contests leading up to this one.
Holding one of the Southeastern Conference's top offenses to a single run on the road displays Indiana's pitching capability when it limits mistakes and executes in key situations.
Indiana will look to carry that momentum forward as it returns home to face Minnesota at 6 p.m. Friday at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington to open a three-game weekend series against the Golden Gophers.
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.
