Indiana baseball’s Caleb Koskie tied a program record early in Sunday’s rubber match against Abilene Christian University at Bart Kaufman Field and made the defining play that sealed the 5-4 victory for the Hoosiers.
The sophomore outfielder extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a first-inning single in Indiana’s 5-4 win over Abilene Christian, tying the longest single-season mark in program history. The mark was set by outfielder Chris Hervey in 2008 and tied by outfielder Alex Dickerson in 2010.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the Hoosiers answered in the second when freshman second baseman Landen Fry reached on an error and scored to tie the game.
Indiana took control in the third inning with a double from sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley, a wild pitch and a defensive miscue to push two runs across and build a 3-1 lead.
The Hoosiers added another run in the fifth when redshirt freshman catcher Brayden Ricketts doubled in sophomore shortstop Cooper Malamazian, extending the lead to 4-1 and giving Indiana what looked like enough breathing room behind its pitching staff.
The Wildcats fought back, however, removing the cushion Indiana built. Abilene Christian broke through in the seventh inning with a three-run rally, highlighted by a two-run home run and an RBI walk that tied the game at four.
The inning erased Indiana’s advantage and forced the Hoosiers into another late-game situation that has negatively defined much of their season. The Hoosiers entered this afternoon’s game 0-7 in one run contests, finally winning its first of the year.
With the game tied in the eighth inning, Koskie stepped to the plate with Fry in scoring position, another runner on first base and two outs. He lined a single through the left side, scoring Fry and giving Indiana a 5-4 lead it would hold to the final out.
“My heart rate is a lot lower when he walks up there,” head coach Jeff Mercer said postgame Sunday. “You just feel like something good is going to happen.”
That confidence in Koskie comes from more than results.
Earlier in the game, Koskie had not been as sharp in his approach. He had been beaten on a few pitches and was pressing at the plate. During the middle innings, Mercer pulled him aside for a quick conversation.
Koskie already understood what needed to change.
“Caleb said, ‘I’m getting really pushy with my swing,’” Mercer said.
Mercer agreed and he and Koskie discussed the adjustments needed to get him back on track. Hitting is precise — even a small mechanical flaw can disrupt timing and throw an at-bat off — but Koskie didn’t let it linger.
Instead of forcing the next at-bat, Koskie reset his approach, trusted his mechanics and allowed the game to come back to him. The result was a controlled swing in a high-leverage situation, producing the go-ahead run.
Koskie pulled the pitch past the shortstop, making his proper swing adjustments, while scoring Fry from second base to give Indiana the 5-4 lead, which it would not relinquish.
“It’s that stuff — he’s reevaluating and reevaluating all the time,” Mercer said. “To be able to make that adjustment in a big spot, in game, in real time, is really what makes him such a special hitter.”
For Mercer, that ability goes beyond physical tools; it’s the mental skills that matter so much in hitting.
“It’s the eight inches between his ears that makes him a really special hitter,” he said.
The streak itself highlights Koskie’s consistency.
Indiana built its early advantage behind timely hitting and sloppy defense from Abilene Christian that allowed two Indiana runs.
Reaching base safely in 21 consecutive games requires the ability to adjust to different pitchers, pitch types and game situations. It also requires discipline — knowing when to attack and when to stay patient.
Koskie has shown that balance throughout Indiana’s recent offensive surge taking the top of the Hoosiers hitting leaderboard with a .387 batting average and a 1.088 OPS.
“He’s a really special player,” Mercer said.
Koskie will have a chance to etch his name in history with a 22-game hit streak at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Muncie, Indiana, when the Hoosiers play Ball State University.
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.
