on the SIDELINES

A second-inning explosion helped the IU baseball team get a 14-4 victory over DePauw Thursday at Sembower Field.\nThe victory was sparked by seven runs scored in the second inning. The offensive attack was led by senior first baseman Gibran Hamdan.\nHamdan, who started the second-inning attack with a single, was 4-for-5 for the Hoosiers (5-3) and added a home run in the fourth inning. By the end of the game, Hamdan batted in three runs and scored three of his own. \nThe Hoosiers tied a previous season-high with 17 hits. Along with Hamdan's strong offense, senior shortstop Eric Blakeley went 3-for-4 at the plate.\nBy the end of the second inning, the Hoosiers had a 10-run lead, and the victory was secured by sophomore pitcher Joe Kemp. Kemp allowed one run and held the Tigers hitless for three innings.\nKemp was helped by relievers Pat Boucher, a senior, and Chris Behrens, a sophomore. Both gave up one run in two innings each. Matt Ousley finished the game by retiring all three batters he faced in the final inning.\nMen's and women's track set to compete\nThe Hoosiers head to Bradenton, Fla., over spring break for seven games in nine days. This marks the usual spring trip, and the games begin 2:30 p.m. March 9 against Northern\nIU junior Danielle Carruthers was named Big Ten Women's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, making her the first IU athlete to be awarded that honor.\nCarruthers won a Big Ten championship with her season-best time of 7.26 in the 60-meter dash. That time set both a new meet and school record, and her time is the 10th-fastest on both the amateur and professional levels. She finished second in the championship with a time of 23.73 in the 200-meter dash.\nThis weekend, Carruthers will compete again, this time at the NCAA championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Junior Rachelle Boone, who is the fourth-seed in the 60-meters and the seventh-seed in the 200-meters, will join Carruthers. Also qualifying is senior Tia Trent, is the 10th-seed in the 400-meters.\nThe three women will be joined by five competitors from the men's team.\nTwo men will compete in the triple jump. Both freshman Aarik Wilson, the eighth-seed, and junior Hasaan Reddick, the 12th-seed, are slated to compete. Senior Dino \nEfthimiou is seeded ninth in the pole vault. Junior Chris Powers received an 11-seed in the 5,000-meters. Rounding out the group is freshman John Jefferson, who will race in the mile.\nThe competition is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.