IU back home after .500 trip

The Hoosiers return to Sembower Field today to take on in-state rival Indiana State. IU will host the Sycamores on the heels of a four-game series split in its Big Ten opening weekend against Illinois.\nSenior hurler Jacob Cary led the Hoosiers to victory in the series opener, tossing his third straight complete game. Cary is 5-0 with a 2.25 earned-run average on the season and has notched 13 straight scoreless innings. \n"We split on the road and Illinois is a very good baseball team," coach Bob Morgan said. "I would have liked to have won three of four, but it was a decent weekend."\nIU dropped games two and three of the series in Champaign, receiving lackluster outings from starters Adam Pegg and Chris Behrens. The Hoosier bats also fell silent in the middle of the series as IU recorded only nine hits in games two and three.\n"Our starters just have to get focused," Morgan said. "Sometimes guys just psyche themselves out and try and do more than they have to do."\nThe Hoosiers did bounce back nicely in game four with a 4-3 comeback victory that was highlighted by junior outfielder Seth Bynum's two out, three run long ball in the top of the sixth inning.\n"I was just trying to keep my swing short and I got the pitch I wanted," Bynum said. "We've been working on our situational hitting every day in practice because it can really be the difference between a win and a loss." \nThe Sycamores are also coming off a four-game conference split this weekend. ISU captured the final two games of its series against Southern Illinois with dominant pitching performances. On Saturday junior Matt Samuels tossed a complete game five-hitter in the nightcap of a double header, and on Sunday the Sycamores utilized eight scoreless innings from junior Matt Zaleski, taking the series finale, 6-1.\n"These games are a tuneup for Big Ten play, but Indiana State is a very good team," Morgan said. "They don't play in the conference this weekend which means we'll be seeing their best pitchers. So hopefully, our younger guys can step up and give us some good innings." \nFreshman Troy Ragle (0-0, 1.42 ERA) is expected to get the nod on the mound today, just his second of the season. Ragle's other start came against Wright State last Wednesday when he went four solid innings giving up four hits and one unearned run in IU's, 7-6, loss. The freshman also made a relief appearance in the Hoosiers' 12-2 victory over Valparaiso on March 1, surrendering just one run on three hits in three innings of work. \n"I just have to go out, throw strikes, and hit my spots," Ragle said. "I've been having some problems keeping the ball down, so if I do that then I'll be fine." \nThe Hoosiers own a 38-31 edge in the overall series against ISU, which dates all the way back to 1914. But ISU took last year's game, 5-4, in Terre Haute. \nFirst pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Sembower Field.