Indiana University Athletics
Tuesday, April 7
Bloomington, Ind.
6 p.m.
Indiana University
vs
Ball State
Baseball Central: Ball State
4/6/2026 3:30:00 PM | Baseball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – As the month of April kicks into full gear, the Indiana Baseball team (12-19, 5-10 B1G) will look to make up some ground after a tough open to the season. A series victory over Rutgers was just what head coach Jeff Mercer and the Hoosiers needed. Ball State visits town on Tuesday (April 7) evening as IU looks to break a run of back-to-back midweek defeats.
Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny has done damage at the plate this year and continues to flash his incredible all-around ability. He hit .471 last week while suppling eight hits, eight runs scored, a home run and four RBIs. He played both corner outfield spots and has developed into a premier defender.
IU's starting pitching ticked up last week but was really supplemented by the stellar relief work of redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel. He covered 4.1 innings in three appearances. During that stretch, he struck out seven batters without allowing a walk. 10 of his 14 outings this year have been scoreless.
Tuesday's contest is the fourth of 11 home games at Bart Kaufman Field in the month of April. IU will head to College Park this weekend (April 10-12) before returning to Bloomington for the final two weekends of the month. This is the sixth weekend series against Maryland in seven Big Ten seasons during Mercer's tenure.
Gameday Info
vs. Ball State (Tuesday, April 7th – 6 p.m. ET)
Live Video: bit.ly/3PRRoy8
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: bit.ly/46VZA6j
Probable Starters
Indiana vs. Ball State
• Tuesday: LHP Conner Linn, Gr. (2-0, 7.64 ERA)
Leading Off
KOSKIE RAKES: Sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie is riding a team best 12-game hitting streak into this week's action. That stretch includes a four-hit day against Rutgers on Saturday, the first of his career. He leads the Hoosiers with a .345 batting average this year.
FRY GUY: Although he wasn't expected to play much this year, freshman second baseman Landen Fry has turned into a great player for IU. He had four hits in the series against Rutgers including a pair of doubles on Saturday. He has his batting average back up over .300.
DENNY DELIVERS: Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny had an extremely productive week with eight hits including a pair of three-hit days on Friday and Saturday. He scored seven times over the weekend and leads the team with a .450 on-base percentage this season.
BIG VOGEY: Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel likely earned a day off in the midweek but has been fantastic this season. His team best 2.86 ERA has been anchored by 10 scoreless outings in 14 appearances this season. He pitched well in two games against Rutgers over the weekend.
LINED UP: The Hoosiers used just seven pitchers to take the series over Rutgers this weekend. That has opened the door for a fresh bullpen against Ball State. Southpaw Conner Linn will get the start but expect veterans Kaden Jacobi, Michael Sarhatt and Pete Haas to be up and available.
BRING 'EM HOME: IU has struggled with bringing home runners this year. However, it was 10-29 over the weekend with runners in scoring position. That helped spark one of the best offensive displays of the season. Caleb Koskie led the way with six RBIs over the weekend.
Scouting the Opponent
Ball State
• The Cardinals are back to .500 after getting swept at Miami (Ohio) over the weekend. However, Ball State is off to a 10-5 start in the MAC and will look to challenge for its first conference tournament crown since 2024. It is 0-4 in midweek games this year while giving up double-digit runs on each occasion.
• Senior utilityman has been a great all-around option for Ball State this year. He is hitting .351 with a team-best 39 base knocks this year. He has stolen 22 bases this year in 23 tries. Sophomore infielder Brayden Heubner, a high school teammate of Cole Decker, leads the team with a .381 batting average and seven home runs.
• There have been struggles on the mound in midweeks but Rich Maloney always finds a way to get the best of his pitching staff. Redshirt junior pitcher Jeremy Jones, Tuesday's starter, is the only Cardinal with double-digit appearances this year. Ball State has given up 104 extra-base hits this year.
Inside the Series
Ball State
• These have been two of the most successful programs in Indiana this century. In turn, that has produced some competitive games over the last 25 years. IU has taken a heavy 39-26-1 advantage in the series with nine wins in the last 10 games.
• Head coach Jeff Mercer has restarted the series after a small break during the COVID pandemic. He has won six of seven games against the Cardinals during his tenure. The lone result that wasn't a win was a 12-inning tie in Muncie back in 2024.
Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny has done damage at the plate this year and continues to flash his incredible all-around ability. He hit .471 last week while suppling eight hits, eight runs scored, a home run and four RBIs. He played both corner outfield spots and has developed into a premier defender.
IU's starting pitching ticked up last week but was really supplemented by the stellar relief work of redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel. He covered 4.1 innings in three appearances. During that stretch, he struck out seven batters without allowing a walk. 10 of his 14 outings this year have been scoreless.
Tuesday's contest is the fourth of 11 home games at Bart Kaufman Field in the month of April. IU will head to College Park this weekend (April 10-12) before returning to Bloomington for the final two weekends of the month. This is the sixth weekend series against Maryland in seven Big Ten seasons during Mercer's tenure.
Gameday Info
vs. Ball State (Tuesday, April 7th – 6 p.m. ET)
Live Video: bit.ly/3PRRoy8
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: bit.ly/46VZA6j
Probable Starters
Indiana vs. Ball State
• Tuesday: LHP Conner Linn, Gr. (2-0, 7.64 ERA)
Leading Off
KOSKIE RAKES: Sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie is riding a team best 12-game hitting streak into this week's action. That stretch includes a four-hit day against Rutgers on Saturday, the first of his career. He leads the Hoosiers with a .345 batting average this year.
FRY GUY: Although he wasn't expected to play much this year, freshman second baseman Landen Fry has turned into a great player for IU. He had four hits in the series against Rutgers including a pair of doubles on Saturday. He has his batting average back up over .300.
DENNY DELIVERS: Sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny had an extremely productive week with eight hits including a pair of three-hit days on Friday and Saturday. He scored seven times over the weekend and leads the team with a .450 on-base percentage this season.
BIG VOGEY: Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel likely earned a day off in the midweek but has been fantastic this season. His team best 2.86 ERA has been anchored by 10 scoreless outings in 14 appearances this season. He pitched well in two games against Rutgers over the weekend.
LINED UP: The Hoosiers used just seven pitchers to take the series over Rutgers this weekend. That has opened the door for a fresh bullpen against Ball State. Southpaw Conner Linn will get the start but expect veterans Kaden Jacobi, Michael Sarhatt and Pete Haas to be up and available.
BRING 'EM HOME: IU has struggled with bringing home runners this year. However, it was 10-29 over the weekend with runners in scoring position. That helped spark one of the best offensive displays of the season. Caleb Koskie led the way with six RBIs over the weekend.
Scouting the Opponent
Ball State
• The Cardinals are back to .500 after getting swept at Miami (Ohio) over the weekend. However, Ball State is off to a 10-5 start in the MAC and will look to challenge for its first conference tournament crown since 2024. It is 0-4 in midweek games this year while giving up double-digit runs on each occasion.
• Senior utilityman has been a great all-around option for Ball State this year. He is hitting .351 with a team-best 39 base knocks this year. He has stolen 22 bases this year in 23 tries. Sophomore infielder Brayden Heubner, a high school teammate of Cole Decker, leads the team with a .381 batting average and seven home runs.
• There have been struggles on the mound in midweeks but Rich Maloney always finds a way to get the best of his pitching staff. Redshirt junior pitcher Jeremy Jones, Tuesday's starter, is the only Cardinal with double-digit appearances this year. Ball State has given up 104 extra-base hits this year.
Inside the Series
Ball State
• These have been two of the most successful programs in Indiana this century. In turn, that has produced some competitive games over the last 25 years. IU has taken a heavy 39-26-1 advantage in the series with nine wins in the last 10 games.
• Head coach Jeff Mercer has restarted the series after a small break during the COVID pandemic. He has won six of seven games against the Cardinals during his tenure. The lone result that wasn't a win was a 12-inning tie in Muncie back in 2024.
Players Mentioned
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C/OF
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INF
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RHP
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LHP/OF
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LHP
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RHP
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