Spearheaded by three homers and brilliant defense behind Indiana baseball’s pitching staff, the Hoosiers took game one of a three-game set against Rutgers 8-3 Friday night at Bart Kaufman Field.
But according to head coach Jeff Mercer, the team will likely be without sophomore ace and Saturday starter Connor Foley for the remainder of the series as he recovers from back tightness.
“He’s definitely feeling better,” Mercer said Friday night. “He’s not feeling great yet, and we won’t do anything until he does.”
Foley’s last start came April 13 against Penn State, where he only lasted 1 2/3 innings and gave up five hits, eight runs and issued three walks. While Indiana came back to win 10-9, Foley’s outing signaled potential concerns.
Before that game, he carried a stellar 3.21 ERA and pitched four or more innings in all his eight starts. Now, as the Hoosiers look to navigate a circuitous path to postseason contention, they will be forced to find collective contributions.
“Hopefully next weekend we can get him back out there and kind of work back up to a pitch count again,” Mercer said. “But it’s just going to be kind of like today where we’re cutting the game up.”
Against the Scarlet Knights, Indiana deployed just three pitchers as opposed to the 11 it used in a 7-7 tie against Ball State University on Wednesday afternoon. Redshirt sophomore southpaw Brandon Keyster got the start and worked three innings of two-run ball, and junior Julian Tonghini and sophomore Brayden Risedorph followed with three frames apiece.
Tonghini and Risedorph combined for seven strikeouts and gave up just one run, completing a pitching performance that offered confidence in a struggling bullpen. But without the usual workhorse start from Foley helping supply rest to his fellow pitchers, the relievers will certainly be tested again this weekend.
“I told Julian ‘Get in the ice tank baby because you got to get back on Sunday and spin some more breaking balls,’” Mercer said.
For an Indiana team whose starting rotation has almost been entirely reliant on Foley’s efforts, it will now turn to graduate lefty Ty Bothwell to attempt and replicate his production in game two on Saturday.
Bothwell has gone from a stalwart long reliever to a bonafide No. 2 starter, and his last outing inspired hope he can tame a ferocious Rutgers offense. In seven innings against Minnesota on April 20, Bothwell gave up just two hits, one run and struck out a career-high 13 batters.
“Obviously Bothwell makes you feel a little bit better,” Mercer said. “He’s going to have to give us five or six — come hell or high water — he’s going to have to give us five or six.”
Mercer mentioned graduate righty Drew Buhr, redshirt freshman Jacob Vogel, sophomore Aydan Decker-Petty, junior Ryan Kraft and freshman Seth Benes as options to recoup the work left behind in Foley’s absence.
While none of them possess Foley’s blistering high 90’s fastball, Mercer believes there is an avenue for success with strong defense and consistent run support. With a quick turnaround to Saturday’s 2 p.m. first pitch, time will tell if Bothwell and the bullpen are up to the task.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Nick Rodecap (@nickrodecap) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
