Hoosiers take hot bats into Evansville

Four games into the Big Ten schedule, the IU baseball team returns to Indiana today, but remains in the midst of an 11-game road trip as it takes on the Evansville Purple Aces at Charles H. Braun Stadium.\nWhile even mid-week non-conference games are important for IU coach Tracy Smith's team, they serve a different purpose than the four-game conference series that lies ahead at the end of the week.\n"We will rest our pitchers and do some things to get ready for the weekend," Smith said. "Right now (mid-week games are) more or less just to prepare for the weekend."\nIU is still looking to solidify its defense after committing seven errors at Michigan State. The defense has now committed 50 errors through the first 22 games of the season. \nThe Hoosiers (8-14) will try to rebound during the week after dropping four of five on their current road trip, which included losing three of four to Michigan State last weekend.\n"The mid-week games are just as important as the weekend," senior pitcher Clint Crosier said. "It's important to make sure everything is on the same page."\nThe offense hasn't been the reason for the recent losses though. Junior second baseman Keith Haas led the way during the Michigan State series, hitting .538 and stealing four bases on the weekend. Senior outfielders Jay Brant and Reggie Watson chipped in, hitting .400 and .375, respectively. \nFreshman outfielder Cameron Satterwhite broke out in his first substantial playing time of the season, going 5-for-11 with his first collegiate home run.\n"It was just a matter of putting it all together," Satterwhite said of the offense. "We've been swinging the bats pretty well."\nLeft-hander Kai Tuomi (3-1, 3.91 ERA) will make the start on the mound for Evansville against IU freshman right-hander Tyler Tufts (0-2, 9.30 ERA).\nTufts will face an Evansville offense that is averaging about five runs per game. Leading the way for the Purple Aces is junior first baseman Kasey Wahl, who leads the team with a .344 batting average. Junior left fielder Pat Tumilty and senior outfielder Jim Viscomi lead the team with four home runs apiece. \nMissouri State swept Evansville (16-14) last weekend, but the Aces have been a better club at home. They have a 10-6 home record, including wins in seven of their last nine at Charles H. Braun Stadium.\nThis marks the first time since 1993 that the two teams have played each other. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at Braun Stadium.