Indiana baseball led wire-to-wire, winning 11-3 over Maryland on Friday at Bob "Turtle” Smith Stadium in College Park, Maryland, during the opening game of a three-game weekend series. The Cream and Crimson improved to 14-19 and 6-10 in the Big Ten with their third consecutive win in the last five days.
The Hoosiers broke through on the first pitch of the game. Sophomore catcher/outfielder Hogan Denny launched a solo home run on the first pitch thrown, his seventh long ball of the season.
Indiana added another run in the second inning, courtesy of an RBI single by freshman outfielder Cal Gates through the left side of the infield. The Bedford, Indiana, native played in his 14th contest and started for the eighth time this season.
However, the Terrapins cut their deficit in half with a leadoff home run in the second inning by sophomore catcher Rylen Stockton. It was the only earned run Indiana graduate student left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck surrendered in his eighth start of the season.
Neubeck, who entered the contest with a 3.79 ERA, threw 98 pitches, allowed four hits and struck out five Terrapins on Friday.
The Hoosiers added another insurance run in the top of the fourth inning. Sophomore outfielder Cole Decker hit his third home run and 11th RBI of the season over the left-center field wall to begin the frame.
Then Indiana exploded in the sixth inning. The Hoosiers scored six runs, sparked by a solo home run from sophomore infielder Cooper Malamazian.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher/outfielder Caleb Koskie added a three-run home run and redshirt freshman catcher Brayden Ricketts went back-to-back behind Koskie with a solo home run later in the inning. Denny also drew a bases-loaded walk to extend the Hoosiers’ lead.
Maryland’s starting pitcher, redshirt sophomore left-hander Evan Smith, held a 7.43 ERA in 23 innings pitched heading into the game. He exited the contest after allowing six earned runs on seven hits in five innings pitched Friday, picking up his fourth loss, and raising his ERA to 8.04.
The Terrapins’ bullpen struggled during the sixth inning as well. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Cristofer Cespedes faced six batters in one inning, giving up three earned runs on two hits.
Maryland scored two runs in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 9-3. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel surrendered two runs — one earned run — on three hits before graduate right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold relieved him, leaving two runners on base to end the frame.
After allowing three earned runs in two innings during his last appearance April 4, Seebold pitched 2.1 scoreless innings Friday.
Indiana added two more runs in the ninth inning. Junior catcher T.J. Schuyler tallied his second RBI of the year on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, sophomore infielder Jake Hanley hit an RBI double to give Indiana an 11-3 lead.
The Hoosiers will look to win their fourth straight game Saturday afternoon against Maryland. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be streamed on Big Ten+.
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.
