UConn returned four starting pitchers from last year's team, and there were 10 Huskies drafted.
Sophomore left-hander Brian Ward rendered those statistics irrelevant as he held the Hoosiers scoreless through 7 1/3 innings.
Chad Martin didn't have such a good outing. He surrendered three runs in the top of the second, and the Huskies scored all three with two outs.
UConn now led 4-0.
Martin escaped the third unscathed, as he stranded senior first baseman Ryan Fuller at third. Fuller had drawn a walk.
In the fourth, Martin retired the leadoff hitter, sophomore right fielder Anthony Aceto. He then issued two consecutive walks, and head coach Tracy Smith made a pitching change.
Matt Dearden, from Gainesville, Fla., relieved Martin. He gave IU's offense an opportunity to rally, throwing 2 2/3 innings without allowing a hit.
The Hoosiers collected four hits off Ward, two by freshman 3B Sam Travis. Their best opportunity offensively came in the fourth inning. Junior second baseman Michael Basil reached on a throwing error by UConn third baseman Tim Martin. Freshman catcher Kyle Schwarber then flied out to center. Travis singled, giving IU men on the corners with one out.
Freshman left fielder Chris Sujka sacrifice bunted back, advancing Travis to second. Redshirt freshman right fielder Tim O'Connor stepped to the plate.
But IU couldn't capitalize, as he struck out. For the game, IU hit 1-7 with runners in scoring position, including 0-1 with the bases loaded.
IU drew two walks, against eight strikeouts, and stranded 10 runners.
For the next four innings, IU's bullpen held UConn without a hit. However, in the ninth, UConn doubled their lead. Sophomore pitcher Reed Reznicek had been outstanding prior to the frame. He had replaced Dearden to begin the seventh, and he threw two 1-2-3 innings.
Then the wheels fell off. When the inning came to a close, UConn had scored four runs on two hits and two errors. Reznicek retired two in the inning, but he also allowed three walks, two hits, threw a wild pitch and allowed four runs (two unearned). Smith lifted him for freshman pitcher Spencer Sapp. Sapp hit a batter, forcing in an unearned run. He then got Aceto to fly out to right.
Indiana had three more outs to put together a rally. It didn't come to fruition on this day, and Martin took the loss.
IU will take on the Bearcats of the University of Cincinnati tomorrow morning at 10, looking to get back to .500 in the Big East-Big Ten Challenge.
Worth noting
Schwarber threw out all three would-be base stealers.
Each team committed three errors.
