Indiana baseball secured a 5-4 victory Sunday over Abilene Christian University at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington, clinching the series win and earning its first one-run victory of the season.
With the game hanging in the balance in the eighth inning, graduate right-hander Gavin Seebold took the mound with two outs and runners on third and first base. He paused on the rubber before delivering a 93-mph fastball that blew past Abilene Christian senior infielder Grant Watkins, ending the threat.
Seebold pounded his chest and yelled toward the Indiana dugout as the inning closed, preserving the tie.
Moments later, sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie delivered a two-out go-ahead RBI single in the bottom half of the frame, lifting the Hoosiers ahead for good.
Even in the win, the Hoosiers struggled to capitalize offensively. They went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and were outhit 11-8. Still, Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer viewed the outcome as a "cultural" win because of the fight his team showed.
“It didn’t go our way, and we still came out with a win,” Mercer said. “It’s just baseball sometimes. Today was destined to be one of those games.”
The Hoosiers faced adversity from the start of Sunday’s game.
Graduate student left-handed pitcher Conner Linn opened the game against a lefty-heavy top of the order but ran into trouble early. He allowed a leadoff double and a walk before striking out Watkins, then exited the contest after just 12 pitches and four strikes.
Junior right-handed pitcher Jackson Yarberry entered in relief and immediately surrendered an RBI ground-rule double to Abilene Christian senior infielder Nick Arias, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. With runners on second and third and one out, Yarberry settled in, striking out the next batter and inducing a lineout to second base to end the inning.
From there, Yarberry stabilized the game.
The right-hander delivered five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out eight. After entering in the first, he retired 13 consecutive batters and gave Indiana the length it needed.
In his last two appearances, Yarberry has been extended beyond his usual role. After throwing 4.1 innings at Maryland on April 12, he followed it up with five innings Sunday.
“He’s been tremendous,” Mercer said. “He didn’t really pitch last year, didn’t throw in summer ball, didn’t have a fall. He just got healthy in the winter and started pitching.”
Yarberry said his approach hasn’t changed despite the increased workload in his last two appearances.
“Nothing’s really changed; it’s just not overthinking each inning,” Yarberry said. “At the start of the year, I was getting in my head trying to get into the second inning. Now, I don’t think anything of it.”
Indiana’s offense scratched across runs to support Yarberry, plating three between the second and third innings — two coming on errors and another on a wild pitch.
Redshirt freshman catcher Brayden Ricketts extended the lead to 4-1 with an RBI double in the fifth inning, giving the Hoosiers breathing room.
That cushion didn’t last.
Seebold, who entered earlier in relief, navigated the end of the sixth inning but ran into trouble in the seventh. He allowed a two-run home run to open the frame, then, after the bases were loaded, walked in the tying run.
Although Seebold recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning, the damage had been done. The game was tied entering the eighth.
Indiana responded in the bottom half.
With two outs, Koskie delivered the go-ahead single that ultimately decided the game, giving the Hoosiers a 5-4 advantage they would not relinquish.
Graduate right-hander Reagan Rivera was tasked with closing out the ninth. He retired the first two batters before allowing back-to-back singles, bringing the tying run into scoring position. However, Rivera induced a flyout to left field, fittingly to Koskie, to seal the win and pick up his second save.
For a team that had struggled to hold late leads throughout the season, the finish carried added weight for the bullpen.
“We finally won a close game,” Yarberry said. “That’s the best feeling you could possibly have. I hope we can get used to this feeling.”
Despite allowing three runs in the seventh inning, Mercer said the Hoosiers largely accomplished their plan on the mound.
“We executed on the mound nearly to perfection outside of the one inning,” Mercer said. “Then we were able to find a way to come back and win it late. It was tough and competitive; we had to gut it out.”
Indiana finished its weekend series with a 2-1 record. Over the five-game week, it went 4-1. In their next contest, the Hoosiers will travel to Muncie, Indiana, for a midweek matchup Tuesday afternoon against Ball State University. Indiana defeated the Cardinals 6-4 at home on April 7.
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.
