IU Baseball

[Aaron]

IU wins opener 8-6 in what was both one of the most positive and frustrating games of Mercer era at the same time.

Positives:

1. IU had second and third one out in sixth in a 6-6 tie and scored the game winning runs against an off speed specialist out of pen they have often struggled with. Decker worked a great at-bat for a walk to load bases and Carerra pinch hit and also had a great at-bat frustrating the Gopher's guy into a wild pitch for a run and a high chopper that added on. This was the situational awareness that has lacked so many times in the last few years and handled beautifully tonight.

2. Gavin Seebold has the best stuff out of the pen I have seen from an IU guy in a long time. Was flawless the final four innings (just as he has been all year) to hold on for the win and Gopher batters had zero chance against him. His fastball and wipeout slider in perfect locations were a thing of beauty. The fact Dustin Glant struggled with this guy shows how incompetent he was as a pitching coach and it took the new guy Matt Myers literally no time to fix him. Seebold is absolutely a pro who will be drafted on his stuff alone.

3. Somehow despite 8-11 record, RPI is in the 60's again after the two huge wins over Vandy and Minnesota. It shows like in the Lemonis era, schedule is tough enough that even something like eight games over .500 might be enough for at-large bid given strength of conference this year. Just not sure IU can even clear that low bar despite all the talent.

Negative:

1. Thank god Myers has finally given Mercer a couple guys he can turn to in a close game with confidence, especially when Mercer's own lack of logic caused the nailbiter in the first place. Losing Jackson Bergman for the year sucks but Myers has given Mercer two other competent starters finally which is one more than Glant usually did. Only Mercer could decide to do his bullpen game Friday and 'save' his starters for Saturday and Sunday. You beat up their ace which is one of the things Mercer thrives at, but because he did his bullpen game today, it was unnecessarily close and blew through your best arms. This is Tommy Sommer over Gabe Bierman on Friday night in 2022 all over again and it probably cost them a regional that year. Mercer's lack of understanding that Friday is the night you throw your best starter (Neubeck this year) like everyone else does has been one of the most frustrating parts of his tenure.

2. Pinch hitting Aiden Stewart with second and third one out in seventh when he has struggled all year, is bad management. Everyone thought Stewart was supposed to be great and his struggling with the bright lights at this level is not really Mercer's fault. However, pinch hitting him in a high leverage spot is the development for his future over best thing for team we have seen to often with Mercer.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Pleasant surprise that our Hoosiers took game 2 of the weekend series 7-2 and will look for a sweep tomorrow at 1:00.  Neubeck started and pitched 6 innings giving up 6 hits, 2 BB and charged with 2 MN runs.  Vogel and Yarberry closed it out.  We scored 5 in the 5th.  Ricketts and Decker hit solo HR and Hanley hit a 3-run HR.  We had 9 hits total with Landen Fry the only Hoosier to log more than a single hit.