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(07/18/13 12:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last season IU finished fourth in points per game in the Big Ten.Ohio State, Nebraska and Northwestern averaged more points per game than the Hoosiers. IU’s offense was proficient in total yards, with only Nebraska averaging more per game.IU was far and away the best passing team in the conference, averaging 311.2 yards per game through the air, 38 more yards per game than Penn State, which averaged the second most in the conference.Looking forward to this year, will the prolific numbers continue, or will IU’s offensive production fall back to the middle of the pack?Looking at the amount of production coming back to the program this year, evidence suggests the Hoosier offense will carry on just fine.As mentioned earlier, IU’s offense was fourth in points per game in the conference. With the three teams who were ahead of the Hoosiers, IU has the most production coming back this year.As far as passing goes, junior Cam Coffman, sophomore Tre Roberson and sophomore Nate Sudfeld all saw time at quarterback last year. All are returning.On the ground IU returns 99.9 percent of its production. The only player not on the roster this year who recorded any yardage last year is running back David Blackwell, who amassed one yard.Comparing figures with other prolific conference opponents, Ohio State is returning 98.7 percent of its rushing yardage, Northwestern 94 percent and Nebraska returns the least amount with 71.1 percent coming back.IU is getting back many key components in its passing game as well. The Hoosiers return junior wide receiver Cody Latimer, who was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list earlier this week, the award given annually to the nation’s top wide out. Junior Shane Wynn, who led the team with 68 receptions, will lace up his cleats once again for the cream and crimson this fall. So will seniors Kofi Hughes and Ted Bolser. Bolser is on the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, given to the country’s best tight end.IU returns 95 percent of its total receiving yards from last year. This figure is once again the best among the conference’s top four offenses last season.This does not mean the Hoosiers are guaranteed to have the conference’s best offense. Many variables affect offenses and are impossible to measure through this tactic. However, as far as returning key skill position players go, IU is in the driver’s seat in that category.Each of the four teams examined are bringing back their primary and secondary quarterbacks. So IU has no experience advantage there.However, in total rushing and receiving yards coming back this year, the Hoosiers will be one of the most seasoned Big Ten teams. IU loses 3.51 percent of skill player yardage production to graduation. This is the most impressive figure out of the four teams examined. Northwestern loses 6.94 percent, Ohio State loses 7.14 percent and Nebraska has the most to replace, losing 27.93 percent of receiving and rushing yard production.Whether IU’s offense will be as formidable as it was last year is yet to be seen. But one thing will is certain, IU’s skill position players have all been there before.
(07/15/13 12:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior forward Will Sheehey and sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell won’t be bringing back a medal from the World University Games in Kazan, Russia.The two IU basketball teammates had Team USA off to a 3-0 start, but the team dropped back-to-back games, falling out of medal contention.Team USA lost its medal hopes after a 94-85 loss to Canada Friday. Before that, the team lost to Australia.Sunday, the team responded with a 91-51 win against Norway.Team USA (4-2) next plays Germany Monday morning. If the team wins there, it will play Tuesday in the ninth-place game, its highest possible finish after falling out of medal contention.Sheehey led Team USA with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field Sunday in the win against Norway. Ferrell added 8 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.“After a couple losses everyone wanted a win,” Sheehey said in a press release. “I think we just need to keep focusing on getting wins.”Sunday was the first time Sheehey had scored in double digits since the team’s second game of the tournament. Ferrell has scored 10 or more points in three of the six contests.Thus far, Ferrell and Sheehey combined to average more than 19 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.Despite outscoring opponents by an average of 29.5 points per game, Team USA’s consecutive losses to Australia and Canada, both by nine points, cost it a chance at a medal.Ferrell and Sheehey were not the only Hoosiers representing their respective countries at the World University Games in Kazan.Hoosiers also competed in men’s tennis, high jump, swimming, diving and water polo.Recent IU tennis graduate Isade Juneau represented Canada in the games. The Quebec native participated in four total matches, two singles and two mixed doubles, and went 2-2.His singles win came against Thesly Mufunda of Zimbabwe, as Juneau took the match 6-0, 6-2. Two days later, Juneau saw defeat in singles play at the hands of USC Trojan and USA representative Ray Sarmiento. Sarmiento defeated Juneau 6-3, 6-1.In Juneau’s two mixed-doubles matches, he was paired with Dominique Harmath, a rising senior for the Rice Owls.In its first matchup, the Canadian duo bested Vatsy Rakotondramanga and Hariniony Andriamananarivo of Madagascar 6-4, 6-2. In the next round, Jisung Nam and Min Hwa Yu of South Korea took the match in a third set tie-breaker 3-6, 6-3, 12-10.In other Canadian action, recent IU graduate Emma Kimoto finished with the best jump from North America in the women’s high jump.Despite besting her home continent, Kimoto’s 1.80-meter jump placed her 13th. Only the top 12 qualified for the final.IU has had several representatives in the pool. Nine Hoosiers have represented three countries and three sports in Russia.Senior Cody Miller has been the most successful Hoosier, making the final in the 100-meter breaststroke and posting the fourth-best time in IU history.The Las Vegas native posted a time of 1:01.17, earning him seventh in the final. It was his first final in international competition.He wasn’t done, as he finished seventh in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:12.10.Senior James Wells finished seventh in the semifinal heat of the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 55.32. Finishing one spot ahead of him was fellow senior Eric Ress who beat his Bloomington teammate by a quarter of a second. Ress, a native of France, finished with a time of 55.07.Wells also placed seventh in the semifinal heat of the 50-meter backstroke.Sophomore Brooklynn Snodgrass represented Canada and placed eighth in her semifinal heat of the 100-meter backstroke.In diving, recent graduate Casey Johnson’s score of 286.70 was good for 12th place in the semifinals. Teammate Conor Murphy finished three spots behind Johnson with a 321.10 score.The U.S. diving pair placed sixth in the synchronized platform final with a score of 334.08.Representing Israel, senior Cassidy Kahn received 20th place in the 1-meter springboard prelims with a score of 201.95.In water polo, three Hoosiers are representing Canada. Senior Shae Fournier, sophomore Jessica Gaudreault and junior Shelby Taylor are all playing in the games.Canada advanced to the semifinals with a 9-8 victory against France Friday, but lost to Hungary 7-6 Sunday. It will play Italy for the bronze medal on Tuesday.Fournier has scored 13 goals in five games.In international play outside of the World Unviersity Games, juniors Kyle Schwarber and Sam Travis recently arrived back from a baseball series in Japan, representing the U.S. on the Collegiate National Team.The No. 2 and 3 hitters in the IU lineup played a five-game series against the Japanese national team. Japan took three of the five games, outscoring Team USA 21-20. The Hoosier duo combined for five hits in the series. Schwarber started every game and had a .304 on base percentage, while Travis saw action in four of the five games.
(07/14/13 11:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU added its first wide receiver of the 2014 class this past week, bolstering future depth at the position.J-Shun Harris, a receiver from Fishers High School, committed to the Hoosiers July 10. According to rivals.com, Harris is 5 feet 8 inches tall, 165 pounds and runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash.The Fishers, Ind., native was formerly a Ball State commit and is the eighth recruit for IU Coach Kevin Wilson’s 2014 recruiting class.Harris is the third skill position commit for the Hoosiers’ 2014 class, joining quarterback Alexander Diamont and cornerback Donovan Clark.“He is excited and looking forward to being part of Coach Wilson’s program,” Fishers Coach Rick Wimmer said, “and hopes to play a significant role in the future as IU continues their progress toward winning a Big Ten championship.”— Evan Hoopfer and Jordan Littman
(04/27/13 2:42am)
The score resembled a football game after the first quarter rather than a baseball game after the first inning, as the Hoosiers led 7-0 after the opening stanza over Michigan tonight.
(04/24/13 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It has been 26 seasons since the IU baseball team reached the 30-win plateau this quickly, but IU Coach Tracy Smith is looking beyond the mark. “It used to be you look at the 30 wins as significant,” Smith said. “But anymore it’s probably the 40-win is kind of that bench mark for the NCAA tournament. But I’d much rather be 30-8 then 8-30.”No. 17 IU (30-8) took down Eastern Kentucky Tuesday night 5-2. This is the quickest an IU baseball team has reached the mark since 1987, when the Hoosiers started 30-6. IU is currently the only Big Ten team to boast 30 wins on the year.Sophomore pitcher Luke Harrison came through for the Hoosiers after freshman starting pitcher Christian Morris lasted only two and two-thirds innings and gave up two runs to leave IU in need of a strong relief performance.“(Harrison) was awesome,” sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber said. “(Harrison’s) been real consistent for us this year, but he’s a strike thrower. He’s got a real hard curve ball to read out of his hand. All the credit goes to him.”The sophomore had his longest outing of the year, going five and one-third innings, allowing three hits and no earned runs while striking out four in perhaps his best outing of the season.At one point, he retired 12 straight Colonel batters, and Smith liked the maturity that he brought to the mound.“He to us was the player of the game,” Smith said. “If he doesn’t come in and shut it down right there and take over those middle innings — we didn’t swing the bat particularly well today so who knows what would have happened.” For the second straight game after being moved down to ninth in the order on Saturday versus Butler, senior outfielder Justin Cureton hit leadoff.“As far as the moving him down, that was not motivation,” Smith said. “We need to get a little more production out of the top.”Ever since Cureton was moved down on Saturday, he has hit .333 with three RBI in three games.“I know I’m the leadoff hitter on this team,” Cureton said. “When I got bumped down for that one game, that sent me a message that I need to step up.”Schwarber sprained his PCL on April 6 when sliding into home plate and has seen limited playing time since then. The last two games he has started at designated hitter, hit .500 and accounted for eight runs.“I’d probably say I’m about 80 percent right now,” Schwarber said. “It’s been a real speedy recovery, actually. I’m very surprised from how I felt when it hurt to where I am now.”Today IU will try to build on its four-game winning streak when it plays Indiana State (17-17). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. The Sycamores are currently on a four-game losing streak. This weekend they were outscored 15-3 by Illinois State in a three-game sweep.ISU has one player hitting over .300, while the Hoosiers feature seven players hitting above that mark this season.Despite having the statistical edge in so many categories, teams play better when they are playing nationally ranked opponents, Smith said.“Whenever there is a number in front of your name, you’re going to get that team’s best,” Smith said.
(04/22/13 11:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No. 17 IU went 5-0 against Miami (Ohio), Louisville and West Virginia. Eastern Kentucky, on the other hand, went a combined 0-5 versus the same teams.The difference in run differential is significant. IU has a plus-32 run differential against the three teams, while Eastern Kentucky has a minus-37 run differential in the five games.The Hoosiers (29-8, 8-4 Big Ten) will try and keep their three-game win streak alive when they welcome the Colonels (14-23, 10-8 Ohio Valley Conference) this evening to Bart Kaufman Field. IU got back on track with a three-game sweep of in-state foe Butler this weekend. Before then, the team had lost five of its last six games.“It just feels good to play well again and get those wins,” sophomore pitcher Aaron Slegers said. “Winning gives you confidence.”First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. today, and freshman pitcher Christian Morris will get the start. The Hoosiers also play Indiana State Wednesday, and IU Coach Tracy Smith is unsure of who the starting pitcher will be due to an injury to usual midweek starter freshman Will Coursen-Carr.“Morris will go one of those,” Smith said. “We’ve got to see how it is with Will Coursen-Carr. He had a little tender shoulder last week, so that’s why we didn’t throw him this weekend. So we’ll just see where he is and just kind of play that by ear.”In 17 and one-third innings pitched, Morris boasts a 3.63 earned runs average. He’s let opponents hit .314, allowing the highest opponents’ batting average on the IU pitching staff.Morris made his first career start on April 17 against Ball state. The freshman went six innings, gave up two earned runs and struck out four.However, he got little run support and picked up his first loss the season. After the game, Smith thought the freshman performed well and gave his team a quality start.The Hoosiers will have to contain Colonel hitter Sean Hagen. The catcher leads his team in batting average and hits and is second on his squad with 27 RBI on the season.Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber started at designated hitter in the last game versus Butler on Sunday. He injured himself sliding to home against Illinois on April 6 and has seen limited playing time since then. Schwarber will probably not see playing time at the catcher today. The Hoosiers are trying to hold him out until a showdown with Michigan this weekend, Smith said.“His prognosis going forward is hopefully we can get him back for this weekend in a catching role,” Smith said. “But we’ll see — that’ll be game by game.”Senior infielder Michael Basil said that his team was “sharp” these past three games, and Smith hopes the state of mind his team is will continue. “Baseball, as much as any sport, is a mental game,” Smith said. “What we try and do is not focus on momentum, good luck or any of those crazy things. Just play good, sound, concentrated, focused baseball.”
(04/22/13 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — After a four-game losing streak, No. 19 IU got back on track with a three-game sweep of Butler this weekend.“It feels good to get the guys feeling good about themselves again on the winning front,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said. “But most of all was just to sure it up defensively, which is what we did a pretty darn good job of this weekend.”IU (29-8, 8-4) completed the sweep in Indianapolis on Sunday. The Hoosiers were aided by three Bulldog errors to take the game 10-3.“We just weren’t playing really good baseball and it felt really good to get back to our winning ways,” sophomore pitcher Aaron Slegers said.Strong starting pitching helped the Hoosiers take the first two games of the series in Bloomington by a combined score of 17-4.Junior Joey DeNato and sophomore Kyle Hart started Friday and Saturday, respectively. The two combined for 13 innings pitched, six hits, four earned runs, three walks and 12 strikeouts.On Sunday, Slegers gave up just three runs in six innings pitched. Smith said he is proud of how well all three of his starters have performed this season.“I don’t want to say I’m getting used to it, but I’m getting used to it,” Smith said. “Just another quality, quality job by those three.”During the three-game series, IU recorded just one error, which was the priority for this weekend, Smith said.“I was really pleased with how we played defensively and that was the key for us and the focus for this weekend,” Smith said.Slegers didn’t record any strikeouts Sunday, so having a defense behind him he knew would be strong was imperative to his confidence, he said.“Just throwing strikes as a pitcher, that’s what we emphasize as a pitching staff,” he said. “Throwing strikes early and let the defense work for you. And this weekend we really did that to a ‘T.’”Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber got the start at designated hitter Sunday. Schwarber has seen limited playing time since he injured his knee sliding into home April 6 and said he was excited to get back on the diamond.“I mean it was awesome,” Schwarber said. “I haven’t been out there for a while and it was a little rusty, but it’s good to get things back going. It’s been too long.”Schwarber responded by going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and was a big part of the lineup, Smith and Slegers said. “He’s a difference maker,” Smith said. “The guys were glad to see him back, and hell, I was glad to see him back.”The Hoosiers’ first eight runs of the game came with two outs, something the team wanted to improve on, Schwarber said.“I feel like in some of those losses we had we didn’t have two-out hitting,” Schwarber said. “Today we were lucky enough to have that, and kudos to the hitters.”
(04/20/13 11:37pm)
After giving up two straight hits to open the game, sophomore pitcher Kyle Hart gave up just two more the rest of the game, leading his team to victory and improving to 6-0 on the year.
(04/20/13 1:33am)
The middle of the lineup came through today, the three through six hitters went 13-17.
(04/19/13 2:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After starting the season 8-0 in the Big Ten, IU has lost its last four conference games. They will get a break from the Big Ten when they play Butler this weekend, which freshman infielder Nick Ramos views as a benefit.“We’ll just be getting back to the basics,” Ramos said. “I think there won’t be as much pressure, and we’ll be able to get back on track with where we were.”In a rare April nonconference weekend stint, IU (26-8, 8-4) will play Butler (17-15, 7-5) in a home-home-away series this weekend.The teams will play in Bloomington on Friday and Saturday, and then travel to Indianapolis on Sunday for the conclusion of the series.Because of contractual obligations, the series had to be split between the two schools so the two programs could play, IU Coach Tracy Smith said.The team really isn’t looking at conference statistics as much as they were in years past, Smith said.“Everybody thinks we’re crazy but our team really isn’t looking at conference this, conference that,” Smith said. “We’re really not. We’re not looking at where we are in the conference because our goals are so much higher than that.”Butler is on a four-game winning streak, coming off a sweep of the Dayton Flyers this past weekend where they posted an eight runs per game average.Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber is a big part of IU’s offense. The catcher leads his team in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, home runs and total bases.He injured his knee sliding into home plate against Illinois on April 6, and has seen limited playing time since then.“We can insert him in the lineup to get at-bats right now,” Smith said. “But I think what we’re trying to do is be smart about the end goal, which is to be playing deep into the summer.”Smith added they are trying to hold off putting Schwarber behind the plate for as long as possible to protect his health.Of the six games since his injury, Schwarber has started in two of them, both at designated hitter. Last Sunday against Michigan State, Schwarber was brought in for a pinch hit opportunity, and responded with an RBI.He did not play in the Hoosiers last outing against Ball State this Wednesday.“I’ll save his at-bat if we need it somewhere like we did on Sunday,” Smith said. “But really, we’re just trying to hold him out until Michigan.”However, IU has to treat this weekend with the same intensity as they would any other series, junior pitcher Joey DeNato said.“We’re trying to get three wins this series,” DeNato said. “You have to approach it like it is a Big Ten game, because at this point of the season every game counts and every win is going to be important.”
(04/18/13 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No. 19 IU lost its fourth straight game Wednesday at Bart Kaufman field, falling to Ball State 5-3. The Hoosiers (26-8) have lost five of their last six games after their 18-game winning streak. Not so coincidentally, IU Coach Tracy Smith said, sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber got hurt six games ago and has had limited playing time since his injury. “I would love to sit here tonight and tell you it’s a coincidence, but apparently it is not,” Smith said. “As a competitor, that’s what I’m disappointed in with our group — we should be mentally tougher than that.”Even though Schwarber is out, it shouldn’t have an impact on the team, junior infielder Dustin DeMuth said.“It shouldn’t affect us at all,” DeMuth said. “Even without him we still have a stacked lineup, and for some reason right now we’re not playing as well as we should.”IU’s defense was subject in the top of the third inning, as the Cardinals got three runs aided by two Hoosier errors. “We’re making a bunch of mental errors right now,” sophomore infielder Scott Donley said. “If we just focus in on the little details, we’ll be all right.”Freshman pitcher Christian Morris made his first career start, and despite recording the loss, Smith said he liked how Morris performedBall State almost broke open the game in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and second with two outs, Elbert DeVarie hit a fly ball to left field that appeared to be over the head of left fielder Tim O’Conner.While fully extended, O’Conner dove backward, robbing DeVarie of extra bases and allowing IU to get out of the frame unscathed.IU’s offense responded in the bottom of the frame when DeMuth hit a two-run homer to left that narrowed the deficit to 4-3.In the bottom of the eighth with two outs, DeMuth was again at bat when play was suspended due to lightning in the area.After a more than three hour rain delay, DeMuth stepped back up at the plate at 8:15 p.m.He hit a long fly ball to the right field warning track that came up just a few feet short of being the go-ahead home run.“We’re down a little bit because we’re not winning right now,” Donley said. “But I got enough faith in this team, I know we’re going to pull it back together and get back on another streak.”
(04/09/13 5:34pm)
There are several major polls in baseball, and IU has been shooting up them since the beginning of the season. Here is your one stop shop to view all the polls at once. Indiana is bolded in each of the rankings and here is how the Hoosiers rank in all the polls.
(04/08/13 11:46pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After suffering its first loss since the opening weekend of spring break Sunday, IU will travel to the bottom left corner of Indiana to try and start a new streak.No. 17 IU (25-4, 8-1 Big Ten) will face off against the Evansville Purple Aces (14-18, 5-4 Missouri Valley Conference) at 7 p.m. today in Evansville. Last year, IU defeated Evansville 5-4 but had to score two runs in the bottom on the ninth to get past the Purple Aces.Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber will probably not play in the game on Tuesday, IU Coach Tracy Smith said. “We’ll probably give him a little time during the week,” Smith said. “But speaking briefly with the doctors today, he’ll be ready to roll on Friday.”The team’s usual two-hole hitter, who leads his team in batting average, hits, home runs and slugging percentage, was held out of Sunday’s game due to a sprained knee he suffered in Saturday’s game against Illinois. IU suffered its first loss since March 9 against Illinois on Sunday, and freshmen pitcher Scott Effross stressed the importance of staying focused on what is coming up next.“It’s definitely disappointing, it’s tough right now,” Effross said. “But definitely got to learn from that game, come back against Evansville this week and come back against Michigan State this weekend.”Evansville has three players hitting above .300 this season, led by Kevin Kaczmarski’s .338 clip.In comparison, IU has seven batters hitting above .300 this year. Schwarber leads the team with a .420 average.Even though Evansville has played three more games and has more at-bats this season then IU has, the Hoosiers still have more runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBI’s, and have a higher team batting average. However, the Purple Aces do have less fielding errors than the Hoosiers this year. IU had three errors in their loss against Illinois on Sunday, but Smith said he does not see that as a recurring problem.“Baseball’s a sport where they create a column on the scoreboard for errors, so they’re probably going to happen,” Smith said. “But no, I’m not worried about that.”
(04/08/13 11:44pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU baseball team had spent approximately 60 percent of its season on the nation’s longest winning streak.No. 17 Hoosiers’ 18-game winning streak snapped Sunday when Illinois took down IU, 3-2.“We had the longest (streak) in the country this season,” senior shortstop Michael Basil said. “That’s something to be proud of. We just let one get away and didn’t play our best baseball, but we got to get right back to it and can’t let one loss affect us here on out.”The streak hadn’t just been the longest active streak in the nation. It was the longest streak the NCAA has seen at any point during this season.“Other teams have been losing throughout the streak the entire time,” Basil said. “And we just have to keep playing good baseball and get back to winning.”Even though the streak was snapped, IU is still in first place in the Big Ten. They are currently one game ahead of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who sit at 7-2 in conference play.“You know, it’s like we were unbeatable, but now it puts us on the level of getting back to baseball,” freshman infielder Nick Ramos said.IU hasn’t won a Big Ten championship since 1949, but if the team keeps up its high level of play, they will be taking home the conference crown come May.The Hoosiers lead the league in several offense categories, including batting average, hits, runs, doubles, home runs, RBI’s, total bases, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage. They also have the lowest team ERA in the conference at 2.34.The stranglehold on the conference statistics is unlike any other in college baseball. The fact that IU has had such strong pitching performances as well as a potent offense is unlike any other team in the country.In the five of the other biggest conferences in the nation — the SEC, Pac 12, ACC, Sun Belt and Big 12 — there is no team that leads the league in batting average while also boasting the lowest team ERA.“It’s just so steady,” junior outfielder Casey Smith said. “You don’t have any guys to worry about in the lineup, everyone can put the ball in play. Defensively, everyone’s steady and we’re so deep off the bench, it just gives you so much confidence.“It doesn’t have to be one guy, it doesn’t have to be (sophomore infielder) Sam (Travis) or (sophomore catcher Kyle) Schwarber. It can be different people every night.”During the streak, Smith said that the team didn’t care what the number of consecutive wins was and that the Hoosiers just took each game individually. That’s what they’ll continue to do now that the streak is broken, he said.“Let’s just say we’re not superstitious,” Smith said. “We honestly think we can win every single game. And we might be stubborn, but hey, we really think we’re going to win every single game.”
(04/08/13 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There was a runner on first base, a full count and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Hoosiers trailing by one.In the storybook 18-game winning streak for IU baseball, there were no more fairy-tale endings as junior infielder Dustin DeMuth struck out to secure the team’s first loss since March 9.Illinois (19-9, 2-4) became the first Big Ten opponent to take down No. 17 IU (25-4, 8-1) this season and snapped the Hoosiers’ streak with a 3-2 win Sunday afternoon.“It’s something disappointing,” senior infielder Michael Basil said. “It’s something that we honestly wanted to keep going, but streaks like that are rare, and streaks end at some point.”The Hoosiers still took the series from the Illini by winning on Friday and Saturday, capturing their third consecutive Big Ten series.On Friday, despite being out-hit eight to four, IU picked up the 3-2 win for the game one victory.The cream and crimson followed up on Saturday by dispatching the Illini 7-3. Sophomore pitcher Kyle Hart improved to 5-0 on the year by giving up one earned run in seven innings of work.Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber was out for Sunday’s game due to a sprained knee. Schwarber, an offensive catalyst for the Hoosiers, leads his team in batting average, hits, home runs and slugging percentage.“Did it win or lose us the game? I wouldn’t say so,” Basil said. “We still had our chances to try and get runners on and make something happen. But we’re definitely hoping he gets back as soon as possible.”IU Coach Tracy Smith said Schwarber is a big threat in the lineup, but said he didn’t know if the catcher’s absence also had a psychological effect on the team.“You had a stretch like we had, however many games it was,” Smith said. “It’s kind of a flow and you get things going. And I’m sure that was on some people’s minds before the game, you take it out of the flow.”In the bottom of the fifth inning and trailing 2-0, it was the bottom of the order that came through for the Hoosiers. Sophomore catcher Chad Clark hit a single and was brought home by freshmen infielder Nick Ramos’ first career two-run homerun.“On the homerun, it felt awesome to tie the game,” Ramos said. “And thank God for the wind. It helped out a little bit.” There was a bit of confusion in the top of the sixth when freshman pitcher Will Coursen-Carr was called in to replace sophomore pitcher Aaron Slegers after the starter gave up a 2-0 count to the first batter he faced in the inning. After Coursen-Carr reached the mound and threw a warm-up pitch, the umpire made Slegers come back into the game.According to NCAA rule 9-4f, “when the game pitcher crosses the foul line on the way to the mound to start an inning, he shall pitch to the first batter until such batter is put out or reaches base, unless a pinch hitter sustains an injury or illness, which incapacitates him from continuing.”Everybody was confused as to what was going on with the new rule, including the skipper.“I guess I should have read that (rule) a little better,” Smith said with a smile. “I guess it’s a new rule this year that once a guy starts an at-bat, he’s got to stay there. I don’t think that had the impact. We got a double play ball and threw it away.”Slegers then gave up a single, and sophomore infielder Sam Travis had a throwing error trying to make the double play, putting runners on first and second with no outs.For the second time of the day, Slegers came out of the game, and Illinois notched the eventual winning run in the frame.The Hoosiers were unable to muster any offense the rest of the day, not scoring in the final four innings. Multiple players said they thought the team was pressing offensively. The Hoosiers made contact on 10 first-pitch offerings, only getting hits in two occurrences.“For the first time in a long time, about 50 percent of our at-bats today I thought we gave away,” Smith said. “I thought we swung at a lot of pitches we don’t usually swing at, and when you’re in a tight ball game like that, you can’t give away half of your at-bats.”
(04/06/13 1:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The largest crowd in Bart Kaufman Field history saw No. 17 IU take down Illinois 3-2 Friday night for its NCAA-best 17th consecutive victory.2,757 people showed up to see IU (24-3, 7-0) take down Illinois (18-8, 1-3) in the Hoosiers’ first ever night game. IU Coach Tracy Smith said he was ecstatic to see the ballpark filled. “Personally I’m bursting at the seams,” Smith said. “This is what we thought of eight years ago when we had the vision of what this could be in Bloomington. I think people are starting to feel that and see that, it was a lot of fun.”In the first inning, senior outfielder Justin Cureton reached base on a throwing error by Illinois shortstop Thomas Lindauer and then stole second base. Sophomore infielder Sam Travis brought Cureton home with a sacrifice fly to give the Hoosiers another first-inning run and a 1-0 edge. In first innings this year, the Hoosiers have now outscored their opponents 29-4. A pair of solo home runs to right field by senior infielder Michael Basil and junior outfielder Casey Smith in the second inning gave the Hoosiers the 3-0 lead.Despite losing, Illinois outhit IU eight to four, and half of IU’s hits were home runs.“We didn’t really hit too well tonight,” Casey Smith said. “But yeah they would fall in place over the fence for us.”Illinois responded in the top of the third with a leadoff triple by catcher Jason Goldstein. Right fielder Will Krug scored the catcher on a sacrifice fly to cut IU’s lead to 3-1.Both IU and Illinois’s pitching then settled in, hurling a combined nine consecutive scoreless frames before Illinois broke the scoring drought in the top of the eighth.Smith said he felt the momentum shifting in the seventh inning, so he felt the need to bring in freshman pitcher Scott Effross.“I wasn’t anticipating using Effross,” Smith said. “But when he came before the game and was like ‘I’m fine, I’m ready to roll,’ and I thought his velocity was up tonight, it was just up in the zone.”On a full count in the eighth inning, Effross hit Krug to give him the free pass to first base. Krug then stole second and was brought home on an RBI double by Justin Parr to clip IU’s lead to 3-2.IU junior pitcher Ryan Halstead was brought in to get the four-out save. The junior came through for his ball club, getting his fifth save of the season and securing the program’s 17th consecutive victory.“I thought Halstead was to me, the key of the game,” Smith said. “Halstead to me was sharp and competitive and to me shut the door on them.” Illinois starting pitcher Kevin Johnson had his twenty-second birthday spoiled despite being what Casey Smith called the best opposing pitcher IU has seen this year.“That guy was unbelievable,” Smith said. “That was probably the top, he what, four-hit us? That guy was very good and he stayed down in the zone and he was one of the top we’ve seen.”Johnson gave up only four hits to IU’s Big Ten leading offense. The senior pitched an eight-inning complete game.“He was a great pitcher,” IU junior starting pitcher Joey DeNato said. “He held out batters in check throughout the whole game, except for the second inning.”DeNato pitched six innings, gave up seven hits, one earned run and struck out six to improve his record to 4-1 on the season.“He was just being Joey,” sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber said. “He was just pounding the strike zone, I mean that’s really all you can say about Joey.”Seating capacity for Bart Kaufman Field is listed at 2,500, so having an over-capacity crowd for IU’s first night game was huge for the team, Schwarber said.“I mean that was awesome,” the Middletown, Ohio native said. “Coming out of the dugout for the intros and seeing all the people out there, especially for a kid like me not from a big area and you see all these people out here, 2,700 people, I mean it’s awesome.”
(04/03/13 3:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No. 17 IU will go for its 16th straight victory as the team travels to Cincinnati to play Xavier University at 3 p.m. today.For the Hoosiers (22-3, 6-0 Big Ten), playing midweek games on the road is not as big of a challenge as going on the road for a series, sophomore pitcher Aaron Slegers said.“Well in a midweek game at Xavier, it’s not as big as a deal,” Slegers said. “We’re just bussing there, are bussing back and get to sleep in our own beds.”Traveling is always a part of the game for college baseball. After IU’s series against Iowa this past weekend, where the Hoosiers swept another Big Ten opponent, the team did not arrive back in Bloomington until 4:34 a.m. Monday, according to the team’s official Twitter account.As IU Coach Tracy Smith was being asked about some of the disadvantages of playing on the road, his biological response summed up what he was thinking.“Right as I’m yawning while you’re asking, I’ll say fatigue,” Smith said. “But the field dimensions are the same when you go on the road. If you excel in pitching and defense, you’re going to get a chance to win.”With their recent success, the coach said he is proud of how his team has remained level-headed, and most importantly, kept playing IU baseball.“What I like about this team is they have a very even demeanor about them,” Smith said. “They just play baseball.”This upcoming weekend IU plays Illinois, who owns the second-best winning percentage in the Big Ten, behind the Hoosiers. Overlooking Xavier (10-13, 4-2 Atlantic 10) will not bode well for the Hoosiers, Smith said, because he is quite familiar with Xavier Coach Scott Googins.“Coach Googins is an IU guy,” Smith said. “He’ll be ready to play, and he’ll have his team ready to play, so you know you’re going over there and playing a good baseball team.”Googins was an assistant at IU for eight years before going to Miami (Ohio). Now the former Indiana man is in his seventh year at the helm of Xavier. IU will have to deal with Xavier’s offense, which is one of the more potent in its conference. The Musketeers lead the Atlantic 10 in batting average with a .301 team batting average, making them the only team in the conference hitting in the .300s. Xavier’s offense is spearheaded by senior outfielder Mark Elwell, who is batting .398 on the season and leads the team with 35 hits.Despite going on the road, sophomore designated hitter Scott Donley thinks his team has the capability to win both playing at home in Bart Kaufman Field and on the road.“I guess you could say it’s a disadvantage,” Donley said. “But our team has come out and played real well on the road. So I think we’re going to come out and be full throttle and be excited to play against them.”
(04/02/13 3:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No. 24 IU is currently riding a 15-game win streak, the longest active streak in the nation, and is already tied for the longest in IU’s 118-year history.“I think it gives people something to talk about or write about,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said. “But outside of that I don’t hear anybody talking about it, and it’s not something I go to bed every night and say, ‘Jeez, let’s get No. 16.’”Even though the coach and the players downplay the importance of the streak within the team, it is indicative of how well the Hoosiers (22-3, 6-0 Big Ten) have played this season.Some noteworthy statistics from the streak IU has a run differential of +88, beating opponents by an average of 5.9 runs per game.The largest margin of victory came against Miami (Ohio) March 20 when the Hoosiers opened up Bart Kaufman Field by beating the RedHawks 15-1.The smallest margin of victory was two runs, which happened on three separate occasions.The Hoosier pitching staff has hurled three shutouts and has not allowed more than six runs in a game. On average, the staff allows 2.7 runs per game.The Hoosier offense has been potent, averaging 8.5 runs a game and scoring double digit runs in five of the 15 contests.When IU started the streak, it was unranked. Now the Hoosiers are ranked by several national polls: No. 24 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, No. 19 by Baseball America and No. 19 by Perfect Game.This is the first time in school history IU has been nationally ranked.
(04/02/13 12:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball has gone a combined 5-34 in Big Ten play in its last two seasons.That culture of losing is over, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.“The culture, I think, is different in the gym right now,” Dunbar said. “It’s a competitive culture in the gym right now ... I just think the environment overall is just way better.”IU volleyball is in the midst of its everyday spring practices and will pick up with its season in the fall.One key addition to the program has been sophomore middle blocker Awele Nwaeze, who has brought something different to the gym, Dunbar said.“Physically, she’s gifted,” Dunbar said. “And I think she challenges every hitter and every blocker to be better. And in the end I think it’s making her better, too. I think she’s a great addition.”The sophomore transferred from the University of Miami (Florida) last year and thoroughly enjoys the new change of scenery, she said.“Miami was a really small private school, and I was looking for a change,” Nwaeze said. “And for volleyball, Big Ten is where it’s at.”Nwaeze also appreciates the level of care and detail she gets from each and every one of her coaches, she said.“The coaches are so invested in our program, and it’s way more than I could even expect,” Nwaeze said. “They are invested not only in your playing but your life.” The Raleigh, N.C., native brings a level of competitiveness to other players, which is vital to the team’s overall success.“She just pushes everyone on this team to be better,” junior defensive specialist Melanie Hicks said. “People in her position, she challenges them, but it’s not like a negative challenge. She’s made them better.”Unlike during the fall season, IU does not have a game to look forward to every weekend to keep up motivation. However, throughout the spring, the team plays several exhibition matches, and it uses those as a measuring stick to see where they are against other competition, Hicks said. Her coach added that this team is different and does not need extra motivation from the coaches to work hard.“Normally I would say yes, but I would say no this year,” Dunbar said. “Because of where we want to go and the path we’re on, it’s very clear where we want to go.” During the first part of the spring season, the team focuses more on the individual with drills tailored to a specific person. Now, members are able to practice as a team.“This is our opportunity to show we aren’t the same Indiana volleyball that we were last year,” Nwaeze said. “We have the fight and the true notion to be contenders.” Looking forward to summer practice, Hicks said keeping up the intensity is vital for the team’s success.“What’s important is maintaining that level of play we’re getting and not letting it drop off,” Hicks said. “We have to make sure we’re just as ready and don’t take a step backwards.”
(04/01/13 2:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No. 24 IU (22-3, 6-0) got out the broom for the second consecutive weekend against a conference foe, sweeping Iowa (9-13, 1-5) in three games during Easter weekend.The Hoosiers extended their winning streak to 15, the highest active streak in the NCAA, and have also won 20 of their last 21 contests.The action got started on Saturday as the Hoosiers took down Iowa 16-5.In the bottom of the third inning, Iowa took the lead 5-4. The Hoosiers proceeded to score 12 unanswered runs to close out the game.IU tallied 23 hits against Hawkeye pitchers on Saturday. Sophomore infielder Sam Travis led his team with five runs batted in and got things started with a three-run home run in the first inning.“I love hitting behind Travis,” sophomore infielder Scott Donley said, who hits fourth behind Travis in the lineup. “He’s one of the most feared hitters in not only the Big Ten but the country ... him having a really big weekend this weekend really helped out the team.”Due to expected inclement weather on Monday, IU and Iowa played a double header on Sunday to finish out the series. In the first game of the day, the Hoosiers took down Iowa 9-6.During the first two games of the series, IU’s starting pitcher was not as stellar as it had been the previous weekend against Penn State.Junior Joey DeNato and sophomore Kyle Hart started games one and two, respectively, against Penn State last weekend and Iowa this weekend.Against the Nittany Lions, the Hoosier starters combined for 15.1 innings pitched, one earned run allowed, eight hits allowed, four walks and 17 strikeouts.This weekend the pair combined for 6.1 innings pitched, eight earned runs allowed, 11 hits allowed, three walks and 11 strikeouts.“We’ve been getting really good starts, our starters have been doing a really good job,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said. “Percentages are going to tell you sometimes they’re not going to do well. That was the big thing for us this weekend, even though our starters weren’t on, any one of the guys we put in for relief work did a good job in picking their teammate up.”The second game of the double header had more tension then the first two games as the Hawkeyes had a prime opportunity to steal the contest from IU.Facing a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the ninth leading 6-4, junior pitcher Ryan Halstead struck out Iowa outfielder Taylor Kaufman to secure the sweep.“I wasn’t too nervous at all,” sophomore pitcher Aaron Slegers said. “Halstead’s been closing for us for a long time and he’s won ones a lot closer than that with a lot more pressure.”Slegers delivered another stellar performance, allowing two runs with none of them earned in seven innings of work to improve his record to 5-0 on the year.“I’m pretty satisfied (with my performance this year),” Slegers said. “Because I feel like I gave the club a chance to win. I only allowed two runs and with our offense ... two wasn’t going to beat us, let me put it that way.”Despite the success Slegers has had this year, Smith does not anticipate moving him up in the pitching rotation.“He’s still developing as a pitcher, still developing his secondary stuff, but he’s a 6-foot-10-inch strike thrower,” Smith said. “I like him out of that three spot, he gives us a quality guy on Sunday, but he still has some other things in his game that he has to work on.”