Indiana baseball slotted in at No. 23 in D1Baseball’s first in-season rankings, released Monday morning. The Hoosiers are coming off a 2-1 opening weekend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where they pulled off a road upset over Coastal Carolina University, 7-2. This is the first time Indiana has been ranked since May 10, 2021, when it entered the poll at No. 21 and then dropped out a week later.
On Feb. 17, junior second baseman Brandon Burckel hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to put the Hoosiers up 3-2, and Indiana added four more runs in the ninth to seal the win over the Chanticleers. After a 26-0 blowout win over George Mason University on Friday, Coastal lost at home on Feb. 17 to Indiana and Feb. 18 to No. 12 Duke University, dropping it from No. 18 to No. 25 in the poll.
Indiana is back in action 4 p.m. Tuesday, at Bart Kaufman Field for its home opener against Miami University of Ohio. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus, the IU Sports Radio Network and WIUX Sports. The Redhawks are 0-3, reeling from a sweep at the hands of No. 25 University of South Carolina, including a 14-0 no-hit loss Feb. 18.
If history is any indication, the Hoosiers will pitch by committee — they used nine different pitchers in last year’s 13-5 rout of Miami. With a trip to Baylor University on tap for the weekend of Feb. 23-25, head coach Jeff Mercer will want to keep his top arms fresh. The Hoosiers lead the all-time series versus the Redhawks 43-38 and have not lost to them in Bloomington since 2012, their last season at Sembower Field.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Nick Rodecap (@nickrodecap) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
