Hoosiers seek depth, warmth during trip

After playing most of its 12 games in the cold, the baseball team will take the field in Florida, where temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s next week. But the Hoosiers don't see seven games in eight days as much of a break.\nIU will be making the trip south for spring break to compete against seven teams in the Homestead, Fla., tournament Saturday through March 17. \nThe Hoosiers (6-5-1) are looking to continue their hot streak after a 17-hit, 13-run performance against Wright State Wednesday. \n"I want to get outside and play where you can wear a T-shirt and go out there and have fun," sophomore John Bestler said. "We'll probably be hitting a lot better. It will be warmer, balls will be jumping, and it should be good."\nDespite the vacation-like atmosphere, the players said they are are taking the trip seriously.\n"You get down there, it's warm, it's a good playing environment, get your bats warmed up a little bit, so it will be good for our offense," junior Eric Blakeley said. "I think getting down there and getting some games in will jump-start your team's offense, pitching and defense."\nThis trip also gives the team to prepare for the Big Ten regular season that starts one week after the Hoosiers return from Florida. \n"During the spring trip, it gets the team prepared for the Big Tens, and you can find the starting lineup, who can play, who's not going to play and who can help us," Blakeley said.\nIU has infield starters sophomore Vasili Spanos and junior Joe Sadler on the bench with injuries. Another injury that will hurt the Hoosiers on the trip is senior pitcher David Ferris. Ferris is the Hoosiers' top starting pitcher, but hasn't pitched since IU's Feb. 23 loss to Eastern Kentucky. \n"We're banged up. We can't absorb all of those injuries so I am concerned," coach Bob Morgan said. "From a positive standpoint, it's going to give somebody else the opportunity, the chance to play and show what they can do."\nWith the number of games being played in one week, Morgan will be sending many newcomers -- some of whom haven't started all season -- to the mound for the Hoosiers.\n"We're going to have to throw some guys out there who are going to get some chance and some opportunities, some young kids," Morgan said. "We're going to find out if we have any depth, and we're going to develop some depth. That's what we are looking for, some guys to step up and do a good job on the mound for us."\nSenior right-hander Quinn Moore has been a constant force in the IU bullpen.\n"We all have to be ready, no matter what the situation is, to come in and do the job," Moore said. "You could come in the second inning. You can come in, in the ninth. You just have to be ready the entire game."\nAnother concern is the team's fatigue after playing many games back-to-back. Before the trip, the most action IU has seen in back-to-back days is four games in three days. The Hoosiers went 1-2-1 during that stretch.\n"Last year (during the spring trip), I felt fatigue set in. We got really tired at the end," Bestler said. "Once we got to the tournament, we didn't do so hot at the very end. I think this year, we'll be all right. We've been playing a lot of games lately, and we've been practicing very hard. It's still not as intense as Big Tens, but it's a lot of games in a few days. This will work us very hard"