Last place baseball team aims for Big Ten Tournament

A recently snapped nine-game losing streak left the IU baseball team’s season hanging by a thread.\nBut after tripling conference-leading Michigan’s (31-10, 17-3) Big Ten loss total last weekend, the Hoosiers feel they have proven to the rest of the conference they are capable of coming from last place to make the Big Ten Tournament.\n“Like I said going into (last) weekend, there is no team we would have rather been playing than Michigan, based on where we were at that point,“ IU coach Tracy Smith said. “When we do what we are supposed to do we are able to illustrate to these guys that we can beat anybody. That was truly one of the better teams I have squared off as a head coach.”\nEvery conference series for the remainder of season will be pivotal for the Hoosiers, who currently find themselves in the cobwebs of the Big Ten’s cellar. IU is not alone in searching for the stairs leading out, however, as they are tied with Iowa and Minnesota.\nThat cluster of teams at the bottom of the conference could prove advantageous for the Hoosiers as they aim for a top-6 conference finish and a spot in the Big Ten tournament. But first, the Cream and Crimson must worry about visiting-rival Purdue.\n“There is a lot of extra incentive (facing Purdue),” sophomore third baseman Evan Crawford said, “When you talk to people, they don’t ask you how you did in the Big Ten, they ask you, ‘Did you beat Purdue?“\nPurdue is sprawled out on the couch watching TV as they rest comfortably in second place at 16-4 in conference play and 25-17 overall.\nThe consistent play of sophomore catcher Josh Phegley, whose batting average is 20 points above the nearest Big Ten batter, has been a bright spot for the Hoosiers. Phegley’s brother John played for the Boilermakers. The last time Josh Phegley faced a team he had a close tie to was against his hometown Indiana State. Phegley lit the Sycamores on fire as he went 4-for-4 with a three-run home run and a total of four RBIs. \n“I was really looking forward to playing against (brother John), but he quit just before I got here,“ Phegley said. “But, I have been up there and stayed up there and know a lot of guys on the team. I’m probably closer to Purdue than any other team, so it would be nice to brag to those guys later.”\nLeading the way for the Hoosier pitching staff is one of Phegley’s battery mates, sophomore southpaw Matt Bashore. Bashore earned his second Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors this week after holding the explosive Wolverine offense to only one run in a complete game effort.\n“It feels good to get rewarded after a good outing,” Bashore said. “Obviously it is a goal of mine every week, and I don’t sell myself short on anything. I feel it’s something I can do every week.”\nSmith hopes his Hoosiers’ improved play continues through this weekend and through the rest of the season, but was wary to look too far forward.\n“I’d like to win four (games this weekend),” Smith said. “But game one on Saturday is all we are worried about.”\nGame one’s first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.