IU Baseball

[Magnanimous]

Is there any thought/fan fiction of bringing Lemonis back if Mercer can’t turn this thing around?

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Hoosiers take the weekend opener 13-3 in a run shortened game.  3 Hoosier pitchers limited Abilene Christian to 6 hits while getting 13 of our own.   Cole Decker had the hot bat going 4-4 with 3 RBI.  Denney had 2 HR; one of which came leading off our 1st inning. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Today's (Saturday)start has been pushed back to 4:00.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Abilene wins today 8-4.  4 IU pitchers gave up 7 hits, walked 8 and then just for fun hit 5 batters.  We had 7 hits coupled with receiving 8 walks and ended up leaving 11 men on base. Malamazian and Decker each with 2 hits and Decker was our RBI leader with 2.  Caleb Koskie with a single in the 5th stretched his hitting streak to 20 games.  It is the first 20-game hitting streak since Alex Dickerson in 2010. Dickerson’s record is 21 games.  We'll try for a series win tomorrow at noon.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

We take the weekend series winning 5-4 today.  AC had 11 hits, 4 for extra bases off 4 IU pitchers who also walked 6 batters.  We had 8 hits plus 7 BB from AC pitching.  We benefited from 2 AC errors with 2 of our runs unearned.  

Tuesday at 3:00 we'll be in Muncie to face Ball State (19-19); televised on ESPN+.

Radio

Live Stats

Next weekend we host Iowa (21-15) (7-10) and 7-7 in road games.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

In a pitching duel (NOT), Hoosiers win 20-10.  5 Hoosier pitchers allowed 14 Ball State hits, 6 for extra bases.  Surprisingly, we issued just 2 BB in the game.  We had 15 hits, also with 6 for extra bases.  Denney 2 HR and 7 RBI on the night.  Decker and tenOever both with 4 RBIs. 

Next weekend we're at Iowa (21-16) (7-11).  All 3 games televised on B1G+. 

• Fri - 6:00 ET
• Sat - 2:00 ET
• Sun - 1:00 ET

Radio

Live Stats

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Potential weather issues have pushed tonight's first pitch to 7:30.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Caleb Koskie back in the line up after missing Tuesday night. Batting third with a chance to set the all time Hoosier Baseball hitting streak at 22 games.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Well, we're losing 7-2 but Caleb Koskie sets a new hitting streak record.

 

[Aaron]

The flood lights going out for a few minutes due to a glitch late in the game is the perfect message and metaphor from the baseball gods on the state of the program right now. Its why a leadership change is likely needed this year or next.

Mercer really struggles with coaches like Rick Heller whose entire system is based on pitching and fundementals.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

12-2 Iowa sticks it to us pounding out 15 hits that included 4 HR.  Neubeck started went 4 innings giving up 7 hits and 7 runs.  4 more IU pitchers gave up the other 8 hits and 5 runs.  We had 9 hits but couldn't put them together and left 11 on base.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

9-2 and Iowa sticks it to us again.  Just 3 hits for our Hoosiers and Koskie's hitting streak comes to an end.  4 IU pitchers allowed 8 hits but 5 were for extra bases.  We'll try to salvage one game Sunday afternoon.  

From an X account - Such a poorly coached baseball team...1st inning had 3 walks and 2 hbp and 2 pass balls...

[TheWatShot]

23 hours ago, Aaron said:

The flood lights going out for a few minutes due to a glitch late in the game is the perfect message and metaphor from the baseball gods on the state of the program right now. Its why a leadership change is likely needed this year or next.

Mercer really struggles with coaches like Rick Heller whose entire system is based on pitching and fundementals.

Any coaches in particular you think we should look at? I don't expect us to be a powerhouse or anything, but this program badly needs a reset. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

And Iowa sweeps us in our own ballpark winning today 7-4.  Yarberry and Seebold allowed 9 hits (4 extra bases) and walked 5.  After Iowa's 6th, they led 7-1.  We scored 3 in our 6th but we were done for the day.  We had 11 hits but left 10 runners on base.  

As we limp towards the end of the season, we'll be at Louisville (25-18) Tuesday at 6:00.  Televised on ACCNX.  

Radio

Live Stats

Our next weekend series is at Northwestern (16-24-1) (5-16).  The following weekend we're at West Laffy and the season finale May 14-16, we host Illinois.  

[Aaron]

19 hours ago, TheWatShot said:

Any coaches in particular you think we should look at? I don't expect us to be a powerhouse or anything, but this program badly needs a reset. 

Yup. Got the perfect guy who will almost certainly take the job and his name is Brian Smiley and he is only 41 years old. Born in Evansville and worked for years under Rick Heller and Mitch Hannah at Indiana State who are two of the most respected coaches in the game. Then went and instantly turned Miami (OH) and they are good again for the first time in 20 years after we stole the last good coach from them (Tracy Smith obviously) and he built IU from nothing.

Miami (OH) might hate IU for stealing their best coaches but oh well. Def need to make a move on Smiley before someone else does but can absolutely get him if you act now given this is his home state.

Do NOT bring back Chris Lemonis as fans on social media seem to want. Given Mercer's struggles, some people have gotten Tom Crean syndrome and remember that era far to fondly. Lemonis was better than Mercer, but that is a low bar right now and had serious issues with player development and was living off what Smith built. Did same thing at Mississippi State inheriting a palace and winning a championship before driving it into the ground.

Other guys you should call who will probably say no is a Tracy Smith reunion (although he is getting up their in age), Hannahs himself, and Kansas' Dan Fitzgerald. Assuming they do say 'no' though your list should end at Smiley and bring him home to 812 area code.

Most importantly IU seems to have good luck with Miami (OH) guys (Smith, Terry Hoeppner) and very bad luck with Dayton guys (Mercer, Archie Miller) making Smiley ideal.

[WayneFleekHoosier]

Definitely another disappointing season.  Felt like it was over right after it got started.  Seems to be talented, at least at the plate, although I’m not 100 sure the stats even back that up.   Not an easy decision for Dolson here.  It has the feels, like we are getting less than the sum of our parts.  But it’s not gosh awful either.  Would it end up being a full rebuild?  Curious how this one turns out.  

[IUHoosierJoe]

56 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Yup. Got the perfect guy who will almost certainly take the job and his name is Brian Smiley and he is only 41 years old. Born in Evansville and worked for years under Rick Heller and Mitch Hannah at Indiana State who are two of the most respected coaches in the game. Then went and instantly turned Miami (OH) and they are good again for the first time in 20 years after we stole the last good coach from them (Tracy Smith obviously) and he built IU from nothing.

Miami (OH) might hate IU for stealing their best coaches but oh well. Def need to make a move on Smiley before someone else does but can absolutely get him if you act now given this is his home state.

Do NOT bring back Chris Lemonis as fans on social media seem to want. Given Mercer's struggles, some people have gotten Tom Crean syndrome and remember that era far to fondly. Lemonis was better than Mercer, but that is a low bar right now and had serious issues with player development and was living off what Smith built. Did same thing at Mississippi State inheriting a palace and winning a championship before driving it into the ground.

Other guys you should call who will probably say no is a Tracy Smith reunion (although he is getting up their in age), Hannahs himself, and Kansas' Dan Fitzgerald. Assuming they do say 'no' though your list should end at Smiley and bring him home to 812 area code.

Most importantly IU seems to have good luck with Miami (OH) guys (Smith, Terry Hoeppner) and very bad luck with Dayton guys (Mercer, Archie Miller) making Smiley ideal.

You make some good points here, and Smiley sounds intriguing. I’d be interested to know how he coaches: does he stress fundamentals…solid defense, good pitching, discipline at the plate? As Wayne points out, we are less than the sum of our parts (recruiting has been pretty decent) because we are sorely lacking in those areas. And we can’t let this go on any longer or the program will be in the gutter. 

[Aaron]

59 minutes ago, IUHoosierJoe said:

You make some good points here, and Smiley sounds intriguing. I’d be interested to know how he coaches: does he stress fundamentals…solid defense, good pitching, discipline at the plate? As Wayne points out, we are less than the sum of our parts (recruiting has been pretty decent) because we are sorely lacking in those areas. And we can’t let this go on any longer or the program will be in the gutter. 

I believe Smiley does stress all of that as that is what Heller and Hannahs build their program on and how Heller took Mercer to school this weekend with Iowa.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Hoosiers get a 10-6 mid-week win over Louisville.  Linn started and pitched 5 innings of 4-hit shutout ball.  Things deteriorated from their with 4 additional IU pitchers giving up 6 hits (4 for extra bases) and all 6 Louisville runs.  We had 11 hits; Malamazian with 3 and Hanley and ten Oever with 2 each.  Decker and Fry each with 2 RBI.

Next weekend we're on the road at Northwestern.

 

ten Oever has been on quite a tear and was just name B1G Freshman of the Week.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

It will be a dry but cool weekend for our Hoosiers taking on Northwestern (17-24-1) (5-16) in Evanston.  All 3 games televised on B1G+.  There are no more mid-week games on the schedule.  Next weekend we play at PUke and the following weekend is the regular season finale (mercifully) hosting Illinois.

• Fri - 8:00 ET
• Sat - 3:00 ET
• Sun - 2:00 ET

Preview

Radio

Live Stats