Credit to: iuhoosiers.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – After getting picked apart in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, the Indiana Baseball team (22-18, 7-5 B1G) put the series to bed with an emphatic victory in the weekend finale (18-8). The Hoosiers were run-ruled 13-2 (F/7) in the first game of the day but hung 18 in the second game to clinch a third-straight Big Ten series win.
The bats came to life in the weekend finale to the tune of 18 runs. The Hoosiers hung three runs in at least four innings including 10 across the final three frames. Freshman second baseman Jasen Oliver had a day to remember with a freshman-record eight RBIs. He broke Joey Brenczewski’s week-long record (7). Oliver’s day featured a three-run home run and a bases-clearing double.
IU has won all three Big Ten series in April and three of four this season. The only series loss came to conference-leading Illinois. IU will try to go a perfect 4-for-4 in Big Ten series wins with a three-game set against Rutgers next weekend at Bart Kaufman Field.
The next game for the Hoosiers will be Tuesday at Victory Field, home of the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, against Ball State. IU will be the designated road team in the contest with a first pitch of 6:00 p.m.
Game 1: Minnesota 13, Indiana 2 (F/7)
Recap – Game 1
Inconsistency at the plate was the name of the game for IU in Sunday’s opener as missed opportunities cost the visitors early chances to put runs on the board. The Hoosiers loaded the bases in the first inning but a pair of strikeouts, sandwiched around a weak line pop out to the shortstop ended the threat.
In the first three innings, IU had six runners reach base but none of them came to score. The Hoosiers were able to work the pitch count of starter Connor Wietgrefe, Minnesota’s best pitcher, but couldn’t strike any damage on him until late in the game. He conceded just eight hits across seven innings and stranded eight runners on base.
https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/stats/bb/2024/IU39.pdf
The Golden Gophers struck hot in the fourth inning, putting up five runs as freshman Ryan Rushing and junior Julian Tonghini stumbled through the frame. Weber Neels hit two home runs off of IU starter Ty Rybarczyk to open the lead. After three innings from the starter, IU’s bullpen was hit hard. Minnesota finished the day with 13 runs on 11 hits and got big days from the entirety of its lineup.
Outfielders Devin Taylor and Nick Mitchell each had two-hit days. Freshman infielder Joey Brenczewski drove in a run on a double but it was far too late in the contest. The Golden Gophers finished the game in seven innings to even the series.
Game 2: Indiana 18, Minnesota 8
Recap – Game 2
The Hoosiers completely flipped the script in the second game, putting up 18 runs on 17 hits behind home runs from sophomores Tyler Cerny and Devin Taylor and freshman Jasen Oliver. Oliver recorded eight RBIs on three hits, breaking Joey Brenczewski’s week-old freshman RBI record (8). It was also the most RBIs by an IU player in a single game since 1992 (Mike Smith; 9).
All nine hitters in the IU lineup had a hit with six recording multi-hit games. Oliver and Nick Mitchell each had three-hit days as Minnesota used eight pitchers to try and keep the Hoosiers at bay. IU scored at least three runs in four innings, putting up five in the seventh and ninth innings.
Junior Josh Pyne had a pair of hits to take his career total to 199. He will look for a hit at Victory Field on Tuesday to give him 200 all-time in an IU uniform. It was the seventh 15-run effort and 16th 10-run effort of the season. In 2024, IU is 15-1 when scoring more than 10 runs and has done so five times in Big Ten play.
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Sophomore pitcher Brayden Risedorph (W, 2-5) picked up his second win in as many outings. In a scheduled bullpen day, he gave IU 3.2 innings with five strikeouts and just three runs allowed. Graduate student pitcher Drew Buhr was outstanding. His only blemish was a three-run home run off a fastball 91 and away in the seventh inning. Junior left-handed Ryan Kraft got IU the final four outs.
Top Hoosier Performers – Both Games
#2 Oliver, Jasen
Game 1 – 1-3
Game 2 – 3-5, HR, 2B, 8 RBI
#5 Taylor, Devin
Game 1 – 2-3, 1 R
Game 2 – 2-5, 3 R, 3 RBI
#20 Mitchell, Nick
Game 1 – 2-4
Game 2 – 3-4, 3 R, 1 RBI
Notes to Know
• Freshman second baseman Jasen Oliver broke a week-old freshman RBI-record with eight runs driven in during the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader. Joey Brenczewski set the record last week (7) but Oliver made quick work with a three-run home run and three-run double as part of a three-hit day.
• IU’s pitching staff struck out 37 batters in three games. Led by a 13-strikeout effort from Ty Bothwell on Saturday, the Hoosiers got at least three punchies from six different pitchers. It was the most in a three-game Big Ten series by an IU staff since striking out 38 against Minnesota in 2021.
• The Hoosiers have won three-straight Big Ten series and will go for four weekend victories with a series against Rutgers next weekend. IU is sixth (7-5) in the Big Ten through the halfway point. Michigan and Iowa are ahead of IU but have played three more games. Michigan’s bye weekend comes next week while Iowa’s comes on the final week of the year.
• Tyler Cerny hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first in Sunday’s second game. He leads the team in multi-hit games (18) and multi-RBI games (14). He leads the team in hits (56) and RBIs (45) in his sophomore campaign.
Up Next
IU’s midweek contest will take the team to Victory Field for a date with Ball State. The game will not currently be streamed but can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.