Indiana baseball’s margin for error has been slim all season. This weekend, it disappeared entirely.
The Hoosiers were swept by Iowa in a three-game series, falling to 19-25 overall and 6-15 in Big Ten play. The same issues that plagued the Hoosiers earlier in the season resurfaced, and the results were damaging.
“We just didn’t do a good enough job of executing the fundamental aspects that we’ve worked on and shown the ability to do,” Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer said postgame Sunday. “We can’t allow that to set in.”
Execution, or the lack of it, defined all three games.
Indiana struggled to capitalize offensively, going just 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position in Friday’s opener while falling behind 7-0 early and losing 12-2. Saturday offered a chance to reset, but the Hoosiers managed just two hits through the first eight innings and were defeated 9-2.
In both contests, early deficits forced Indiana into catch-up mode, a position it has repeatedly found itself in this season.
Sunday followed a similar script, but this time small mistakes nulled any chance of a Hoosier comeback.
Indiana trailed 7-0 by the fifth inning before showing any signs of life. Sophomore infielder Jake Hanley drove in a run with a single in the fifth that was aided by a fielding error, and freshman outfielder Cal Gates added an RBI double in the sixth as the Hoosiers cut into the deficit.
For a brief stretch, momentum shifted. But by that point, Iowa’s cushion would prove too insurmountable.
In the first inning, what should have been a routine third out turned into an extended inning when sophomore infielder Cooper Malamazian dropped a fly ball. The misplay allowed Iowa senior outfielder Miles Risley to advance to second base. One batter later, Risley scored on an RBI single.
The fifth inning brought more of the same. A throwing error from redshirt freshman catcher Brayden Ricketts on a stolen base attempt allowed a run to score from third. Moments later, another errant throw took place. Sophomore outfielder Cole Decker sailed his toss to third base into the dugout, bringing home an additional run from third base.
Indiana committed three errors in the game. All three triggered Hawkeye runs.
Despite the miscues, Indiana showed flashes of the team it has been at its best this season. The mid-innings push Sunday proved its ability to apply offensive pressure.
But inconsistency prevented the Hoosiers from sustaining that level of play during the weekend. The result is a team now fighting uphill in the Big Ten standings.
Following the sweep, Indiana is tied with Maryland for 14th place, with the Terrapins holding the tiebreaker after they beat Indiana on April 11 and 12. The Hoosiers are also two games behind Michigan State for 12th — the final spot in the Big Ten Tournament field — leaving little room for further slip-ups.
Mercer’s message hasn’t changed.
“Listen, nobody cares if you’re tired. Nobody cares if you’re fatigued. Nobody cares if you’re beat up,” Mercer said. “You just have to pick yourself up and go back to work. The reality is life will kick your butt if you let it kick your butt.”
That mindset becomes even more important as the regular season winds down.
Indiana is also dealing with health concerns. Sophomore left-handed pitcher/outfielder Caleb Koskie played through illness over the weekend, feeling “about 50-60% himself,” according to Mercer. Meanwhile, Ricketts exited Sunday’s game after being hit in the wrist by a foul ball and is set to undergo X-rays.
Still, the opportunity in front of the Hoosiers remains clear. With upcoming games this week against the University of Louisville and a neutral-site matchup at Wrigley Field against Northwestern, Indiana has multiple chances to regain momentum.
Ultimately, the difference between staying in the Big Ten postseason race and falling short may come down to the same fundamentals that slipped away against Iowa.
“You have to be able to live and learn and move forward as you get later in the season,” Mercer said. “You have to keep showing up. That’s the only way to get better to tell you the truth.”
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.
