10-run lead not enough to ensure IU win

At the end of the fifth inning, the Hoosiers had a 10-run lead over the Butler Bulldogs. Three innings and 11 unanswered runs later, IU found itself down by one to its instate rival. That is how the score remained as the Bulldogs, with a nine-run sixth inning, came back and defeated IU Thursday at Sembower Field. \nThe Hoosiers came out swinging hard in the first inning. After senior right fielder Joe Kemp singled to move junior second baseman Jay Brant, junior first baseman Ryan Parker shot a laser 415 feet over the centerfield fence. Later in the inning, freshman designated hitter Brad Udoff earned his first hit and RBI bringing in junior left fielder Ryan Boswell. \nIn the second, junior center fielder Reggie Watson singled into shallow center for his 14th hit of the season. Then Brant tripled into left-center, bringing Watson home to score the Hoosiers' fifth run of the day. Despite a Butler pitching change, Kemp singled to bring in Brant and record his 12th hit of the season. With the bases loaded, relief pitcher Jason Vollmer stopped the bleeding, turning senior third baseman Corby Heckman's dribbler into a fielder's choice and forcing Udoff to look at a third strike fastball. \nThe Bulldog defense hurt more than helped in the third inning with two errors assisting the Hoosiers offense to three runs. First, a Brant single scored senior catcher Kurt Weigle. Soon after Parker blooped a single against the shallow right field foul line bringing in Brant and Kemp to extend the Hoosier lead. \nThe IU offense was relentless when in the fourth Weigle scorched a ball back to Vollmer for his first hit and RBI of the game scoring Heckman who hit a fly ball almost identical to Parker's. After the fourth inning the Hoosier lead was in double digits, 10-0. \n"We played the best ball we played all year," Kemp said. "But pitching and defense is what wins you games and loses you games." \nThe teams switched personalities in the sixth inning and for the rest of the game. 15 batters and nine runs scored in the sixth, leaving the Bulldogs down only one, 10-9. First, they scored five runs off of Brad Kramer including two runs with a line drive back at the freshman pitcher. With bases loaded and junior pitcher Clint Crosier on the mound, Butler added two more runs to its inning total with a ground ball through the legs of sophomore third baseman Michael Nilles. Butler designated hitter Joe Dempsey doubled into left field bringing in two more runs against Crosier. A catcher interference call brought the Bulldogs to within one run of IU, 10-9.\n"As a team we were hitting real well," Parker said. "This just shows you that the game isn't over until it's over. We just lost momentum and they started believing."\nButler never looked back officially earning back all 10 runs when freshman Alex Rinearson hit a fly ball into shallow right field to bring in the game tying RBI. Freshman Joe Pauley gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game with a sacrifice fly off of sophomore pitcher Joe Trucchio. \nEven with the top of their line-up at bat for the ninth inning, the Hoosiers failed to respond once to the onslaught of runs produced by the Bulldogs and allowed for one of the biggest comebacks in Sembower history. \n"The guys that came in weren't ready to pitch. Bottom line," Morgan said. "Offensively we were awesome. I'm just disappointed the guys who came on to the mound didn't do their job."\nSo far this season the Hoosiers have played in more tournaments away from home than they have played games at home. After playing Butler Thursday the Hoosiers will be on their way to the Sunshine State. \nIn the next eight days the Hoosiers face seven teams in Bradenton, Fla. Starting Saturday, IU plays Bowling Green, Bucknell, Yale, Illinois State, Columbia, Vermont and Kent State. It will be the third road tournament road trip for the Hoosiers so far this season. \nIU returns to action at home against instate rival Ball State at 3 p.m. March 23 on Sembower Field.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Andrew Shaffer at asshaffe@indiana.edu.