IU Baseball vs Iowa - 4/30 - 5/2 all on BTN+

[Aaron 4,147]

Tucker with a clean inning. At this point I am not sure I don't move Bothwell, Mudungo or even Tucker to the third weekend spot. 

I don't want to overreact to today, but this has been a slow downward trend as season has gone on and Sommer is not working deep into games. Today was a culmination of the bottom for Sommer for what has been building for several weeks. There was no reason to make change before now, but with the inevitable happening today, Sommer needs to be moved to Sunday at best if not the bullpen given arms we have. 

4-2 halfway home.

[Aaron 4,147]

IU gets one back on a single up middle by Ashley a double into RF corner by Toetz and RBI groundout by Richardson. Wallace at 90 pitches for them after 5. Honestly if you told me we could get three runs and six hits off him in five innings I would of taken it. Great at bats today. The fact Sommer could not even give you five innings of two run ball (which has been typical lately) tells you all you need to know about why he no longer deserves Friday role. 

[mjhoosier 93]

IU gets one back - 4 -3. Barr goes down on called 3rd strike to end inning. He didn’t like it.


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[mjhoosier 93]

Error on Colopy as ball goes through legs to the wall. IUs 3rd error. Defense letting them down. IU now down 5-3


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[Aaron 4,147]

My god now our D is not there and Tucker is laboring a bit. a walk and single open inning but Colopy makes it worse letting ball get by him to wall plating another run. Hitting has been fine today which has been our Achilles heel, but not going to beat this level of team which this effort with pitching and defense. three errors and pitchers getting knocked all over yard. The errors have been bad, but direct result of how much hard contact we are allowing to them today. Pitching has been even worse in my mind. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Just now, mjhoosier said:

Error on Colopy as ball goes through legs to the wall. IUs 3rd error. Defense letting them down. IU now down 5-3


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That and even more so pitching will all the hard contact we are giving up today. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Another run given up on a clean double. You can blame the errors which have been bad, but are not going to win giving up this much hard contact. Honestly, that double may have plated both if runners were at first and second without the error. This is as bad as our pitching has been all year and we are much much better than this.  

[mjhoosier 93]

IU down 6-3.


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[Aaron 4,147]

We looked silly against Wallace that inning. Good news is he is well over 100 pitches through 6. Iowa bullpen outside of one guy is not the best, so if we can keep the deficit right here, we may have a chance. 3 runs and 6 hits against an elite lefty in six innings, is best anyone has done against him all year. This one is squarely on Sommer as if he can even give you 5 or 6 innings of two run ball you are going Mudungo and Stahl most likely out of pen rather than Tucker and now Scott. I said a win would require a low scoring victory.

Hitting has done its part but this is at least second game Sommer has really hurt us in and other times where he made it much harder than needed. 

[Aaron 4,147]

An absolute gem up the middle to stop a single by IU D. D has had its bad moments certainly, but pitching (really Sommer) is solely responsible for precarious position we are in.   

[Aaron 4,147]

Braden Scott with best inning of year by large margin striking out 2. 6-3 Iowa at stretch.

[Aaron 4,147]

Iowa sends Wallace back out there with 105 pitches through 6. Trying to stretch him out with less than stellar pen.

[Aaron 4,147]

Wallace labors through 7 and gets to 116 pitches. The lack of a bullpen could hurt Iowa at some point. We have 2 innings to get to it if Wallace is actually done. Very impressed with him and IU's approach at plate given what they faced. Very unimpressed with Sommer who is probably going to cost us this game. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Another good inning from Scott. He has been terrific in past years but not so great this year so if this gives him a confidence boost I am all for it. Very glad we used Tucker and Scott today and saving our best arms (Mudungo, Stahl, Sharp, Litwicki and Bothwell) out of pen for later in weekend when we have lead hopefully. 

Very well managed game in all aspects and Sommer needs to look in mirror and see his less than stellar pitching has cost his team another game. He very nearly did in previous weeks and that came home to roost today.

[Aaron 4,147]

Iowa relief pitcher has 4.12 era and is righty. If we are going to do anything now is our chance. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Good start. Leadoff double for Richardson.

[Aaron 4,147]

Now a  walk. 2 on no outs Colopy.

[Aaron 4,147]

Colopy with an accidental bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Vecrumba pinch hits.

[Aaron 4,147]

RBI groundout for Vecrumba but that only helps so much as runner at third with 2 outs.

[Aaron 4,147]

Fougerousse's with an RBI Double and is tying run at second for Hopkins.