Walking Off
(06/25/14 6:40pm)
Casey Smith was lying in his bed, trying to ignore the excruciating pain. He just wanted to go to sleep.
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Sam Travis makes professional home debut
(06/23/14 12:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LOWELL, Mass. — Six days after being drafted by the Boston Red Sox, IU first baseman Sam Travis took his first steps on the Green Monster. Peering up at 13 American League Pennants, past Pesky Pole and out into the grand stands, Travis got his first taste of the “show,” and the road it would take to get there. On Friday night, he began paving that road, making his home debut with the Red Sox Class A affiliate — the Lowell Spinners.It was a rough night for the former Hoosier standout, going 0-for-4 at the plate.“There’s so much history behind this ballpark,” he said of Fenway Park. “I’m just glad to be a part of it.”A second-round draft pick, 67th pick overall, in the MLB draft, Travis said he has embraced his new role in Bean Town with relative ease. The 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year made his departure from Bloomington official this past Monday, signing a contract that is reportedly worth $846,000. “It took some getting used to, but now that I finally signed and I’m settling in, I’m starting to get the swing of things,” he said. “I’m making the adjustment pretty well I think.”No stranger to the state of Massachusetts, Travis participated in the Cape Cod Baseball League after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors at IU.The team he was recruited to play for also went by the Red Sox moniker, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.“It’s good to be back,” Travis said of the Massachusetts area. “I guess it was meant to be.”Setting aside the familiar, Travis said the biggest adjustment is simply resisting the urge to hit the snooze button.“You have to come to the ballpark a lot earlier here than you do in college, but that’s about it,” he said. “It’s just playing baseball and having fun, and that’s how you have to approach the game.”One thing is certain: the move to the pros has done little to deter Travis’ resolve. Now more than ever, he said he feels there is something to prove.“I definitely always have a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I’m not really the tallest, ideal first baseman. I’m a right-handed hitter and guys usually like lefties. “But I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life.”
Star recruit spurns IU, chooses Red Sox
(06/12/14 1:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Now, IU baseball is experiencing the downside of becoming a national title contender.Star recruit Josh Ockimey was selected in the fifth round of the MLB draft this past weekend by the Boston Red Sox. The first baseman had the option of honoring his commitment of coming to IU, or play for the Red Sox Farm system immediately.Ockimey announced via his Twitter account Wednesday night he would begin his professional career, and he would not be coming to Bloomington."Made my decision to start my professional career with the Red Sox," he tweeted. "I want to thank @HoosierBaseball for the recruiting and best wishes."@HoosierBaseball is the Twitter handle of IU Coach Tracy Smith. Smith had called the 6-foot-4, 220 pound slugger "the next Schwarber," referencing IU catcher Kyle Schwarber, who went No. 4 overall to the Chicago Cubs in the draft.Ockimey could have been the team's heir to first base, after first baseman Sam Travis was drafted in the second round by the Red Sox this past weekend.Coming off of the back-to-back best seasons in IU baseball history, the program's profile has risen and they are attracting more heralded recruits. But the more heralded recruits go higher in the draft, and the higher they go, the more likely they will sign professionally.Ockimey was not the only Hoosier recruit to be drafted. Three other signees were drafted. A pair of outfielders in Logan Sowers and Larry Chrisler went in the 31st and 36th round, respectively. Pitching recruit Hunter Hart went in the 37th round. Sowers has tweeted he is coming to Bloomington to play for IU. Chrisler and Hart have yet to make an announcement via social media, but being drafted in the lower rounds, they are expected to enroll at IU.
Schwarber, Travis, DeMuth drafted
(06/06/14 12:58pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the past two years, junior catcher Kyle Schwarber and junior first baseman Sam Travis smacked pitches over the walls of Bart Kaufman Field at an alarming rate.If the IU "Bash Brothers" eventually make it to the big leagues, they’ll be hitting pitches over the ivy walls of Wrigley Field and the green monster of Fenway Park, respectively.Junior catcher Kyle Schwarber was drafted No. 4 overall by the Chicago Cubs and junior first baseman Sam Travis was drafted No. 67 by the Boston Red Sox in the 2014 MLB draft Thursday. Schwarber becomes the highest draft pick in IU history with the selection at No. 4. The Middletown, Ohio, native is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, an honor given to the nation’s top Division I catcher. Schwarber hit .358 this season with 14 home runs and 48 RBI. “Thank you to the Cubs for drafting me today and helping me come closer to my ultimate dream! #blessed,” Schwarber tweeted.Travis was also drafted on day one of the draft, in the second round to the Red Sox. The Orland Park, Ill., native was the Big Ten Player of the Year after hitting .347 with 12 home runs and 58 RBI.“BOSTON STRONG,” Travis tweeted after the selection. Senior third baseman Dustin DeMuth was also drafted.DeMuth was drafted last year in the ninth round by the Minnesota Twins, but he was selected in the fifth round by the Milwaukee Brewers this year.DeMuth was the No. 146 overall pick.Days two and three of the MLB draft will continue Friday and Saturday. Evan Hoopfer
Baseball success will come
(06/05/14 1:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Good Lord, sports are cruel.When Scott Effross’ pitch came off Tommy Edman’s bat in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off home run and IU’s season ended, the air out of Bart Kaufman Field left just as fast as Edman’s hit left the park.IU lost to Stanford, 5-4, in the regional championship Monday. The Hoosiers’ historic season is finished.No super regionals.No return trip to Omaha, Neb.No national championship.The Hoosiers lost in one of the most agonizing ways possible. They were two outs — two outs — away from moving on to play Vanderbilt in the super regionals. The night before, they were just four outs away from victory before Stanford came roaring back and continued to write its own Cinderella story.You can play the what-if game until you’re blue in the face.What if Ryan Halstead, the all-time saves leader in IU history, hadn’t torn his ACL on a freak play back in March? Would he have been able to close out those games?What if IU Coach Tracy Smith had brought in ace Joey DeNato a batter earlier to face Edman?What if Brad Hartong hadn’t lacerated his spleen against Youngstown State on Friday? IU fans asked themselves those questions the past couple days.But there’s one more question that needs to be asked.Was this IU’s best shot to win a national championship?IU had astounding success these past two seasons under Smith, there’s no denying that.But sometimes, a moment that seems like promise for the future can turn into a peak, in hindsight.So, was a a trip to the College World Series last season the peak of Hoosier baseball?Or, is this just the start of a reign of terror Smith and his program will inflict on the Big Ten, and IU will become a baseball blue blood program for years to come?It’s a legitimate question to ask, whether this is the peak or not. This team was absolutely jacked with talent. Of the 13 first team All-Big Ten selections, the Hoosiers had eight.They also had four All-Americans: Kyle Schwarber, Sam Travis, Joey DeNato and Dustin DeMuth.Those four served as the cornerstones for this program. Smith and the younger players often spoke of their leadership and the way they carried themselves.But DeNato and DeMuth graduated.In all likelihood, Schwarber and Travis will forgo their senior years and enter the MLB after being drafted in the early rounds.Schwarber is a top 20 prospect, and Travis is top 60.Smith can build programs. That’s apparent. He built Miami (Ohio) into a mid-major force and IU into a national force.But sustaining success is a different animal all together.It could have been that this gob of great baseball players came together in a perfect storm for IU baseball, and this was the program’s one chance to be crowned king in Omaha, Neb.Personally, I don’t think Smith and IU are done. The Hoosiers have a state-of-the-art stadium in Bart Kaufman Field, and Smith will continue to find hidden gems like DeNato and Schwarber.There will always be more prospects. More chances. More opportunities for a hallowed return to Omaha.But there will never be another 2014 IU baseball team.It was a special one both from a talent standpoint and a personality standpoint.It was a joy to cover the diverse personalities that were so different from the typical robotic cadences athletes usually talk in.Hearing Smith talk about what Netflix shows he’s watching. Seeing what antics Casey Smith would get into in his weekly videos, which were genuinely hilarious.It’s a shame most of those players will leave. But so goes the song of college athletics.IU should roll back into prominence in the coming years. As long as Smith stays, this 2014 team will be looked back on as the first of many great Hoosier baseball teams.But, man.It’s impossible to not think about this season and say, what if?
Schwarber named finalist for best catcher
(06/04/14 11:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After hitting 14 home runs and boasting a .358 average this season, junior catcher Kyle Schwarber was named a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, an honor given to the nation’s top Division I catcher.Schwarber is one of three finalists nationwide. The others include Mississippi’s Will Allen and Kennesaw State’s Max Pentecost. The winner will be announced June 26 during the Greater Wichita Banquet, to which Schwarber will be invited to attend.Schwarber was the No. 2 hole hitter this year for the Hoosiers and was one of the nation’s best hitters.During the regular season, he led the Big Ten in home runs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, walks, runs scored and triples and was second in hits and third in batting average. The Middletown, Ohio, native is the No. 17 ranked draft prospect, according to Baseball America.Schwarber has a year of eligibility left but could opt to leave early for the MLB if he chooses.The 2014 MLB draft will take place today through Saturday, and Schwarber’s name is expected to be one of the first 20 called.Evan Hoopfer
20140602-_5409-CO
(06/03/14 6:40am)
Junior Will Nolden attempts to catch Tommy Edman's walk-off home run during the regional championship against Stanford Monday at Bart Kaufman Field. Stanford won 5-4, which ended the Hoosiers' season.
20140602-_5409-CO
(06/03/14 6:23am)
IU Coach Tracy Smith claps for his team after the regional championship against Stanford Monday at Bart Kaufman Field. Stanford won 5-4, which ended the Hoosiers' season.
Hoosiers stunned in season-ending loss
(06/03/14 6:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kyle Schwarber sat at a table cloaked in a crimson cloth. A name tag and a Dasani water bottle sat in front of him.A microphone was perched under his chin.He was talking to the press after one of the most devastating losses in IU baseball history.To his right sat his teammate, Dustin DeMuth. To his left, his teammate Sam Travis and his coach, Tracy Smith.The three Hoosier players' hat brims covered their eyes, which were visibly red. IU (44-15) had just had its season ended minutes prior in a 5-4 loss to Stanford (34-24) with a walk-off Cardinal home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.IU had gone into the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead, which was erased with one swing of freshman shortstop Tommy Edman’s bat.The players were asked to put the loss into words.Schwarber, a first team All-Big Ten catcher and the No. 17 ranked draft prospect, leaned forward to the microphone.He started to answer, then paused.He was trying to find the right words.What did the loss mean for his team that came into the season ranked No. 3 in the nation, and had aspirations of a national championship?“I'll speak for all of us,” Schwarber said. “It's tough. I mean, this group of guys, these guys up here, everyone in the locker room, they are like -- they are all brothers to us. I'm not going to lie. This is my favorite team to be on, out of all my years here.”In a do-or-die game Monday night and a bid to the super regional on the line, Stanford was able to keep its season alive, while IU’s dramatically ended.IU had taken an early 3-0 lead in the third inning, thanks in large part to a two-run home run by Schwarber.After a two hour and 51 minute rain delay, Stanford responded with a two-run third inning. The team added a solo home run in the sixth to make it a 3-3 ballgame.In the top of the eighth, sophomore shortstop Nick Ramos hit a chopper over the head of Stanford pitcher Cal Quantrill for an RBI infield single to put IU up 4-3.The fans that remained after the rain delay were elated. Sophomore reliever Scott Effross plowed through the eighth inning with two strikeouts and a groundout, and the Hoosiers were three outs away from a win.In the bottom of the ninth, Effross got Stanford’s Wayne Taylor to a 1-2 count, but Taylor – who hit the go ahead three-run home run Sunday night – singled up the middle.Smith had his ace, senior Joey DeNato, warming up in the bullpen, but he opted to stay with Effross to face Edman.After the game, Smith said he was going to bring in DeNato to face the next Stanford batter, first baseman Danny Diekroeger.But Diekroeger wouldn’t take his at-bat.On the first pitch, Edman sent Effross’ pitch over the right field wall. The home run kept Stanford’s national championship dream alive, and it ended the Hoosiers’ historic season.“I was just trying to get on base to be honest,” Edman said. “Home run was the last thing I expected.”Now it was Smith’s turn to answer the question. He acknowledged that yes, this was one of the worst losses he’s endured.But that’s not what he was thinking about.It’s the people, the relationships he’s built, that were done. With just one swing of the bat, those relationships, to an extent, ended.“It's hard for me to be disappointed when I've had the opportunity to work with the group of guys and the team that we had,” Smith said. “And, again, the toughest piece is not going to be seeing some of those faces in the locker room.”
Cardinal rally sets up championship
(06/02/14 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Coming into the game, IU was 39-0 this season when leading after seven innings.In the top of the eighth with two outs and a 6-4 lead, IU was four outs away from a second consecutive super regional berth.Down two runs, Stanford Coach Mark Marquess put outfielder Wayne Taylor into the game as a pinch hitter.The Cardinal’s postseason life needed a clutch hit to stay alive.And Taylor delivered.He hit a three-run home run that gave Stanford the one-run lead.“I think that was a pretty good pitch,” Taylor said of the home run he hit off IU closer Jake Kelzer. “I ended up getting the barrel on it and driving it pretty well.”The Cardinal tacked on three more runs in the top of the ninth as extra insurance, and they knocked off the Hoosiers 10-7 in front of 3,524 stunned IU fans at Bart Kaufman Field.Stanford’s win sets up a rematch between the two teams. IU (44-14) and Stanford (33-24) will play at 5:30 p.m. Monday on Bart Kaufman Field.The stakes are simple.The winner goes on to super regional play and keeps its dream of a national championship alive for at least another weekend.The loser’s season is done.“We’ve got our own destiny in our hands,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said.After Kelzer came into the game in the eighth inning with two outs, Stanford scored three runs in the eighth and ninth innings to put the game away.Kelzer only recorded two outs in his appearance, and he allowed four earned runs.Despite being just four outs away from a victory, Smith said his team is where it needs to be mentally.“I don’t have to say too much to these guys,” Smith said. “We’re going to go take a shower, go eat, sleep, get up and come ready to play baseball. It’s pretty simple.”On who will pitch Monday, both Smith and Marquess said they don’t know who will start.They will talk with their respective coaching staffs before making a decision.Among the possible starters for IU are senior Brian Korte, the No. 3 starter in the regular season, and sophomore Sullivan Stadler, who was the midweek starter toward the end of the year.Whoever starts for IU will have to contend with a Cardinal lineup who put as many runs on the board as the IU pitching staff has allowed in more than two months.The last time IU gave up 10 runs was March 26 against Indiana State — 36 games ago.That was also the last time IU lost by more than one run. In the previous 35 games, IU was 32-3 and had lost those three games by just one run.Stanford pitcher A.J. Vanegas threw 5.1 innings, the longest he’s gone all season. He’s battled injuries all year, and his longest outing before that was four innings.Vanegas threw with strong velocity, and at points reached the upper 90s on the stadium radar gun.After Cardinal starter Logan James went just 1.2 innings and gave up four earned runs, Marquess went to Vanegas with his season on the line, and the senior delivered.“We told him we’re going to him early because there was no tomorrow,” Marquess said. “We needed to win today to keep playing.”With the most important game of the season Monday, IU catcher Kyle Schwarber said his team is confident.“No one is not out there competing,” he said. “So we’re going to be out there ready to go, and, you know, play for our tournament life.”
IU to play Stanford in rematch
(06/01/14 8:34pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU will play Stanford at 6 p.m. for a chance to move on to the super regionals.Stanford defeated Youngstown State 12-4 earlier today to end the Penguins’ season and set up a rematch between the Hoosiers and the Cardinal tonight.IU will be the home team and Stanford will be the away team. Per NCAA rules, Stanford was the home team Saturday night when the two teams played.The Hoosiers defeated the Cardinal 4-2 Saturday behind strong performances from senior starter Joey DeNato and junior first baseman Sam Travis, who went 3-for-5.Given the double-elimination format of the regional, there are two possibilities that could occur given the result of Sunday’s game.If IU wins, the team will be crowned regional champs and move on to the super regional.If Stanford wins, another game will take place between the two teams at 5:30 p.m. Monday.The Hoosiers will throw No. 2 starter Christian Morris, who is 6-3 on the year with a 1.82 ERA.The Cardinal will throw Logan James, who is 3-3 on the year with a 4.13 ERA in 56.2 innings pitched.Thunderstorms are forecasted for tonight’s game. Follow @EvanHoopfer and @idsnews on Twitter for updates.Evan Hoopfer
Hartong out for remainder of postseason
(06/01/14 4:22pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Left fielder Brad Hartong will miss the remainder of the 2014 postseason due to a spleen injury, according to a release.In the first inning of the IU-Stanford game Saturday, Hartong went back in an attempt to catch a fly ball hit by Stanford’s Austin Slater.Hartong crashed hard into the wall, and the ball dropped, which allowed the Cardinal to score a run.Trainers went out to check on Hartong, who was lying on the ground for a few moments after the collision with the wall.Hartong was able to get up, and he remained in the game for a few inning.He even took an at-bat and made an outfield assist when Stanford’s Dominic Jose tried to stretch a single into a double in the second inning.In the fourth inning Hartong came out, and Craig Dedelow replaced him in left field. Hartong was seen walking gingerly back into the clubhouse with an IU trainer by his side.“This a tough break for Brad, as he has been a huge contributor to this team all season,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said in the release. “We look forward to having Brad back in 2015 after he makes a full recovery.”Not only was Hartong a first team All-Big Ten choice in left field, as he was hitting .313 on the year with 36 RBI, but he was also the team’s backup catcher and served as Christian Morris’ personal catcher.Morris will get the start today at 6 p.m. against the winner of the Stanford-Youngstown State game, which begins at 1 p.m.It is unclear if Smith will opt to go with Schwarber for a third straight start at the catcher position, or if he will use another catcher for Morris.Evan Hoopfer
DeNato delivers again in 4-2 win
(06/01/14 2:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With one out in the eighth inning, starter Joey DeNato came out of the game to a standing ovation in front of the biggest crowd in Bart Kaufman Field history.The senior ace had thrown 7.1 innings and given up just two earned runs on 104 pitches.“I thought I pitched pretty well,” DeNato said. “The two runs they scored, really I think I had -- maybe I had a few bad pitches all game, but they definitely executed on them, on pitches that I missed on.”He left with his team in the lead by one run, and the record attendance of 4,312 fans at Bart Kaufman Field got out of their seats to give DeNato, statistically the greatest IU pitcher of all-time, an ovation.IU was able to maintain the lead and defeated Stanford 4-2 in Saturday night’s regional game. With the win, IU moves just one victory away from the regional championship.IU will play the winner of the Stanford-Youngstown State game at 6 p.m. Sunday. The Penguin-Cardinal bout is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch Sunday.DeNato, a San Diego native, was not recruited by California schools because he lacks size and fastball velocity. But the 5-foot-10 ace improved to 13-1 on the year, which set the record for most wins in a single season for an IU pitcher.After the game, Stanford Coach Mark Marquess lamented not having DeNato.“We did not recruit him,” he said. “Wish we had.”The performance by DeNato was coupled with a clutch-hitting clinic by the Hoosiers. Of the four runs on the day for IU, three came with two outs.Leading the way was Big Ten Player of the Year Sam Travis. The junior first baseman went 3-for-5 on the day with two RBI.“Yeah, postseason play as a player, you know, coming up in key situations,” Travis said, “that's kind of what you live for as a player.”In the top of the fifth inning on a 2-0 count, Travis drilled a ball over the left field fence to put IU up two runs at the time, and it sent Bart Kaufman into a frenzy.“I think he was sitting fastball,” Stanford starter John Hochstatter said. “And he beat me on it. Nothing more than that.”He went 7.1 innings in the loss, giving up nine hits for four earned runs on 114 pitches. Another big at-bat for IU came in the top of the eighth inning. It was just a 3-2 lead, and right fielder Will Nolden faced a full count, two-out situation with runners on first and second.And Nolden delivered.He singled up the middle, and the hit scored Ramos from second base to give the Hoosiers a two-run cushion.“It's those two at-bats that I remember as I was reflecting on that game that I thought were momentum gainers for us, momentum breakers for them," IU Coach Tracy Smith said.The RBI gave extra insurance to closer Jake Kelzer, even though he didn’t need it. After DeNato came out in the eighth inning, Kelzer came in to throw 1.2 innings of one-hit baseball, not giving up a run.While Kelzer and his wicked curveball have been proficient this year, he is still a redshirt freshman.But Smith didn’t lack any confidence in his closer, who is a former swimmer on the IU swim and dive team.“Anybody that spends their mornings at 5:00 a.m. staring at the bottom of the pool,” Smith said, “ … has some mental toughness.”Christian Morris will get the start Sunday. He is 6-3 with a 1.82 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the Hoosiers will either play the Cardinal or the Penguins.The Hoosiers knocked off both teams already, and are now one win away from their second consecutive super regional appearance.
IU to play Stanford Saturday
(05/31/14 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After dispatching both of their opponents by a combined score of 18-3, IU and Stanford will meet in game two of the Bloomington regional on Saturday.First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the winner of the game will move on in the winners’ bracket for a shot at winning the regional on Sunday.IU (43-13) comes into the game after beating Youngstown State 10-2, and Stanford (31-23) took care of Indiana State 8-1. Both games took place Friday.Getting the start for the Hoosiers will be Joey DeNato. On the year he is 12-1 with a 1.77 ERA.Both teams have the benefit of having fresh bullpens for the game on Saturday.The Hoosiers were able to rest their No. 1, 2 and 3 starters in the win against Youngstown State. Also, closer Jake Kelzer and first team All-Big Ten reliever Luke Harrison didn’t pitch Friday.For Stanford, starter Cal Quantrill threw a complete game, four-hit shutout against the Sycamores on Friday, so everyone is available in the Cardinal bullpen.Projected to get the start for Stanford is John Hochstatter, who has gone 10-1 with a 2.62 ERA in 72 innings pitched this season.Hochstatter has the best ERA of any Cardinal starter this year, and he has allowed opponents to hit just .202 off him.As for offense, the Hoosiers will have to slow down the corners of the Cardinal infield.Third baseman Alex Blandino – the No. 63 ranked prospect in the nation according to Baseball America – and first baseman Danny Diekroger both went 2-for-5 against the Sycamores.They hit No. 2 and No. 3 in the lineup, and they are both hitting more than .300 this year. In total, five Cardinals are hitting more than .300.But if trends stay true, it will be a pitchers’ duel.The two starting pitchers tomorrow, DeNato and Hochstatter, are a combined 22-2 on the year.
IU beats Youngstown State, 10-2
(05/31/14 2:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers struck early in the pitch count against the Penguin pitching staff Friday night.In its first game of the NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed IU beat No. 4 seed Youngstown State, 10-2.“I thought that was a perfect scenario for us,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said after the game.On the offensive end, the top hitters stepped up.In junior catcher Kyle Schwarber’s first two at-bats, he was swinging on the first pitch. And on the both of the first pitches, Schwarber placed a ball into right field.The first went for a single in the first inning, and it was the first of 15 Hoosier hits on the day.In his second at bat, Schwarber lined the ball to the right-center gap for a triple.“Schwarber’s definitely the wrong guy to throw in the middle of the plate,” Youngstown State Coach Steve Gillispie said.After not reaching base in his third at-bat, Schwarber drilled a pitch over the center field wall for a three-run home run, which put the Hoosiers up 9-1.The catcher finished the day 4-for-5 with three RBI, and a double short of the cycle.But when asked if Schwarber had any thoughts of trying to stretch a single into a double in the seventh inning to give him the cycle, Schwarber was clear in his answer.“No,” he said.He wasn’t the only Hoosier to have a prolific day at the plate. Sam Travis went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, Scott Donley was 3-for-4, and DeMuth went 3-for-5 with three RBI.The Hoosiers chased Youngstown State starter Jared Wight out of the game early. Wight only went 2.1 innings and gave up eight hits that led to six earned runs.Sophomore Scott Effross earned his first start of the year and delivered. His final line included 4 innings pitched, 3 hits, one run, one earned run, one walk and 4 strikeouts on 58 pitches.“After the first inning,” Effross said, “I kind of just treated it like a relief appearance.”Going into the game, Smith was deciding whether or not to hold ace Joey DeNato until later in the weekend or throw him against the Penguins.Youngstown State came into the game with a 16-36 record, and DeNato alone had 75 percent of the number of wins they had – he’s 12-1 on the year.By throwing Effross and sophomores Evan Bell and Will Coursen-Carr on Friday, this leaves IU with its top three starters, DeNato, Christian Morris and Brian Korte, available for the rest of the weekend.When Coursen-Carr came in the game with an eight-run cushion, the game was still of great interest to IU fans. After going 5-0 last year with a 1.93 ERA, the sophomore has struggled this year and was replaced in the rotation.He’s struggled with his control, and Smith has said throughout the season Coursen-Carr doesn’t have the confidence necessary to be effective.Coursen-Carr hit one batter, but was otherwise effective. He went 1.1 innings without giving up a hit or a walk.“I thought that was a huge positive on tonight’s game,” Smith said. “That kid kind of put us on the map last season with his pitching in postseason play."He’s struggled, no secret about that … Regardless of his scenario before tonight, that was pretty electric stuff.”
IU resumes play against Stanford
(05/30/14 9:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a rain delay that lasted nearly three hours, the Hoosiers and Cardinal take the field to resume play for the regional championship title.IU led Stanford 3-0 in the middle of the third inning before the game was postponed due to severe weather. An RBI single by Craig Dedelow in the second inning and a two-run home run by Kyle Schwarber in the third put IU up 3-0.Stanford starter Logan James was pulled after pitching two innings and getting through the IU order once.Follow @EvanHoopfer on Twitter for live game updates.
Friday's starter still unknown
(05/29/14 6:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After practice today, IU Coach Tracy Smith said he has not decided who will start Friday when the Hoosiers play Youngstown State.“Right now we're not sure, and here's why,” Smith said. “Because what makes this time of the year different is every decision moving forward is critical. You try to put yourself in the best position to win the weekend.”Smith did narrow down the list to four possible names. Either Scott Effross, Joey DeNato, Evan Bell or Brian Korte will get the start Friday.Smith said he will watch the Indiana State–Stanford game at 2 p.m. Friday to see if one matchup is more favorable down the road. It appears to be a game-time decision, but Smith laughed and assured reporters people will know who the starter is before the first pitch. Here's a breakdown of the potential starters.Scott Effross ERA: 1.65Record: 4-2 Starts: 0Innings pitched: 49Effross has been either the setup man or the reliever this year with Jake Kelzer in the bullpen.But due to the emergence of Kelzer as the closer in the bullpen, Smith said at the Big Ten Tournament last weekend that Effross didn’t get to pitch as much as he would have liked.He called Effross “one of the top arms in the country,” and he wants to use him in the best possible way. Plus, Effross hasn’t just been a one-inning-and-done guy in his career. The sophomore has thrown as many as three innings of relief in his career at one time.“But sometimes guys are different guys in the starters' roles,” Smith said. “I just don't know yet, but that's why he's in the discussion for sure.”Joey DeNatoERA: 1.77Record: 12-1Starts: 15Innings pitched: 101.2DeNato has been the ace of the staff and the Friday starter this season. He was named a third team All-American Thursday.He has the records for most wins, strikeouts and innings pitched in his career of any pitcher in IU’s 119-year history.So, why wouldn’t DeNato start the opening game of the regional?The opponent Friday is Youngstown State, who is 16-36 on the year. IU may not want to throw his best pitcher against statically the weakest team in the regional.IU will face the winner of the Indiana State–Stanford game at 6 p.m.Saturday, if the Hoosiers can get past the Penguins in the opening round.Since DeNato has a reputation of eating up innings, Smith may keep DeNato until Saturday or even Sunday, when he anticipates a needed break for the bullpen.When asked if he knew if he was starting Friday, DeNato responded, “I do not know yet.”Evan BellERA: 3.50Record: 2-1Starts: 1Innings pitched: 18After primarily being a middle reliever for most of the season, Bell started his first game of the season in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal against Michigan State and responded well.His line was: 4.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks and one strikeout on 62 pitches against a Spartan team fighting to keep its season alive. The 6-foot-9 sophomore has the least experience out of any of the other three starters, but given his most recent outing against Michigan State, he is a legitimate contender to get the start Friday.Brian KorteERA: 2.11Record: 3-0Starts: 7Innings pitched: 38.1When Kyle Hart underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery earlier this year and Will Coursen-Carr struggled his way out of the rotation, Korte was thrust in a situation where he responded well.As the No. 3 starter, Korte hasn’t lost a game. Though he hasn’t exhibited the endurance of DeNato or No. 2 starter Christian Morris, he’s been effective.He didn’t pitch in the Big Ten Tournament, however. Smith said Korte was day-to-day because of arm soreness heading into regional play, but he has been throwing.“We'll know more tomorrow based on the medical stuff,” Smith said. “He cranked it up on a bullpen the other day full speed, and it looked pretty good. We just want to see how he's responding to that.”
Four Hoosiers named All-Americans
(05/29/14 5:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Four Hoosiers were named to the Louisville Slugger NCAA Division-I All-American teams today, which is the most in team history.A pair of juniors, catcher Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Sam Travis, earned second team honors. Senior pitcher Joey DeNato and senior third baseman Dustin DeMuth earned third team honors.Travis won the Big Ten Player of the Year award after hitting .342 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI. In Baseball America’s latest prospects rankings, Travis comes in as the No. 85-ranked prospect.This marks the second straight year Schwarber was named an All-American. He led the Big Ten in home runs with 12 and bat .340 this season with 41 RBI. He is the No. 18-ranked draft prospect, according to Baseball America.It also makes two consecutive All-American awards for DeMuth. The senior led the Big Ten with a .381 average, and he hit .448 in Big Ten games. DeMuth is also the active NCAA leader in career hits, with 311.DeNato cemented himself as one of the best pitchers in IU history with a stellar 2014 season. He now has the records for career wins, strikeouts and innings pitched for any Hoosier pitcher.This year DeNato is 12-1 with a 1.77 ERA, and he joins former teammate Aaron Slegers as the second consecutive Hoosier starter to be named an All-American.Evan Hoopfer
Q&A with Stanford baseball writer
(05/29/14 1:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In advance of this weekend’s regional, IDS reporter Evan Hoopfer asked the Stanford Daily’s Jordan Wallach some questions about the Cardinal’s team and its chances. IDS Stanford was a bubble team. What was the expectation of getting into the NCAA tournament this year? Did it come as a surprise?Wallach Coming into this season, while the team had its sights set on a tournament berth, expectations were certainly low from an outside perspective.While Stanford returned key position players, particularly in the infield with senior third baseman Alex Blandino and junior first baseman Danny Diekroeger, no one knew how Mark Appel, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, would be replaced in the Cardinal’s starting rotation.The Astros prospect ate up 229.1 combined innings over 30 starts in his junior and senior years, so his departure left a massive gap in the team’s staff.Stanford’s answer was to start freshmen pitchers for 27 consecutive games to open the season, the longest streak in the nation this season and perhaps in the history of NCAA baseball as well.The quartet of Cal Quantrill — son of former major leaguer Phil Quantrill — Brett Hanewich, Chris Viall and Tyler Thorne shocked most as they got their seasons off to surprisingly composed starts against one of the nation’s most difficult schedules, which featured 24 games against teams in the top-50 in the RPI rankings.While only Quantrill made it through the entire season in the rotation (the others came and went), not many people expected the youth of the Cardinal to hold up against their schedule, but it did. Another freshman, second baseman Tommy Edman, ended up making major contributions at the plate as he took over the lead-off spot in the middle of the season after carrying the offense with a 10-game hitting streak.So it certainly came as a surprise that Stanford was able to clinch a postseason berth given its young roster, but credit is due to pitching coach Rusty Filter — the mentor of two No. 1 overall draft picks over the last five years, Appel and Stephen Strasburg at San Diego State — for toughening his first-year starters quickly and getting them ready to carry the staff for a good part of the season.IDS What are the feelings around Palo Alto about this team compared to previous years? How big is baseball at Stanford?Wallach Baseball at Stanford certainly isn’t as big as football or men’s or women’s basketball, and you’ll rarely find students at Klein Field taking in a game on a weekend. But support still comes from local residents, alumni and other Cardinal supporters, and it’s usually a safe bet to have around 1,500 supporters in the stands for an average weekend home game.Overall, with the departure of Appel, interest in the team this year dipped slightly — the ballpark no longer had the same buzz on Friday nights when the ace stepped onto the rubber.My former managing editor, Sam Fisher, put it this way in a column: “Every time you walked into Sunken Diamond, you came with the knowledge — perhaps even expectation — that you were going to see something special. There’s something very cool about seeing more scouts than there are MLB teams sitting behind home plate at every one of a pitcher’s starts.”That simply wasn’t there this year, but plenty of fans still cared about the team and were eager to see the youth will shape the Cardinal roster for at least the next two years.IDS What are Stanford’s strengths and weaknesses?Wallach Stanford’s main strength certainly lies in its starting rotation.While the four freshmen mentioned earlier did not all end the season in the rotation, other players stepped up immediately after getting the call in the middle of the season.For junior John Hochstatter, that call came on April 13 against Washington. From that point forward, he became the team’s most sturdy arm, as he went 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA in the seven starts he made at the end of the season, including two consecutive complete games (and he was one out away from a third).Sophomore Logan James also transitioned from the bullpen and soon earned a spot in the weekend rotation.Over five starts, he went 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA. As long as the Cardinal avoid falling behind in counts early on in games and allow minimal free passes — something they suffered from early in the season and at times later on — the rotation has the potential to match up with anyone.The team’s weakness is probably its depth on the bench.While there’s no shortage of defensive replacements, Stanford has very few options when needing a pinch-hitter late in games, namely just freshman Jack Klein and sophomore Austin Barr.Also, the Cardinal lack a strong running game, as the team went just 32-for-51 in stolen base attempts on the season, and it ranked last in the Pac-12 in both steals and attempts.So Stanford will often resort to sacrifices, sometimes unnecessarily wasting precious outs in order to advance runners.IDS Who is one Cardinal player that will surprise us with how good he is?Wallach While junior center fielder Austin Slater won’t surprise anyone with his offensive performances this weekend given that he’s riding a career-long 17-game hitting streak, over which he’s hitting .448, sophomore right fielder Zach Hoffpauir can make a big impact very quickly with the bat.Hoffpauir, a two-sport athlete who also plays free safety for Stanford’s football team, has raised his batting average from .271 to .339 over his last 13 games, a span in which he’s hit .520 (26-for-50). He leads the team with a .522 slugging percentage, demonstrating his power that can alter a game with just one swing.IDS Care for a prediction? Will Stanford make it out of the regional in your opinion?Wallach As head coach Mark Marquess leads the Cardinal into their 29th postseason appearance in the last 34 years under his tutelage but the team’s first berth since 2012, expectations are not very high for the team that surprised many by just making it to a regional.But I think this team has a strong run in it. Each of Stanford’s first three starters can match up with any opponent. So as long as the offense holds up its end of the bargain, the Card can reach the regional’s final game against Indiana.But the run will likely stop there as it’s going to take a lot to slow down the Hoosiers train that has won 30 of its last 33 games.
Sycamores, Penguins come to IU
(05/29/14 1:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU will welcome three teams to the Bloomington regional this weekend in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.The Hoosiers will face Youngstown State in their first game at 7 p.m. Friday.Youngstown State and Indiana State offer some challenges to IU, which is 30-3 in the past 33 games.For a breakdown of the Penguins and the Sycamores, read below. For a breakdown of the Stanford Cardinal, read the IDS Q&A with the Stanford Daily’s Jordan Wallach.Youngstown State Penguins (16-36)Youngstown State is 20 games below .500 and was the No. 6 seed in its own conference tournament, the Horizon League.The Penguins knocked off No. 1 seed Wright State in the Horizon League Tournament twice in three days, and they received the conference’s automatic bid.The Penguins have a rank of No. 270 in the projected RPI of 302 teams, while IU is No. 2.Youngstown State pulled off the major upset in its own conference tournament, and the team will have to pull off an even bigger upset against the Hoosiers in the first round matchup.Lefty Jared Wight will get the start on Friday for the Penguins. In 16 appearances this year, Wight has a 6.97 ERA in 40 innings pitched.Wight is 1-3 and has walked more than he has struck out. Who Wight will go up against for the Hoosiers is still in flux.IU Coach Tracy Smith said he will probably keep ace Joey DeNato until later in the weekend.“We’re still trying to figure out what we’re doing Friday,” Smith said. “I think the good part for us is we have a lot of confidence in the other guys.”On the offensive side of the ball, the Penguins have two players who have hit more than .300 this season. Second baseman Phil Lipari has been on a tear during the later stretch of the season.As recent as April 27, Lipari was hitting just .236. In the past 15 games Lipari is 30-for-65, good for a .462 average that has bumped his season average to .322.Indiana State Sycamores (35-16) The Sycamores are the only team in the Bloomington regional that IU has played this season.The two teams split the season series. Indiana State took a 12-8 bout March 26 in Terre Haute, and the Hoosiers got revenge with a 8-4 win April 9 in Bloomington.Indiana State is coming off a strong regular season, where it finished 14-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference, but the Sycamores followed that with a lackluster performance in the conference tournament, where they went 0-2.They received an at-large bid mainly because of their RPI, which was No. 22 in the nation.On the offensive side, Mike Fitzgerald and Derek Hannahs are the only Sycamores who are hitting more than .300 on the year.Fitzgerald also has an on-base percentage of .461, which is the highest on the team. He is usually the team’s cleanup hitter, batting fourth in the lineup.Three Sycamore pitchers have thrown more than 70 innings this year, and each have an ERA less than 3.50.Stanford and Indiana State play the first game of the regional at 2 p.m. Friday.
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