IU Baseball, B1G tournament, May 21-26 @ Omaha

[Aaron 4,229]

1 hour ago, LamarCheeks said:

Nebraska eliminates O$U 12-5. 

Cornshuckers need to beat us twice tomorrow. 

First game is early -- 10 a.m. (ET)

Second game is ... hell, we won't need no stinkin' second game (but if we do, it's at 6 p.m.) 

Winner advances to championship against Michigan or Illinois. 

 

Michigan, Illinois, or Penn State who is in drivers seat would be championship opponent.

[TheWatShot 13,418]

Michigan knocks out Illinois. Michigan's starter took a no-hitter into the 8th inning. 

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 8,673]

40 minutes ago, TheWatShot said:

Michigan knocks out Illinois. Michigan's starter took a no-hitter into the 8th inning. 

I don't see Michigan being able to hold Penn State's lineup down for 18 innings, but crazier things have happened.. 

That kid's outing certainly helped. 

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

10 AM ET start for the Nebraska vs IU baseball game.  Temperatures in the low 60's, no precipitation, wind increasing to 11 mph.  It is to be live on BTN.  Rain probability increases later this evening...in Omaha.

No errors...  Pitch a winner!

Go IU!

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 8,673]

Rolling with Bothwell 

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

Nebraska, as the visiting team, IU at home in Omaha..hahaha.

Top of the 1st.  IU faced 4 batters, Nebraska got one double.  Still no score.  

IU batting.  

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

IU scores first.  

Nebraska Zip

IU leads with 1.  First inning is over.

 

 

[LamarCheeks 17,173]

Call should stand. He didn't leave early. 

IMO -- kind of a foolish decision from Nebraska. You should be 100% sure before potentially losing a challenge, especially on a call like that. 

That said -- tagging up to go to third with two outs isn't the smartest move in the world. I get that it can eventually score you a run on a passed ball/wild pitch, but as the old axiom goes: you never want to make the first or third out at third base. 

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

Nebraska with 3 run HR.  2 outs.

3 - 1

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

Top of the 5th.

Nebraska leads 3 - 2.

Nebraska with a player on 2nd...no outs.

[MemphisHoosier 1,941]

For the baseball bracketologists in the group, has the squad done enough to this point in the season season and in Omaha over the past three days to earn the at-large bid?  Or do we still see the squad on the bubble w/o the auto-bid?

[Aaron 4,229]

Two things:

1. Exactly what I feared. There was zero reason to throw Bothwell now in a game did you did not have to win. Bothwell was solid but Nebraska who is notorious for extreme patients, ran pitch count up and now could need 22 innings of the bullpen to win it. Use bullpen game now and if you win, put Bothwell in championship in great spot and if not throw him tonight in an emergency. 

Huskers could have gone back to their Tuesday guy in a much more desperate spot (albeit on a higher pitch count) and chose to hold him back. 90% of time, I am team throw your best guys as early as possible. However, there are exceptions to that and today is one of them when the other team and not you is facing elimination.

I have been less hard on Mercer than most, but if this doesn't work out he deserves a fair amount of criticism needing to get 9 or 18 more innings without his best arms. Especially, when you have a squad who is known to not be patient and struggles with mediocre pitching as they have today.  

2. The ball has to be juiced this season. There is no other explanation how a park that is nearly impossible to homer in, is suddenly having balls fly out with the wind blowing in farther than they have with wind blowing out in past. This has more to do with all the homers this tourney with wind blowing in outside of first day then the one Huskers hit today.  

[Aaron 4,229]

5 minutes ago, MemphisHoosier said:

For the baseball bracketologists in the group, has the squad done enough to this point in the season season and in Omaha over the past three days to earn the at-large bid?  Or do we still see the squad on the bubble w/o the auto-bid?

Need to at least get to tomorrow to have chance and then its 50-50.

[Aaron 4,229]

Nebraska guy with fourth home run of tourney and second today. Their is zero explanation for a single guy getting four home runs and clearing bleachers with wind blowing in at this park. Seven homers in this tourney that are moon shots when you are lucky to generally have one or two for a whole tourney that barely clear is really suspicious. 

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

IU at bat.  Bottom of the 9th.

Behind 4 - 2.

[LamarCheeks 17,173]

And we'll see ya tonight. 

IU loses 4-2. Two Cornshuckers bombs by Josh Caron did the trick. 

Elimination game at 6 p.m. 

[Dave from Dayton 2,646]

IU loss. Little offense.

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 8,673]

Blew a really good pitching performance. 

 

[Aaron 4,229]

Not a good decision to waste Bothwell now in a game you didn't need to win. Now need 18 innings from up and down bullpen while Nebraska can go back to their Tuesday guy now.

As I said I am almost always team throw your best guy, but in this scenario where you are facing elimination and your opponent isn't you hold back best arms for later as Mercer did in Sunday game in Lexington last year.

Big question now is with Huskers locked into a two-seed at a Regional elsewhere, do they go back to said Tuesday guy on short rest or try to piece it together with a bullpen game. If it is the latter, IU might be able to out score them. If Nebraska goes all in with starter, Hoosiers and season are cooked.  

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 8,673]

5 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Not a good decision to waste Bothwell now in a game you didn't need to win. Now need 18 innings from up and down bullpen while Nebraska can go back to their Tuesday guy now.

As I said I am almost always team throw your best guy, but in this scenario where you are facing elimination and your opponent isn't you hold back best arms for later as Mercer did in Sunday game in Lexington last year.

Regardless.. the pitching was really good, and more than good enough to win the game. 

That loss is 100% on the offense.