Jump to content

Thanks for visiting BtownBanners.com!  We noticed you have AdBlock enabled.  While ads can be annoying, we utilize them to provide these forums free of charge to you!  Please consider removing your AdBlock for BtownBanners or consider signing up to donate and help BtownBanners stay alive!  Thank you!

Class of '66 Old Fart

IU Baseball @ Maryland - 5/28 - 5/30/21 on BTN+

Recommended Posts

There are big games and then there are BIG games.  Hoosiers simply cannot lay an egg this weekend in College Park.

  • Friday  -  6:30   Thunderstorms possible later in the day; 90% chance of rain.
  • Sat. -  2:00        55% chance of showers.
  • Sun.  -  1:00      40% chance of showers.

Radio

Live Stats

The Indiana Hoosiers (25-16) head to College Park, Md. for the final Big Ten series of the 2021 season this weekend to face the Maryland Terrapins (26-15). All three games this weekend will be streamed live on BTN+.  

Entering play this weekend, the Hoosiers sit in fourth place in the Big Ten standings, just one game behind both Maryland and Michigan (25-16) who are tied for second place. Nebraska (29-11) clinched the conference regular-season title last weekend. There is no Big Ten Tournament this year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Jon Blau reporting Modugno will get the Friday start; Brown on Saturday; Bierman on Sunday.

Thank god. We have a chance now in all three games. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not IU related but it is big news in college baseball.  Paul Mainieri, had coach at LSU announced he's retiring at the end of this season.  He is currently No. 1 among active NCAA D1 coaches in career victories.

 https://lsusports.net/news/2021/5/28/baseball-paul-mainieri-announces-retirement-from-coaching.aspx

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Free baseball in game #1 as we're tied 3-3 going to the 10th.

Hoosiers fell behind 1-0 in the 1st inning but picked up a run in the 4th on a Cole Barr sac. fly and 2 more in the 6th as Richardson and Fucci each got an rbi.   We scored our 3 runs on 6 hits and didn't commit any errors.

Bierman had a rocky 1st inning giving up 2 hits and walking in a run before getting out of the inning with the bases loaded.  He then settled down and pitched through the 6th (116 pitches) allowing just 2 more hits and walking 3.  Grant Macciocchi took over in the 7th and allowed another run in the Terps 8th.  That was the first earned run Macciocchi has allowed in 16 innings of relief work this season and Mercer left him on the mound for the 9th and he gave up a game tying home run after striking out the first Terp batter he faced in the 9th and then got the next 2 batters out to send the game into extra innings..  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hoosiers lose the first game 3-2.  Bah Humbug!

We go down in order in the 10th; Macciocchi still on the mound and walked the leadoff batter.  A sac. bunt advanced the runner to 2nd with 1 out.  He hit the next batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out.  Good grief he also hit the next batter to load the bases and that brought in Nathan Stahl who promptly walks in the winning run.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Hoosiers lose the first game 3-2.  Bah Humbug!

We go down in order in the 10th; Macciocchi still on the mound and walked the leadoff batter.  A sac. bunt advanced the runner to 2nd with 1 out.  He hit the next batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out.  Good grief he also hit the next batter to load the bases and that brought in Nathan Stahl who promptly walks in the winning run.

The home plate umpire plate wanted that game done, fairly simple to see. 

I'm over the B1G. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Hoosiers lose the first game 3-2.  Bah Humbug!

We go down in order in the 10th; Macciocchi still on the mound and walked the leadoff batter.  A sac. bunt advanced the runner to 2nd with 1 out.  He hit the next batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out.  Good grief he also hit the next batter to load the bases and that brought in Nathan Stahl who promptly walks in the winning run.

crazy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It was likely a moot point after losing game #1 and it may have even been a moot point before this series even started but that PLOP you heard was our laying of an egg for our chances to make the NCAA tournament as we lose game #2 5-2.  We could only muster 4 hits off the Terp pitching.  Brown started and walked 5 in the first inning and the Terps jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead.  He was pulled after facing 17 batters and throwing 88 pitches but our pitchers gave up another 3 runs and our bats were mostly silent.

 Images Of Cartoon Chicken Laying Eggs

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I did hiking in a beautiful part of the country and only saw updates a couple times and I am glad I ignored the team today and they deserve it.  

Different game, same day. We still can't hit. Period. Mercer is trying everything and we only muster three runs against a guy with a nearly 6 ERA and two late against a bullpen, after a guy with a nearly 4 ERA started.

Mercer gets a pass from me for this year (just like I gave Archie a pass in year two), but if he doesn't fix the hitting issues next year, he can take a hike right on out of here and not ruin the program.

Great that he won the Big Ten his first year, but this collapse of the hitting down the stretch needs to be addressed. It's not something you can fix in a couple weeks and Mercer has tried everything, but we better see some big changes in the offseason from a hitting perspective or else we have major issues with this staff.

I will pass judgement early next year when I see if any changes have been made to our batting. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hoosiers salvaged the final game of the series 7-3 but likely a case of too little too late.  We'll find out tomorrow.  Jordan Fucci homered twice and drove in 3 runs.  Fougeroussie with a solo HR; Ashley 2 rbi and Richardson an rbi.  Our bats finally woke up as we banged out 14 hits.  Modugno started and pitched 4 innings; Stahl 3 and Scott 2.  Stahl credited with the win.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Finally won to close season on high note but a little late now. Team clearly has offensive fire power when they don't overthink it as they have recently and won 7-3 today.

Why they couldn't muster this when the games mattered is beyond me, but its something that needs to be figured out ASAP. Iowa did the same thing this weekend to tie us for third. After their late season collapse, they played better this weekend and won to finish well, but for both teams it is well to late. I get these are college kids, but teams also need to play to their capability when a tournament bid is on the line down the stretch and both Hoosiers and Hawkeyes failed miserably.

Both programs need to address their weaknesses. For IU it is hitting which was inexcusable down the stretch till today. For Iowa it was pitching and specifically their ace Cam Baumann (and they already struggle to find a no. 3 starter) who has been elite pitcher for years in Big Ten and was rocked in his last four starts when Iowa needed him most. Both of these teams deficiencies that could not be fixed, kept two otherwise solid teams out of NCAA Tournament.

Both need to regroup and get back to where they are capable as this was unacceptable down stretch. Obviously I care about IU but both teams fans are in same boat and saying same thing. 

As I said I will judge IU next year, but some serious changes to the offense better be made if this staff is long term answer.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×