Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Baseball Starting to Find Its Groove
4/11/2024 6:00:00 PM | Baseball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Are Indiana's baseball struggles finally in the rearview mirror?
It seems that way. Winning five of the last seven games, and three of the last four is a big sign. Even bigger is the victory over then-No. 17 Indiana State, followed by winning the three-game series at Maryland, which no road team had done since 2019. IU scored 51 runs in last week's four games while allowing seven or fewer runs in all of them.
The result -- the Hoosiers (18-15 overall) have boosted their RPI into the top-65 and are positioned to make a run at a NCAA tourney at-large bid if they can't win a Big Ten title as they enter a home weekend series against Penn State (17-12) at Bart Kaufman Field.
"We've been talented enough and capable enough," coach Jeff Mercer says. "We have to keep improving, keep working and keep growing up. When you get in the game, have success and do it consistently. String it together."
The recent success can't offset all the disappointments from a 6-11 stretch, but it suggests that the Hoosiers, despite key injuries that include first baseman Brock Tibbitts, starting pitcher Ben Grable and catcher AJ Shepard, are ready to make a move.
"Even before the Maryland series," catcher Jake Stadler says, "there were a lot of good things we were piecing together.
"When you go on the road against a team like Maryland and win the series, there's a lot you can build on. It's setting us up for success this weekend and the rest of the season."
Success remains a work in progress. IU opened the season 6-1, including a win over then No. 18 Coastal Carolina, and a three-game sweep of Baylor. It later added a 9-7 victory over then-No. 25 Dallas Baptist.
Still, a series of losses, including to Purdue-Fort Wayne, Illinois State and Belmont, stung a team that began the season with Big Ten title hopes.
Mercer and his staff found themselves in sports therapist mode.
"We spoke a lot," Mercer says. "Expectation and injury are poor company. When you have those things together, you have disappointment, embarrassment, frustration.
"We had a lot of conversations about dealing with playing to not lose. You hadn't experienced losing; you hadn't experienced failure; and you didn't expect to have failure. All of a sudden, those things come. You could see guys get tight."
Loosening them up required the right perspective.
"We told them, we understand it's not working this way," Mercer says. "We're not having great success this way. We're certainly not enjoying ourselves. Let's go back and try to enjoy each other. This isn't a labor. It's something we enjoy doing."
Enjoyment has the Hoosiers leading the Big Ten in runs scored (279) and ranking fourth in team batting average (.299). That's been offset by a conference-worst 42 errors and a 6.68 team earned run average that ranks next-to-last in the Big Ten.
Still, so much is within reach. IU is 3-3 in the Big Ten and tied with Ohio State and Michigan State for sixth in the conference standings. Nebraska leads at 5-1 followed by Illinois (7-2), Michigan (6-3), Purdue (5-4) and Iowa (5-4).
"We've seen what success looks like," Stadler says. "We went through that rough patch. We're finding our stride again and can build on that."
Improved play comes from better preparation, first baseman Joey Brenczewski adds.
"We come to the field ready to work every day. No matter the outcome, we come to work."
Losing Tibbitts (.336, 3 home runs, 36 runs batted in) and Shepard (.300, 2 home runs) are big blows. Tibbitts could return in May. Shepard might not be back until next season.
Brenczewski (.325, 22 runs batted in) and Stadler (.295, one homer, 16 RBI have thrived in their absence. Brenczewski, a freshman who went from shortstop to first base, earned Big Ten freshman-of-the-week honors after going 6-for-16 with seven runs scored and six runs batted in last week. Stadler, a Purdue transfer who had just one hit in 29 at bats last season, had some big hits and big defensive plays against Maryland.
"Shepard gets hurt and Joey B steps in and he's starting to play well," Mercer says. "Tibbitts gets hurt and Stadler steps in and plays terrific. Those guys made the decision, let's just go play. Then it gets exciting and fun. You can feel the energy rise."
Then there are the contributions from freshmen Jasen Oliver (.338, 10 RBI), Andrew Wiggins (.273) and Jacob Vogel (0-0, 0.96 earned run average), plus Bellarmine pitching transfer Drew Buhr (0-1, 5.02 earned run average) and Gonzaga pitching transfer Jack Moffitt (1-1, 5.29 ERA).
"When you look at the last month, the last couple of weeks, we went more into a player development phase than you anticipated with some of the injuries," Mercer says. "You started to see spurts that some of the young guys -- the Olivers, the Wiggins, Joey B -- are starting to grow up. You see it in some of the young arms, like Vogel. Some of the transfers are starting to improve, like Buhr and Moffitt.
"This past week was the first time that it's showed up consistently. That next man up is starting to step up and be a good, capable player.
"Now we need to put it together for consecutive weekends. For the young guys, scouting reports are starting to get out. Teams will pitch you differently and do things differently. Can we adjust to that?"
Adjustment will come against a Penn State team that has won four straight. Continued success, Mercer adds, means playing good defense and executing on offense. It means being adjustable and adaptable.
"There's something to be said about feeling the moment. You have the toughness and stiff enough spine to step in there and perform. Compete at a high level and follow the plan."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Are Indiana's baseball struggles finally in the rearview mirror?
It seems that way. Winning five of the last seven games, and three of the last four is a big sign. Even bigger is the victory over then-No. 17 Indiana State, followed by winning the three-game series at Maryland, which no road team had done since 2019. IU scored 51 runs in last week's four games while allowing seven or fewer runs in all of them.
The result -- the Hoosiers (18-15 overall) have boosted their RPI into the top-65 and are positioned to make a run at a NCAA tourney at-large bid if they can't win a Big Ten title as they enter a home weekend series against Penn State (17-12) at Bart Kaufman Field.
"We've been talented enough and capable enough," coach Jeff Mercer says. "We have to keep improving, keep working and keep growing up. When you get in the game, have success and do it consistently. String it together."
The recent success can't offset all the disappointments from a 6-11 stretch, but it suggests that the Hoosiers, despite key injuries that include first baseman Brock Tibbitts, starting pitcher Ben Grable and catcher AJ Shepard, are ready to make a move.
"Even before the Maryland series," catcher Jake Stadler says, "there were a lot of good things we were piecing together.
"When you go on the road against a team like Maryland and win the series, there's a lot you can build on. It's setting us up for success this weekend and the rest of the season."
Success remains a work in progress. IU opened the season 6-1, including a win over then No. 18 Coastal Carolina, and a three-game sweep of Baylor. It later added a 9-7 victory over then-No. 25 Dallas Baptist.
Still, a series of losses, including to Purdue-Fort Wayne, Illinois State and Belmont, stung a team that began the season with Big Ten title hopes.
Mercer and his staff found themselves in sports therapist mode.
"We spoke a lot," Mercer says. "Expectation and injury are poor company. When you have those things together, you have disappointment, embarrassment, frustration.
"We had a lot of conversations about dealing with playing to not lose. You hadn't experienced losing; you hadn't experienced failure; and you didn't expect to have failure. All of a sudden, those things come. You could see guys get tight."
Loosening them up required the right perspective.
"We told them, we understand it's not working this way," Mercer says. "We're not having great success this way. We're certainly not enjoying ourselves. Let's go back and try to enjoy each other. This isn't a labor. It's something we enjoy doing."
Enjoyment has the Hoosiers leading the Big Ten in runs scored (279) and ranking fourth in team batting average (.299). That's been offset by a conference-worst 42 errors and a 6.68 team earned run average that ranks next-to-last in the Big Ten.
Still, so much is within reach. IU is 3-3 in the Big Ten and tied with Ohio State and Michigan State for sixth in the conference standings. Nebraska leads at 5-1 followed by Illinois (7-2), Michigan (6-3), Purdue (5-4) and Iowa (5-4).
"We've seen what success looks like," Stadler says. "We went through that rough patch. We're finding our stride again and can build on that."
Improved play comes from better preparation, first baseman Joey Brenczewski adds.
"We come to the field ready to work every day. No matter the outcome, we come to work."
Losing Tibbitts (.336, 3 home runs, 36 runs batted in) and Shepard (.300, 2 home runs) are big blows. Tibbitts could return in May. Shepard might not be back until next season.
Brenczewski (.325, 22 runs batted in) and Stadler (.295, one homer, 16 RBI have thrived in their absence. Brenczewski, a freshman who went from shortstop to first base, earned Big Ten freshman-of-the-week honors after going 6-for-16 with seven runs scored and six runs batted in last week. Stadler, a Purdue transfer who had just one hit in 29 at bats last season, had some big hits and big defensive plays against Maryland.
"Shepard gets hurt and Joey B steps in and he's starting to play well," Mercer says. "Tibbitts gets hurt and Stadler steps in and plays terrific. Those guys made the decision, let's just go play. Then it gets exciting and fun. You can feel the energy rise."
Then there are the contributions from freshmen Jasen Oliver (.338, 10 RBI), Andrew Wiggins (.273) and Jacob Vogel (0-0, 0.96 earned run average), plus Bellarmine pitching transfer Drew Buhr (0-1, 5.02 earned run average) and Gonzaga pitching transfer Jack Moffitt (1-1, 5.29 ERA).
"When you look at the last month, the last couple of weeks, we went more into a player development phase than you anticipated with some of the injuries," Mercer says. "You started to see spurts that some of the young guys -- the Olivers, the Wiggins, Joey B -- are starting to grow up. You see it in some of the young arms, like Vogel. Some of the transfers are starting to improve, like Buhr and Moffitt.
"This past week was the first time that it's showed up consistently. That next man up is starting to step up and be a good, capable player.
"Now we need to put it together for consecutive weekends. For the young guys, scouting reports are starting to get out. Teams will pitch you differently and do things differently. Can we adjust to that?"
Adjustment will come against a Penn State team that has won four straight. Continued success, Mercer adds, means playing good defense and executing on offense. It means being adjustable and adaptable.
"There's something to be said about feeling the moment. You have the toughness and stiff enough spine to step in there and perform. Compete at a high level and follow the plan."
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