Indiana built an early four-run lead Tuesday against the University of Evansville but couldn’t hold on, falling 5-4 in 11 innings inside German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
Sophomore infielder Jake Hanley jumpstarted the Hoosiers with a 444-foot, two-run home run in the first inning. Indiana added two more runs in the fourth to take control early.
However, the Hoosiers’ offense went cold the rest of the way, and their pitching faltered late as Evansville rallied to force two extra innings before delivering a walk-off win.
The loss extended Indiana’s losing streak to six games, its longest of the season.
Hanley’s home run was his sixth of the season. The Mason, Ohio, native also collected his 26th RBI. His batting average is a team-best .327 through 113 at-bats.
Hanley didn’t record a hit in his next three at-bats, but he walked once. Still, after a weekend where he hit 2 for 13 against then-No. 24 Nebraska, Hanley’s home run Tuesday provided an early spark and some insurance runs for the Hoosiers.
The Hoosiers added two more runs on RBI singles in the top of the fourth inning from freshman catcher Owen ten Oever and infielder Landen Fry, who continued their momentum after recent success against Nebraska.
Fry collected his sixth hit in the last three contests. The Fort Wayne native is batting .293 through 92 at-bats this season.
Ten Oever recorded his fifth RBI over the last four games, hitting 3 for 6 during that stretch.
However, the Hoosiers couldn’t collect the clutch hit and didn’t plate another run for the rest of the game. They went 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position, and 4 for 21 overall with four walks and a hit-by-pitch after the fourth inning.
Evansville’s offense broke the the Hoosier pitchers’ shutout through five innings on an RBI single by freshman catcher Spike Magill against Indiana freshman right-handed pitcher Kellen English. The Purple Aces scored three more runs in the seventh to tie the contest at four runs.
The game remained tied heading into extra innings. Indiana used nine relievers to get through 11 innings and failed to contain the Evansville offense.
English walked two batters and gave up an earned run in only 0.2 innings worked. The Evansville native’s ERA is now at 13.06 after his eighth appearance of the year.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Kaden Jacobi allowed three earned runs on two hits in 0.2 innings. His season ERA sits at 14.44 through 8.1 innings pitched.
Junior right-handed pitcher Jackson Yarberry threw 2.2 innings Tuesday night, allowing one earned run and three hits. He struck out six Purple Aces hitters but surrendered the game-ending RBI single by Evansville freshman utility player Tate Deal in the bottom of the 11th inning.
The Hoosiers have been walked off in four games this year: against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Notre Dame, Oregon and Evansville. Yarberry has allowed the latter two of those walk offs.
Indiana returns home Friday looking to snap its six-game losing skid at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington. The Hoosiers host Rutgers, with the first game scheduled for 6 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.
