Hoosiers Lose to Central Connecticut State 12-9

All-American candidate Matt Bashore is still winless after 6 starts, and he largely has the bullpen to thank for this no decision. After pitching well only giving up 2 earned runs in 6 innings and striking out 5, he came out in position to record the W. Wyatt Hoff entered the game in the 8th, gave up 3 hits (2 of which were doubles) and recorded a wild pitch that scored a runner before getting pulled in favor of Jake Dunning before recording an out. Dunning allowed 2 more hits and another wild pitch before the 8th came to a close and what was once a 9-5 IU lead was now a 10-9 Central Connecticut lead.

Hoff just hasn't been the same since being hit in the face. He has even looked differently on the mound. Hopefully, he can get past this and become the dominant pitcher he showed he could be early in the season and during the intersquad games. We are going to need him as the conference season begins.

Although IU recorded 15 hits on the day, they could only muster 1 in the 8th and 1 in the 9th to put up two zeros in the scorers book for those frames to lose 12-9 as Central Connecticut added 2 runs of their own in the top of the 9th.

As you would expect when scoring 9 runs, several Hoosiers put up good offensive numbers. Rogers, playing in the SS position, went 3 for 4 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Schutz went 3 for 4 with a walk and Vince Gonzalez went 2 for 2 with a walk. Knipp, Phegley, and Lambert all recorded 2 hits a piece. As an offensive unit, we were much more patient at the plate than against OSU as we walked 5 times and recorded 3 HBPs compared to only 2 strikeouts.

Next game: 3/25 at 3pm EST vs. Xavier(9-6) at Hayden Field in Cincinnati, OH.

Projected Starter: Chris Squires (1-1)