Basil's heroics sets up Tourney rematch with Purdue

COLUMBUS, OHIO – It took eleven innings for Indiana to defeat Michigan State for the second time in the Big Ten Tournament and advance to the championship round. Both wins were the result of late inning hits by shortstop Michael Basil.

Second baseman Micah Johnson led off the eleventh inning with a walk and advanced to second on a Dillon Dooney sacrifice bunt. Basil followed with a one out single to center that scored Johnson and gave the Hoosiers a 4-3 lead they would not give up.

Righty Ryan Halstead (4-2) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief for the win. Tony Wieber (2-2) took the loss for MSU. The loss eliminated the Spartans from the tournament.

Indiana battles rival Purdue in championship round Saturday night. An IU win will force a final game on Sunday.

IU (32-27) and MSU (37-21) played to a 3-3 tie before teams scored in a drama filled ninth inning.

Indiana got to Purdue starter Mick VanVossen in the ninth. After two quick outs, third baseman Dustin DeMuth doubled to left-center field. Bryce Jenney then replaced VanVossen on the mound. IU took a 3-2 lead when DeMuth scored on a Will Nolden single to left.

In the bottom half, Jonny Hoffman came in to pitch for IU Starter Chad Martin after Martin allowed the first two Spartan hitters to reach base. MSU scored the tying run on a Hoffman throwing error. He then loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Krill.

For the second time in the game, IU’s defense rescued its pitcher. During the ninth inning, IU Head Coach Tracy Smith made a myriad of defensive changes, including putting pitcher Joey DeNato in left field. DeNato promptly made a game saving, diving catch on a ball hit by Boilermaker catcher Joel Fisher that sent the game to extra innings.

The Hoosiers and Spartans were locked up in another pitcher’s duel Saturday afternoon at Huntington Park.

Martin, a senior, recorded five 1-2-3 innings over the first six innings. His counterpart, freshman VanVossen, allowed only four hits over the same span.

Indiana’s defense helped Martin in the eighth. Nolden made a leaping catch on a ball hit to deep right-center field by Fisher. On the next play, IU’s Johnson charged a slow roller, fielded the ball and tossed it to first with his glove.

The Hoosier offense was able to do something Saturday against the Spartans they could not do against the Boilers: get a leadoff hitter on base. Four Hoosier leadoff hitters reached base, and twice those runners scored.

Indiana got the scoring started in the second inning. Johnson doubled and Dooney singled to open the inning. Johnson then scored and Dooney moved to third after two MSU throwing errors. With two outs, Nolden singled, scoring Dooney and giving the Hoosiers a 2-0 lead.

IU’s lead didn’t last long.

The Spartans scored two runs in the bottom of the second. Torsten Boss led off with a walk and moved to third on John Martinez’s double. A Ryan Krill sacrifice fly scored Boss, and Martinez came home on a single by Fisher that tied it at 2.

After the offense for both teams showed up in the second the stating pitchers took over.

Martin did not allow a run the rest of his outing. He lasted a career-long eight innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with one strikeout and one walk.

VanVossen limited IU’s offense until the ninth, lasting 8.2 innings while surrendering three runs (two earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk.