IU entered game one of Saturday's doubleheader against Michigan needing to make up some ground in the Big Ten.
Instead, IU (17-8, 1-5) lost 6-3 against Michigan (17-12, 3-4) to lose its fifth straight Big Ten game and put themselves well behind Iowa and Nebraska who are both undefeated in conference play.
Junior Caleb Baragar started for IU but only lasted 1.2 innings giving up five runs, four of them earned. Baragar entered Saturday's game 0-1 this season but had the lowest ERA of any IU starting pitcher with 0.79.
Baragar relied heavily on his fastball early on. Baragar's first six pitches were all fastballs as well as eight of his 11 pitches in the first inning. But the lefty had trouble locating both his slider and his curveball for strikes.
After retiring Michigan in order in the first inning, the Wolverines loaded the bases with one out in the second on its way to scoring five runs. Baragar walked in a run as Michigan's No. 9 hitter, Eric Jacobson, refused to swing at Bargar's sliders out of the strike zone.
Every other Michigan run scored off Baragar in the second came from fastballs down the middle of the plate after he had fallen behind in the count.
IU scored its first run of the game in the third inning when senior Scott Donley's sacrifice fly to right field scored sophomore Craig Dedelow from third base after his lead off triple.
Michigan starting pitcher Jacob Cronenworth pitched six innings to get the win allowing one run. It was his second start of the season after starting for the first time last weekend.
IU managed two runs in the bottom of the eighth but couldn't muster any more after Donley grounded into a double play with zero outs and runners on the corners. Freshman Isaiah Pasteur also fouled out to first base with runners on first and second with two outs in the eighth inning.
Game 2 is scheduled to begin at 4:40 p.m. at Bart Kaufman Stadium.
Michael Hughes
