Stopping the slide

One game is OK. Two might start a little head scratching. But three straight non-conference losses in a row could cause major concern for the IU baseball team (19-7, 5-3 Big Ten) as it prepares to face that challenge today at 3 p.m. against Valparaiso at Sembower Field. \nCoach Bob Morgan's club has lost two straight non-conference nail biters, a 7-6 loss to Wright State on March 26 and an 11-9 loss to Indiana State on April 2. In order to remedy that situation against Valpo, Morgan said he needs quality pitching from the young pitchers.\n"We're trying to develop some depth on our staff by pitching some of our younger guys mid-week," Morgan said. "We need some pitchers to step up for us mid-week so we can develop some depth, and it's a chance and opportunity for them."\nThe youngsters are counted on in mid-week games because Morgan usually saves his more experienced pitchers for the weekend's Big Ten contests. Two freshman pitchers, Troy Ragle and Derek Hibbs, have been given the biggest chance to shine by Morgan. And while they've performed admirably at times, they've faltered at others.\nAgainst Wright State, Ragle started pitching four innings of one run ball. Hibbs entered in the seventh, but in the eighth ran into trouble giving up three runs and sacrificing a two-run lead. \nIn the Indiana State game, Ragle started again and gave up seven runs in 2.2 innings. In Ragle's defense, only two of those seven runs were earned as two Hoosier errors led to two ISU runs. Hibbs replaced Ragle and pitched 1.1 innings giving up two runs on three hits, including back-to-back homers.\nMorgan said he's going to stick with Ragle (0-1) to start a third straight non-conference game.\n"He's thrown two mid-week games, and we saw progress from the first to the second start," Morgan said. "And hopefully we'll see some progress tomorrow too."\nOne player who has seen his fair share of pitchers in his four years at IU is senior Vasili Spanos. And Spanos said while the young pitchers have had their struggles, it's not their entire fault.\n"We're definitely not throwing our best pitchers," Spanos said. "In the Indiana State game, we had a couple of errors. They did well, but we're not throwing our number one pitchers."\nWhile IU doesn't pitch its number ones, the non-conference opposition usually does. Indiana State pitched junior Brian Woods and Wright State pitched junior Casey Abrams in those two teams' wins. Valparaiso will almost surely pitch one of its best on Wednesday.\nSenior Nick Evans said the combination of IU's young pitchers versus the opposition's best pitchers is a tough challenge for the Hoosiers.\nEvans and Spanos are two seniors trying to resurrect a struggling offense ranked eighth in the Big Ten. But both are doing so in different ways. \nSpanos ranks second on the team and sixth in the Big Ten in hitting, batting .381 with 21 runs batted in while slugging an even .500. Spanos said the season started very well for him, then slacked, and he has recently picked back up by going eight for 12 with three RBIs in four games this past weekend against Iowa.\n"As far as my stats go they're OK," Spanos said. "I would have liked to be doing better. I feel pretty good right now, but I do know I haven't been swinging the bat as well as I should be."\nWhile Spanos leads out of the clean-up spot, Evans, usually batting in the sixth hole, keeps stepping up in key situations. Evans game winning single in the 10th inning of the second game of the Iowa series secured an IU win, and Evans followed up with another two-out, two-run single two games later. Evans said being patient for your pitch is the trick.\n"I think anytime you're in a key situation, you have to make sure you get a pitch to hit," Morgan said. "Both times the pitchers made a mistake, and I got the pitch I was looking for."\nHopefully for the Hoosiers they won't need Evans timely hitting against the 6-14-1 Crusaders. Spanos doesn't worry about this Hoosier team not taking everyone seriously.\n"I don't think we're taking anybody too lightly," Spanos said. "I think the good thing about this year's team is we just go out and play baseball"