Hoosiers to fight through 10-game home schedule

The IU baseball team -- coming off a split in last weekend's series against Purdue -- will play its first mid-week home game today when the Indiana State Sycamores come to Bloomington to complete the two-game season series between the two teams.\nThe Hoosiers (12-20) won the first two games of the Purdue series, but lost the final two games. IU will try to put a 25-8 loss in the final game behind it and build momentum for this weekend's Ohio State series.\n"It was just one of those crazy things," IU coach Tracy Smith said of Sunday's loss. "Regardless of the outcome, these guys will hit the locker room and forget about it."\nPrior to splitting the Purdue series, IU won its first mid-week game of the year against Xavier University. Losing weekday games led to series losses against Michigan State and Northwestern.\nIU will face the Sycamores as part of a 10-game home stand at Sembower Field, where the Hoosiers have fared much better, going 5-2 at home on the season. They have struggled on the road with a 4-14 record. \n"If we go out and do what we're supposed to do, it shouldn't make a difference," sophomore catcher Jon Fixler said.\nThe Hoosiers won the first game of the series 7-4 earlier this season and will sweep with a win today.\nIndiana State has won three of its last four after winning a series at home against South Dakota State this weekend. The Sycamore pitching staff has dropped its ERA to less than four, with a 3.91 team ERA. Reliever Brian Omogrosso leads the way with a 3-0 record and 0.63 ERA.\nJunior catcher Nevin Ashley leads Indiana State with a .434 batting average, seven home runs and 32 RBIs on the season. Ashley is one of five Sycamore hitters batting over .300, and the team is batting .296. \nJunior right-hander Andy Casper (0-0, 9.00) will make his first start at IU and his third appearance on the season. Casper has allowed six hits and four runs in four innings pitched, striking out one.\nSenior designated hitter Zach Boswell's bat heated up during the Purdue series. He hit .285 on the series with two home runs. Boswell has struggled, hitting .233 on the season, but said he feels that his bat is starting to come around.\n"I was seeing the ball really well and getting into good counts," he said.\nIU's leading hitter, freshman Cameron Satterwhite, will look to rebound after going 2-for-9 in the Purdue series. Satterwhite's .404 batting average still leads the team -- he is the only Hoosier batter hitting over .400.\nFirst pitch is set for 3 p.m. Tuesday at Sembower Field.