Indiana baseball entered its game Saturday against Northwestern needing to gain ground in the Big Ten standings.
Instead, the Hoosiers saw another early lead slip away.
Indiana (21-25, 7-15 Big Ten) entered the matchup two games behind Washington (9-13) for the final Big Ten Tournament spot. Northwestern, meanwhile, came in at 6-16 in conference play and used timely hitting to secure a 7-4 win over the Hoosiers at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park in Evanston, Illinois.
Indiana struck first Saturday. Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny opened the game with a single and sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley followed with a double to put runners in scoring position. Freshman catcher Owen ten Oever drove in the first run with a groundout, giving Indiana a 1-0 lead.
The Hoosiers added on to their score in the third.
After Denny reached base again and Hanley worked a walk, Indiana loaded the bases before sophomore infielder Cooper Malamazian delivered a two-run double to left field, extending the lead to 3-0 and putting the Hoosiers in control early.
But the momentum quickly shifted toward the home team.
Northwestern responded in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of walks and timely hitting. With the bases loaded, junior shortstop Ryan Kucherak delivered a three-run double to tie the game at 3-3, erasing Indiana’s early advantage in a single swing.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the middle innings.
In the fifth, Northwestern took its first lead when senior outfielder Jack Lausch connected on a two-run home run, putting Indiana behind 5-3. The Hoosiers were unable to answer as their offense slowed and struggled to consistently generate runs through the middle of the game.
After collecting four hits in the first three innings, the Hoosiers managed just one hit from the fourth through the seventh innings, limiting their ability to build pressure or extend innings late in the game. While Indiana’s offense struggled, Northwestern continued the scoring, adding insurance in the seventh.
A leadoff double set the tone, and the Wildcats followed with timely hitting to push across two runs, extending their lead to 7-3 and creating separation late in the game.
Indiana built pressure in the eighth inning.
Sophomore infielder Cooper Malamazian led off with a single before sophomore outfielder Cole Decker followed with a double to put runners in scoring position. Freshman infielder Landen Fry drove in a run on a groundout, cutting the deficit to 7-4.
But the rally ended there.
The Hoosiers were unable to push across another run, continuing a pattern of missed opportunities in key situations.
Indiana’s pitching staff settled in after the early damage.
Graduate right-hander Jackson Yarberry provided steady relief, limiting Northwestern’s offense and keeping the game within reach. However, Indiana’s offense was unable to capitalize on that opportunity.
The result followed a familiar trend.
Indiana built an early lead but could not sustain it, while Northwestern capitalized on key moments to take control.
With just eight regular season games remaining, Indiana remains on the outside of the Big Ten Tournament picture. Every game carries added importance as the Hoosiers look to close the gap.
Indiana will try to get back in the win column Sunday and secure the series against Northwestern. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park in Evanston streaming on B1G+.
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.
