OSU sweeps IU in 4-game series

The Hoosiers Big Ten struggles continued this weekend after being swept in a four-game series by Ohio State. The Buckeyes (24-17, 13-7 Big Ten) out muscled the Hoosiers (23-21, 7-13 Big Ten), collecting more than 50 total hits. The sweep by Ohio State marks the first time since 1986 the Hoosiers have been swept in a four-game series at home.\nSenior pitcher Adam Pegg said the sweep was embarrassing for the entire baseball program.\n"Getting swept at home is horrible," Pegg said. "It's embarrassing to the players, it's embarrassing to the coaches and it's embarrassing to the people associated with the program."\nIn the series finale, the Buckeyes held the Hoosiers to just eight hits and gave up no runs in the 8-0 loss. Ohio State jumped IU early in the game and never looked back.\nIn the series' other games, the Hoosiers lost 11-6, 9-3, and 8-3, respectively.\nJunior infielder Corby Heckman said the Buckeyes won because they were able to gain an early lead.\n"We made some mistakes early in the games and we maybe didn't pitch as well as we could have," Heckman said. \nWhile IU had trouble all weekend hitting the ball, the team's defense was suffering as well, amassing more than 10 errors in the series. In the finale, the Hoosiers collected six errors, most of which resulted in runs for the Buckeyes.\nPegg felt the Hoosiers weren't fully prepared to play.\n"We just came out flat in all four games -- that's the bottom line," Pegg said. "We played bad in all four games, and they didn't. That's just the way baseball goes sometimes."\nThe Buckeyes pounded the Hoosier starting pitchers for a combined 18 earned runs in just 14 combined innings of work. Buckeye pitcher Trent Luyster pitched a complete game in Saturday's game, giving up just two earned runs while striking out nine batters.\nIU coach Bob Morgan was disappointed with the team's effort.\n"We just didn't play well," Morgan said. "We didn't pitch well, we didn't swing the bats well, and we didn't play defense. It was a very frustrating and long weekend."\nThe sweep now means the Hoosiers have lost six of their last seven games. IU next heads to East Lansing, Mich., to take on Michigan State.\n-- Contact staff writer Cory Steger at csteger@indiana.edu.