Hoosiers shutout Blue Raiders to take series

The Indiana Hoosiers baseball took its first series of the season and posted their first shutout in a 6-0 win over MTSU on Sunday.

SP Andrew Saalfrank was outstanding, going 6.0 IP, striking out six, and giving up no runs on just three hits in the first quality start of his career. His relievers, Matt Lloyd and B.J. Sabol, were also rock solid only giving up a single hit each and striking out three combined.

Indiana’s bats were scorching for a second straight game as well. Alex Krupa led off the Bottom of the 1st with a solo shot, his second in as many games, to give Indiana the 1-0 lead. The Hoosiers then struck again in the 4th with a single from Luke Miller that scored Matt Gorski making it 2-0. Indiana then played a little small ball in the 7th when they had runners on 2nd and 3rd and no outs. Jeremy Houston placed a bunt down that scored Ryan Fineman making it 3-0. Later in the inning with two outs and bases juiced, Blue Raider Cody Puckett walked the fourth run of the game in for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers weren’t done, however. In the 8th, Houston doubled in Logan Sowers and one batter later Laren Eustace flew out to right which scored Tony Butler from 3rd making it 6-0.

It was a rough day all around for the Middle Tennessee State pitching staff, for the second day in a row. SP Devin Conn gave up two runs on five hits in just 4.2 IP. Puckett and AJ Spencer each gave up two hits and two runs in relief.

Indiana’s win seized the series after two stellar outings from Brian Hobbie and Andrew Saalfrank on Satuday and Sunday, from the bullpen as a whole, and from the offense that exploded for 18 runs in the last two games.

Next up the Hoosiers (6-7-1) will travel to Honolulu to take on Hawaii (9-5) in a 4-game series starting on Wednesday at 11:35 pm ET.