Saturday Doubleheader Split

Saturday, February 28

Bowling Green, Ky.

2 p.m.

Indiana University

4-6

Western Kentucky

6-5

Indiana

WKU

2/28/2026 10:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (PDF) - 1 Box Score (PDF) - 2

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – It was a tale of two games on Saturday (Feb. 28) afternoon. The Indiana Baseball team (4-7, 0-0 B1G) shared victories with Western Kentucky (7-5, 0-0 CUSA) over 18 innings of baseball at Nick Denes Field. Pitching decided the story in the opening contest before the bats broke out to the tune of 26 combined runs in the nightcap. IU won the first game 3-1 before dropping the second effort 14-12.

With a four-game weekend, and both teams holding starters for Sunday, bullpens were put to the test on Saturday evening. IU won the first game of the day by scattering four hits and one run across the nine innings. Graduate student right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold earned the win after recording 10 outs. IU's offense battled in the second game but couldn't overcome an early four-run deficit. IU trimmed the lead to two on multiple occasions but never got past the final step.

In total, eight IU pitchers got into the game on Saturday. Graduate student right-handed pitcher Kaden Jacobi and freshman right-handed pitcher Ivan Mastalski limited damage by allowing just two runs over the final four innings in game two of the doubleheader. The Hoosiers hung 12 runs on the board via 14 hits but went down quietly in the ninth while trailing by two. Western Kentucky also used eight pitchers on the day.

IU will look to split the series on Sunday (March 1) afternoon in Bowling Green. Senior right-handed pitcher Jackson Bergman will need to be great as the Hoosiers play their fifth game in five days. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT as the month of March begins in college baseball.

Game 1: Indiana 3, Western Kentucky 1
Recap – Game 1

When it needed it the most, the Indiana Baseball team (4-6, 0-0 B1G) delivered a pair of fantastic at-bats in the eighth inning. Redshirt junior outfielder Ayden Crouse had a sacrifice fly before redshirt freshman designated hitter Brayden Ricketts singled home another in a 3-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 28) afternoon.

The Hoosiers pitched it fantastically to begin the day, getting another great start from sophomore southpaw Brayton Thomas. He tossed 4.2 innings, conceding just one run on a solo home run. He was followed by graduate student right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold (W, 1-0). Seebold recorded 10 outs, scattering just two hits with no runs allowed. Junior right-handed pitcher Jackson Yarberry (SV, 1) recorded the final three outs in a save.

IU had multiple chances to score early in the game but it took until the eighth inning to find the go-ahead runs. Ricketts had his second three-hit day in the last four games. Sophomore catcher Hogan Denny, sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley and sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie all had multi-hit efforts.

The win was the second time this season where IU has allowed just one run in a victory.

Game 2: Western Kentucky 14, Indiana 12
Recap – Game 2

With both teams deep into the bullpen, the bats took centerstage in the night cap. Western Kentucky (7-5, 0-0 CUSA) scored four runs in the first inning and led the entire way for a 14-12 victory. The Indiana Baseball team (4-7, 0-0 B1G) scored multiple runs in four different innings but could never get the deficit smaller than two. IU went quietly in the ninth as the home team held on for a victory.

Sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley continued his hot streak at the plate, finishing the day 3-for-4 with three RBIs. He hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to trim the lead to two. Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. Fellow sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie led the team with four RBIs. Every starting position player had a hit.

Graduate student right-handed pitcher Reagan Rivera (L, 0-2) was hoping to continue the trend of great starts from IU's rotation. His day ended after just an inning of action. He worked into the second frame but didn't record an out. He gave up six hits and was tagged for five runs. Graduate student right-handed pitcher Kaden Jacobi and freshman right-handed pitcher Ivan Mastalski gave up just two runs over the last four innings.

The second game of the doubleheader was the first time IU has played a game where both teams have scored 10-or-more runs since March 29, 2025 (vs. USC – L, 12-13). Before this contest, IU had allowed just nine runs in the last 27 innings on the mound.

Inside the Box Score – Game 1
• IU recorded its fourth game of the season with double-digit hits.
• The Hoosiers allowed one run on the mound for the second time this year.
• Four different players had multi-hit games.
• IU's pitching staff had eight strikeouts with just three walks.
• After a solo home run, IU recorded the final 15 outs without giving up a run.

Inside the Box Score – Game 2
• IU's pitching staff walked nine batters compared to just one from Western Kentucky.
• Both teams had double-digit runs and double-digit hits. It was IU's fifth game this season with 10+ hits.
• The six extra-base hits for IU were the most in a game this year.

Notes to Know
• Graduate student right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold continues to be brilliant in relief this season. He earned his first win of the year by tossing 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball on Saturday afternoon. He has begun the year by working 11.2 frames without allowing a run. Seebold is the first IU pitcher since Ryan Kraft (March 25-April 15, 2023) to have four consecutive scoreless outings of at least two innings.

• Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny hit his third home run of the season in the second game of the doubleheader, part of a four-hit day in total. He has five multi-hit games on the season and has base knocks in nine of the 11 games for IU this year.

• Redshirt freshman designated hitter Brayden Ricketts is on a roll as of late. He's recorded hits in seven-straight games. In that stretch, he has a pair of three-hit efforts (vs. Notre Dame, at Western Kentucky – 1). 11 of his 13 hits this year have been singles but he did have an RBI double in the loss to the Hilltoppers on Saturday evening in Bowling Green.

• Sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie has had RBIs in just four of the 28 career games he's hit in. However, three of those four games have been multi-RBI efforts. That includes a four-RBI day in the second game of the doubleheader with a two-run single and a two-run double.

Up Next
The final game of a long four-game weekend comes tomorrow (March 1) afternoon at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. The game can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.