Hoosiers take series from Minnesota

After Friday’s beatdown of the Hoosiers and Saturday’s 25-run slugfest , no one predicted a defensive duel on Sunday afternoon. Through the first four-and-a-half innings, neither team was conceding an inch.

Then, in the Bottom of the 5th, the Hoosiers’ bats came alive.

The Hoosiers got things going with a leadoff single from SS Jeremy Houston. Houston then advanced to second base off of a sacrifice bunt from CF Laren Eustace. 3B Luke Miller then stepped to the plate and smacked a single into center field scoring Houston from second.

The inning did not end there.

After Miller, DH Matt Lloyd singled putting two Hoosiers on base. Finally, RF Logan Sowers stepped into the box and on a 2-0 count went yard to left field for a three-run blast, giving the Hoosiers a 4-0 lead.

Minnesota threatened in the Top of the 6th by getting the bases loaded with two outs after two consecutive walks. But, P Pauly Milto (6.0 IP, 3 H, 5 BB, 7 K) stood firm and threw three strikes in a row to get out of the jam and finish off his stellar afternoon.

Indiana was firing on all cylinders today, going 9-for-29 at the plate, committing zero errors, and receiving a shutout pitching performance by Milto and Tim Herrin (3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 HBP, 1 K).

Indiana’s stellar performance, combined with the fact that Minnesota came into the series undefeated in Big Ten play, led to an important conference victory.

The Hoosiers (19-14-2, 6-5-1) will face Butler in an in-state, midweek showdown on Wednesday before trying to keep their momentum going over the weekend in Ann Arbor against the Michigan Wolverines.