Playing its fifth game in three days and its first midweek nonconference contest since March 7, the IU baseball team fell 8-1 to the Evansville Purple Aces at Sembower Field on Monday.\nThe loss snapped a quick two-game winning streak for the Hoosiers and dropped them to 13-14.\n“We need to keep being aggressive, because we’ve been hitting into some bad luck, not getting some breaks,” junior catcher Jon Fixler said. “But we need to make our own breaks and start coming through when we need to, because once we get that started, it’ll keep coming.”\nThe Hoosiers scored first, with one run in the bottom half of the first. Freshman center fielder Evan Crawford hit a double on the first pitch he saw and moved over to third on a fielder’s choice by senior second baseman Josh Richardson.\nNext up, senior shortstop Keith Haas hit a grounder to second that brought Crawford in, giving IU the 1-0 lead.\n“I was just trying to put the ball in play and score him,” Haas said. “The infield was back, so all I had to do was put it in play.”\nWith IU coach Tracy Smith trying to get some pitchers work, freshman lefty Jarrett Casey came into the game in the third. Evansville first baseman Kasey Wahl hit a solo shot to left off Casey that knotted things up at one. The scoring continued as three more Purple Aces crossed the plate in the third.\nFollowing Casey’s struggles, Smith turned the ball over to freshman Eric Arnett. In his last outing, Arnett was roughed up for seven runs on just four hits against Michigan State on March 31.\nBut against Evansville, Arnett threw 2 1/3 -scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts. \nAs the Hoosiers prepare to return to Big Ten action this weekend, Smith was more than pleased with Arnett’s effort as they look for answers with the pitching staff.\n“That was good to see,” Smith said after the game. “Somebody in the pen has to step up and be valuable for us. Hopefully, that’ll get (Arnett) back on track.”\nUp 4-1, the Purple Aces scored another run in the seventh and three more in the eighth as IU sputtered on offense. After scoring in the first, the Hoosiers had runners in scoring position in the second, fifth, seventh and eighth but were unable to bring any of those runners around.\n“It hurts, especially when we get guys on first and second and nobody out,” Haas said. “We feel like we can get a guy in. That’s a situation when you have to execute and score your runs. It obviously hurts when you don’t.”\nDown by seven runs in the final innings, the Hoosiers were unable to muster a comeback, falling 8-1.\nIU now has two days off before beginning a four-game series with in-state rival Purdue in West Lafayette. But regardless of Tuesday’s loss, Smith wants to get back on the field as soon as possible.\n“I’d like to get back out there and get working,” Smith said. “You try to get some rhythm, some consistency, have your hitters get your timing down. But we’re looking forward to the weekend, getting on the bus and heading to West Lafayette, strapping it on for the Boilermakers.”
Hoosiers drop contest against Evansville
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