Wednesday marked Devin Taylor's homecoming.
The Indiana baseball freshman only went 1-for-4 in the team's 11-9 win at the University of Cincinnati, though Taylor crushed his lone hit 422 feet over the right field wall — clinking off Fifth Third Arena next door — home to Cincinnati's men's basketball team.
The sharp ping from Taylor's bat for his team-best, ninth home run this year was just out of ear-shot of his former high school — located 15-20 minutes away. Taylor postgame assumed 50 family members, high school friends and coaches sat in attendance.
"As soon as he touched it, I was hollering," Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer said postgame. "I wrote down home run right center as soon as he touched it. I've heard that sound enough times to know what it sounds like off of his bat. It's just a totally different sound."
Mercer joked the bricks encasing the basketball arena, which were struck by the ball traveling 109 mph off-the-bat, likely have to be replaced. Taylor received an ovation from his home crowd, who offered a curtain call when he later exited the dugout to play the right field.
"It was mostly family that was doing that so yeah, it was great," Taylor said postgame.
Last season, while Taylor wasn't at the collegiate level yet, the high school senior watched Indiana's 11-4 victory over Cincinnati on April 20, 2022. Almost one year later, Taylor's home run served as the game-winning hit — though it initially didn't seem needed.
Indiana freshman right-hander Brayden Risedorph tossed four shutout innings to begin Wednesday's game, striking out a career-high seven batters. Meanwhile, Indiana's five-run second inning, highlighted by freshman Tyler Cerny's 2-run home run, put the team up 6-0.
On Tuesday, fellow Indiana freshman Ethan Phillips similarly hurled 4⅔ innings without allowing an earned in the team's 7-3 victory over No. 12 Louisville. The Hoosiers used a five-run third inning to route the Cardinals. That wouldn't work twice in two consecutive days.
Immediately after Risedorph's exit, the Bearcats shattered the shutout and scored four runs in the fifth inning. Cincinnati redshirt sophomore Kerrington Cross, who doubled off Risedorph in the fourth, identically hit a 3-run bases-clearing double, pulling Cincinnati within three runs.
Following Cerny's RBI-double to put Indiana up 8-4 in the top of the seventh inning, the Hoosiers subsequently loaded the bases. Cincinnati mid-inning handed the ball to redshirt junior right-hander Zach Zegal. Cerny was caught lingering off third base for the second out.
Taylor quickly fell behind 0-2 in the count. The freshman surprisingly said he was fooled by Segal’s stutter step and threw his bat at the pitch that resulted in the 3-run home run. It seemed like Taylor was being modest. In the offseason, Taylor has trained with Zegal.
“I know a bunch of guys on their team and this is more than just a personal game for me, like I wanted to win,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s homer gave Indiana an 11-4 lead by the ninth inning. That home run appeared as the dagger, but ultimately served as the cushioning required for Indiana to survive Wednesday's victory narrowly. Cincinnati’s five-run ninth-inning rally closed the scoreline to just 11-9.
Taylor and Cerny combined for six of Indiana’s 11 runs Wednesday. Indiana’s freshman class is largely assisting the team in winning games as of late — from Phillips’ outing Tuesday to Risedorph, Taylor and Cerny Wednesday at Cincinnati in the team’s fourth straight win.
Indiana improves to 27-11 following the 11-9 victory at Cincinnati. The team’s schedule continues this weekend at home in their three-game series against nonconference foe Ohio University. Friday’s first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Follow reporters Matthew Byrne (.@MatthewByrne1) and Nick Rodecap (.@nickrodecap) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
