IU finishes 3-game weekend sweep of Butler

INDIANAPOLIS — After a four-game losing streak, No. 19 IU got back on track with a three-game sweep of Butler this weekend.

“It feels good to get the guys feeling good about themselves again on the winning front,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said. “But most of all was just to sure it up defensively, which is what we did a pretty darn good job of this weekend.”

IU (29-8, 8-4) completed the sweep in Indianapolis on Sunday. The Hoosiers were aided by three Bulldog errors to take the game 10-3.

“We just weren’t playing really good baseball and it felt really good to get back to our winning ways,” sophomore pitcher Aaron Slegers said.

Strong starting pitching helped the Hoosiers take the first two games of the series in Bloomington by a combined score of 17-4.

Junior Joey DeNato and sophomore Kyle Hart started Friday and Saturday, respectively. The two combined for 13 innings pitched, six hits, four earned runs, three walks and 12 strikeouts.

On Sunday, Slegers gave up just three runs in six innings pitched. Smith said he is proud of how well all three of his starters have performed this season.

“I don’t want to say I’m getting used to it, but I’m getting used to it,” Smith said. “Just another quality, quality job by those three.”

During the three-game series, IU recorded just one error, which was the priority for this weekend, Smith said.

“I was really pleased with how we played defensively and that was the key for us and the focus for this weekend,” Smith said.

Slegers didn’t record any strikeouts Sunday, so having a defense behind him he knew would be strong was imperative to his confidence, he said.

“Just throwing strikes as a pitcher, that’s what we emphasize as a pitching staff,” he said. “Throwing strikes early and let the defense work for you. And this weekend we really did that to a ‘T.’”

Sophomore catcher Kyle Schwarber got the start at designated hitter Sunday. Schwarber has seen limited playing time since he injured his knee sliding into home April 6 and said he was excited to get back on the diamond.

“I mean it was awesome,” Schwarber said. “I haven’t been out there for a while and it was a little rusty, but it’s good to get things back going. It’s been too long.”

Schwarber responded by going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and was a big part of the lineup, Smith and Slegers said.

“He’s a difference maker,” Smith said. “The guys were glad to see him back, and hell, I was glad to see him back.”

The Hoosiers’ first eight runs of the game came with two outs, something the team wanted to improve on, Schwarber said.

“I feel like in some of those losses we had we didn’t have two-out hitting,” Schwarber said. “Today we were lucky enough to have that, and kudos to the hitters.”