Hoosiers only win one of three

The IU baseball team fought hard this weekend in a pivotal Big Ten series with Ohio State, but they were only able to get one victory in three games at Sembower Field. Rainfall cancelled game four, which ruined IU's chance of a series split. The Hoosiers (28-10, 9-6 Big Ten) fell two games behind the first place Buckeyes (23-10-1, 11-4) for the conference lead.\nThe Hoosiers opened the series with a 14-11 loss Friday. The pitchers from both teams had trouble getting outs with the wind blowing. Senior E.J. Laratta picked up the win for the Buckeyes, improving to 6-1 on the season. Junior Jacob Cary picked up the loss for the Hoosiers, falling to 4-4 for the year. \nThe Buckeyes had a 10-run third inning that gave them a 14-5 lead, and things were looking bleak for the Hoosiers early in the first game. But Ohio State failed to score another run the rest of the game, and IU made a strong comeback effort. \nSophomore No. 3 hitter Mark Calkins stepped up to the plate as the tying run in the bottom of the ninth. After a controversial strike two call put him behind in the count 1-2, he popped up a high fastball to senior first baseman Doug Dendinger to end the game.\nSenior shortstop Eric Blakeley led the Hoosiers at the plate after he went 3-6 with two home runs (7,8) and three RBI. Sophomore rightfielder Joe Kemp finished the day 3-5 with four RBI, a triple, a double and his third home run of the season. He was a single away from the first IU cycle since 1995. For the series he went 5 for 11 with eight RBIs.\n"We're definitely confident," Kemp said. "Any of those games could have gone either way. There's a lot of time left. We're still right in it."\nGame one on Saturday featured a gritty pitching performance by senior lefthander Zach Otte, who gave up one earned run in five and two thirds of an inning. The Hoosiers took a 4-2 lead into the top of the seventh, but they ran into trouble. \nThe Buckeyes scored a quick run and had runners on first and third with one out. Junior closer Ryan Smith apparently picked off the runner at first, but the umpire called the runner safe. Coach Bob Morgan argued the call and was ejected from the game. The Buckeyes eventually tied the game, and it forced the Hoosiers to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. \nSophomore pinch hitter Ryan Donley led off the inning with a single to leftfield. Junior leadoff hitter Kennard Jones moved him to second with a single to right. Blakeley stepped up to the plate and hit an 0-1 offering down the rightfield line to give the Hoosiers the 5-4 victory. \nThe Hoosiers took a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning in game two. Senior first baseman Gibran Hamdan hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth off of freshman lefthander Scott Lewis to give IU the lead. It came one day after Hamdan threw the game-winning touchdown in the IU football spring game.\nThe Buckeyes started the seventh with a walk, a steal and a sacrifice to put a runner on third with one out. Smith was then inserted into the game to replace junior righthander Nick Vitielliss, who gave up two earned runs in six and a third of an inning. \nOhio State freshman No. 9 hitter Mike Rabin then hit a double over Calkins head to tie up the game. Sophomore leadoff hitter Christian Snavely singled him home to give the Buckeyes the lead. \nFreshman second baseman Jay Brant walked with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to start the last-chance rally for the Hoosiers. He advanced to second after a single to left by Jones, who now has a 12-game hitting streak. Blakeley stepped to the plate with the chance to be the hero again, but he flied out to rightfield to end the game, as the Hoosiers lost 3-2. \nSmith picked up the loss, falling to 3-1. Lewis improved to 4-2 on the year. Senior closer Brandon Steen picked up his fourth save for the Buckeyes.