Freshman Trevor McConnell gets his first look at Ohio State this weekend. |
Hoosiers Welcome Buckeyes for Four-Game Set
April 20, 2006
The Ohio State Series (April 21-23)
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Winners of four of its last six ballgames, the Indiana baseball team (13-20, 4-8 Big Ten) looks to continue its winning ways as Ohio State comes to Sembower Field on Friday-Sunday, April 21-23. The Buckeyes (21-11, 6-6 Big Ten) enter the weekend in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Big Ten.
The teams will play a four-game series with game one taking place on Friday at 3:05 p.m. Following a doubleheader on Saturday at 1:05 p.m., the series finale will take place on Sunday with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch.
Pitching Matchups
Game 1 - Friday, April 21 (3:05 p.m.)
Indiana LHP #34 Clint Crosier (2-2, 4.33 ERA) vs. LHP #36 Dan DeLucia (5-2, 3.88 ERA)
Game 2 - Saturday, April 22 (1:05 p.m.)
Indiana RHP #7 Josh Lewis (3-5, 5.59 ERA) vs. LHP #19 Cory Luebke (4-3, 4.15 ERA)
Game 3 - Saturday, April 22 (tba)
Indiana RHP #9 Chris McCombs (1-1, 3.57 ERA) vs. RHP #3 Jake Hale (1-3, 4.11 ERA)
Game 4 - Sunday, April 23 (1:05 p.m.)
Indiana LHP #14 Joe Vicini (3-1, 2.55 ERA) vs. LHP #4 J.B. Shuck (5-1, 1.50 ERA)
Follow The Game
Radio: WIUX 100.3 FM (Bloomington) & wiux.org (Sunday only)
Gametracker: IUHOOSIERS.com
Last Time Out
After earning a split with its rival Purdue over the weekend (April 14-16), the Indiana baseball team finished off a season sweep of Indiana State on April 18 with an 11-5 victory over the Sycamores. Freshman right-hander Eric Wagner earned his first career victory, and senior center fielder Reggie Watson matched a school record with four steals in the win.
Watson spearheaded a Hoosier running attack that collected a season-high 12 steals in 13 attempts. It marked the second time this season IU swiped at least 10 bags in a single ballgame (10 steals vs. Hartford, March 24). Indiana now has 99 steals this season in 126 attempts (79 percent) and is one steal shy of becoming the 10th team in school history to reach the 100-steal plateau.
Entering the day as the Big Ten steals leader, Watson improved his season total to 27 in 31 attempts (87 percent) and became the fourth Hoosier (Keith Haas, Dan Haegele - twice and Brian Harris) to ever capture four bags in a contest. Haas garnered four bags in the Hartford contest on March 24.
Scouting Ohio State
Following a four-game weekend sweep at the hands of Michigan in Ann Arbor last weekend (April 14-16), Ohio State bounced back with an 8-2 victory over Oakland on April 19. The Buckeyes own a 21-11 overall record and sit at 6-6 in the Big Ten, good for a three-way tie for fourth place.
One of the most balanced teams in the conference, OSU leads the league with a .333 team batting average and sits second with a 3.79 ERA. Offensively, seven Buckeye regulars boast a .300 or higher average with five of those seven sitting in the league's top 10. Sophomore catcher Eric Fryer carries a .390 average and is the club's co-leader with three home runs and the Big Ten's top-RBI man with 37.
Freshman southpaw J.B. Shuck sits atop the Big Ten with a microscopic 1.50 ERA. Shuck (5-1) and Friday starter Dan DeLucia (5-2, 3.88 ERA) lead the conference in victories. DeLucia has thrown a team-best 58 innings, while Shuck has registered 48.
Record-Setters
Against Indiana State (April 18), senior center fielder Reggie Watson became the fourth Hoosier (junior second baseman Keith Haas, Dan Haegele - twice and Brian Harris) to steal four bags in a contest. Haas garnered four bags earlier this season vs. Hartford (March 24). Watson has swiped at least two bags in 10 contests this season.
Running Wild
With their 12 steals against Indiana State (April 18), the Hoosiers reached at least 10 swipes in a game for the second time this season (10 steals vs. Hartford, March 24). Indiana has 99 steals this season in 126 attempts (79 percent) and is one steal shy of becoming the 10th team in school history to reach the 100-steal plateau. The Hoosiers also sit fifth nationally in steals and steals per games (3.00). IU's 99 swipes are the most for an Indiana team since the 1999 team captured 104 bags.
Career Firsts
Freshman Eric Wagner secured his first collegiate victory in IU's 11-5 victory over Indiana State (April 18). The right-hander started the third inning and threw three innings of scoreless relief, surrendering three hits with three strikeouts and only one walk.
Four days earlier against Purdue, sophomore Doug Fleenor netted his first career victory as Indiana claimed an 8-4 victory. The righty tossed three scoreless innings of relief, setting down nine of the 10 batters he faced and gave up just one hit.
Running Wild II
Four Hoosier speedsters have accounted for 75 percent (or 74) of the team's 99 stolen bases this season. Senior center fielder Reggie Watson (27-of-31), senior left fielder Jay Brant (19-of-23), junior second baseman Keith Haas (18-of-22) and right fielder Andrew Means (10-of-11) are a combined 74-of-87 (85 percent) on the season.
Starts At The Top
Giving the Hoosiers one of the most formidable 1-2 punches in the Big Ten, seniors Jay Brant and Reggie Watson have been disruptive forces atop the IU lineup. Brant is second on the team with a .347 batting average while Watson checks in behind him at .331.
More importantly, the duo has wreaked havoc on the basepaths. Watson leads the Big Ten and is 14th in the country with 27 steals in 31 attempts (87 percent). Meanwhile, Brant is second in the league with 19 swipes in 23 tries (83 percent). Watson is fifth all-time in IU history with 81 steals, while Brant is seventh with 63 swipes.
Home Sweet Home
After starting the season with 25 of its 28 first games on the road, the Hoosiers are 3-2 in the midst of a 10-game homestand. Overall, Indiana owns a 6-2 mark at Sembower Field as it welcomes Ohio State to Bloomington for a four-game set this weekend.
Split Earns Half-Point
Following its weekend split with Purdue (April 14-16), Indiana earned a half-point in the AT&T Crimson and Gold Cup. The Hoosiers took the opening two games in the set against the favored Boilermakers by 8-4 and 3-2 scores. IU leads the all-sport competition between the two schools, 9.5-5.5.
Satterwhite Settling In
Inserted in the starting lineup against Michigan State on April 1, freshman Cameron Satterwhite took his opportunity and ran with it. In the final two games of the MSU series (April 1-2), Satterwhite went 5-for-8 with three RBI, six runs, two doubles and his first career home run. He has not stopped hitting or starting since.
In Big Ten action, the Cincinnati native holds a .424 batting average and a .636 slugging percentage, which ranks fifth and sixth in the league, respectively, to go along with one home run, seven RBI and nine runs. Overall, Satterwhite carries a .392 average with 10 RBI and 12 runs while making a smooth transition from the outfield to first base.
Haas Getting A Handle On It
Starting with Indiana's matchup at Butler (March 29), junior Keith Haas has been on a tear. The second baseman has recorded a hit in 13 of his last 16 games, batting .521 (25-of-48) during the stretch with seven RBI, 10 steals, three doubles and 13 runs. Haas has raised his batting average to a team-leading .352 and in Big Ten games, he is eighth in the league with a .406 batting average and sixth with a .486 on-base percentage.
To go along with his hot hitting, Haas also has been a monster when he gets on base. The North Olmsted, Ohio native is third on the team and in the Big Ten with 18 steals in 22 attempts (82 percent).
Versatile Arms
Sophomore Chris McCombs and freshman Joe Vicini have been two of the most versatile and reliable pitchers for the Hoosiers this season. Both men have showed the ability to start or come out of the bullpen and pitch in back-to-back games. This past weekend against Purdue (April 15), McCombs pitched the final 1 2/3 for a save in the first game of the doubleheader and bounced back to start game two. Vicini also pitched in relief in both games of the twinbill.
On the season, Vicini leads the team with three wins in four decisions and a 2.55 ERA in 35 1/3 innings of work. The southpaw has started two games, appeared in 12 total contests and recorded two saves. He leads the Big Ten in opposing batting average (.180) and is sixth in ERA.
McCombs also has thrown 35 1/3 innings, posting a 3.57 ERA. The right-hander has made four starts and seven relief appearances en route to leading the team with three saves and sitting second on the club with 27 strikeouts.
Means Back To The Diamond
Freshman Andrew Means, a redshirt wide receiver for head coach Terry Hoeppner in the fall, just wrapped up spring football practice with a 76-yard touchdown in the annual Cream and Crimson intrasquad game. After spending a month playing baseball and football simultaneously, Means is back full time with the baseball club.
In the last two games, the Avon Lake, Ohio native has recorded 2-for-4 efforts, driven in one run and scored twice with one stolen base. Means is batting .282 this season and is fourth on the team with 10 steals in 11 attempts.
Quality Starts
Senior Clint Crosier entered this season with zero career starts before getting his first nod on the team's spring trip against Fairfield (March 15). Joining the Hoosiers last season, Crosier did not receive a start or a decision in 15 appearances. The southpaw owns a pair of wins this year after downing the Stags and Hartford (March 25).
Overall, Crosier has started five games and the team is 3-2 in those starts. He has pitched into the sixth inning and surrendered three runs or less in four of his five starts. The Corydon, Ind., native fired a career-high six innings and netted a career-best nine strikeouts in IU's 15-2 win over Fairfield.
Marathon Games
IU and Charlotte closed out its season-opening three-game set with one of the wildest games in Hoosier history. The 49ers pulled out the marathon with an 11-10 victory in 14 innings on Feb. 26. It marked Indiana's longest game since a 13-12, 14-inning loss to Northern Iowa on March 15, 1998, and the second-longest game in school history behind a 10-9, 15-inning defeat to Santa Clara on March 18, 1991.
The Charlotte contest took four hours and 45 minutes to complete, but IU amazingly topped that mark in its Big Ten opener at Michigan State (March 31). After a one-hour and six-minute rain delay in the bottom of the seventh, the teams finished the ballgame in an overall time of four hours and 47 minutes.
Close Calls
Despite their 13-20 record, the Hoosiers have been competitive against tougher opponents this season. Of the 20 defeats, IU has suffered eight one-run setbacks, two two-run defeats and three extra-inning losses.
Indiana opened its campaign at Charlotte and lost a heart-breaking 11-10, 14-inning affair in the series finale on Feb. 26. The following weekend, the Hoosiers owned a two-run lead in the sixth inning of the closing game of their three-game set at Miami (Fla.). However, the 11th-ranked Hurricanes (Collegiate Baseball News ranking) rallied with four in the sixth for a 6-4 victory.
To open Big Ten play, two of the Hoosiers' three losses to Michigan State (March 31-April 1) were by one run with the second one coming in 10 innings. Northwestern followed with a 4-2 victory on April 8 and a 4-3 win in its last at-bat on April 10.
In The Record Book
Senior outfielders Jay Brant and Reggie Watson along with senior right-hander Josh Lewis and junior right-hander Matt Saba can be found scattered throughout the Hoosier record book. Below is a look at where each player sits in IU lore in several career categories:
Triples
9. Reggie Watson 11
20. Jay Brant 7
Stolen Bases
5. Reggie Watson 81
8. Jay Brant 63
Runs
11. Jay Brant 160
T18. Reggie Watson 141
Hits
15. Jay Brant 195
16. Reggie Watson 190
Innings
7. Josh Lewis 256 2/3
Wins
T8. Josh Lewis 18
ERA
18. Matt Saba 3.12
Games Started
T3. Josh Lewis 46
Strikeouts
14. Josh Lewis 174
Parker Battles Back
Battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma, senior Ryan Parker returned to the diamond with two pinch-hit appearances at Miami (Fla.) on March 4-5. Wrapping up his chemo treatment in February, Parker recently completed his radiation sessions and picked up a pinch-hit appearance at Evansville (April 4) before starting a pair of games at Northwestern (April 9-10) and at Xavier (April 12).
The Hilliard, Ohio native carded a 2-for-4 effort against the Wildcats on April 10 and in a reserve role, delivered two hits in two at-bats against Purdue (April 16).
Parker was diagnosed in May last season, yet he completed the year and even hit a home run in his final at-bat against Purdue in the 2005 finale on May 22.
Although his return to the field was questionable this season, Parker was named a team captain and has made it back sooner than expected.
Strength Of Schedule
Hoosier head coach Tracy Smith has upgraded the schedule this season. In addition to opening the season against Charlotte, the preseason Atlantic 10 favorite, three teams - Miami (Fla.), Miami (Ohio) and Ohio State - that made trips to the NCAA Tournament last year appear on the slate.
After taking on the 49ers, the Hoosiers faced off against four-time national champion Miami (Fla.) for the first time since 1974. Miami has made 33 NCAA appearances and 21 trips to the College World Series in their illustrious history.
Multi-Tasking
Versatility is a key for the Hoosiers this season. Several players have made position changes and/or can appear at multiple positions.
Sophomore David Trager has been a steady arm on the mound and gives a steady glove at shortstop. Meanwhile, freshman Chris Hervey has made five appearances on the mound while also seeing action in right field.
Junior Ben Greenspan has moved to catcher. Greenspan saw action primarily at first base earlier in the season, where freshman Cameron Satterwhite now resides. Satterwhite started Big Ten play in the outfield before moving to first base. He also has spent some time at designated hitter.
Finally, sophomore Tad Reida started the season at shortstop but has played some first base as well.
Debuts On The Mound
Eight players, including two position players have made their first appearances on the mound in a Hoosier uniform thus far in 2006. Along with sophomores Andy Casper and David Trager, freshmen Eric Wagner and Tyler Tufts debuted for Indiana against Charlotte (Feb. 24-26).
Against Miami (Fla.) on March 4, freshman Joe Vicini tossed the final three innings and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced. Freshman Chris Hervey threw a scoreless inning in his debut against Fairfield on March 15.
Meanwhile, sophomore Arden McWilliams, who saw time as an infielder last season, fired an inning at Michigan State on March 31. Freshman catcher Billy O'Conner toed the rubber in the series finale at Purdue (April 16) and set the Boilermakers down in order to go along with a pair of strikeouts.
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