For the third time in two games, junior first baseman Trace Knoblauch walked to the plate with the bases full.
He's now 0-2 in those situations, as he struck out in the top of the fourth. The Hoosiers lost 3-2, and Tulane ran their home record to 5-0.
But this was no usual strikeout. Knobauch, a switch hitter, was batting left against Tulane starter Randy LeBlanc. Knoblauch worked the count full against the right-hander. But 1B umpire Ray Miller ruled that Knoblauch offered at the 3-2 pitch, and he was retired.
Freshman left fielder Chris Sujka struck out to end the inning, and gone was Indiana's best opportunity to capture the lead.
The Hoosiers earned only one hit the final five innings. They drew four walks, yet finished the game stranding only three runners.
Enter Tulane catcher Jeremy Schaffer. The senior threw out three Indiana would-be base stealers at second, including All-American Micah Johnson in the third. Johnson voiced his displeasure with the call, and was quickly tossed from the contest by Miller.
The out was the second of the inning, and the bases were again clear for LeBlanc. Sophomore shortstop Dustin DeMuth grounded out to LeBlanc to end the frame, clinging to a one-run lead.
(It's impossible for me to say how the Hoosiers' chances were affected once Johnson was dismissed. But losing a player of his caliber couldn't have been easy.)
The Tulane right-hander needed only 19 pitches to retire the first six Hoosiers that came to the plate. That contrasted sharply with Joey DeNato. The sophomore southpaw needed 35 pitches to record the first three outs.
Junior left fielder Brandon Boudreaux started the inning with a double. DeNato induced a groundout, and Boudreaux moved to third. Schaffer drew a walk, and Boudreaux slid under the tag, as freshman catcher Kyle Schwarber was charged with a passed ball. Schaffer then advanced to second on DeNato's first wild pitch of the season.
DeNato rallied to strike out Nick Schneeberger, the Green Wave's right fielder, for the second out. Schaffer scored on Andrew Garner's double, and the next batter, center fielder Blake Crohan drove him home with an RBI single.
DeNato retired the Green Wave 1-2-3 in the second and third on 16 and 13 pitches, respectively. Though he did not allow a run in the fourth, he allowed two hits and a walk. After four, his pitch count had risen to 93, and his day was done.
Cureton played well defensively for IU in center, making two highlight-reel catches in the fourth and fifth innings, keeping the Hoosiers within striking distance.
But IU's offense could not touch reliever D.J. Ponder, who pitched three perfect innings to record the save.
The Hoosiers look to even the series against Tulane tomorrow at 3 P.M. Eastern.
Worth noting:
IU drew seven full counts against Tulane pitching. However, they went 0-5 (four strikeouts, one looking) with two walks.
Cureton said that IU looked to cut down on strikeouts. The Hoosiers struck out nine times tonight.
Indiana pitching has allowed six runs in the first inning this season.
The Hoosiers committed only one error tonight. Their fielding percentage as a team is now .956.
Drew Leininger inherited two runners with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. He stranded both.
