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Hoosiers Win in 15 Innings Over Ball State
BLOOMINGTON,
Ind. - Justin Cureton’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 15th
inning ended a five-plus hour affair at Sembower Field Wednesday
afternoon/evening. The Indiana pitching staff racked up 19 strikeouts
in a 6-5 victory over Ball State (5-20). It marked the Cardinals fourth
extra-inning contest in their last five games.
With the
bases loaded, two outs and darkness setting in; Cureton was the last
batter of the ball game, no matter the outcome. He made it count,
slapping a single into right to score Chad Clark and pick up the win in
what was essentially a buzzer-beater as the Sun dipped behind the
dormitories west of Sembower. Clark got aboard with a two-out infield
single deep in the hole at short before advancing to third on a pair of
subsequent walks.
The Hoosier bullpen was huge down the
stretch. After Jonny Hoffman surrendered just one run in his three
innings of relief, Matt Dearden and Walker Stadler combined for five
innings of no-hit baseball to close things outs.
As a
whole, Indiana’s pitchers racked up 12 strikeouts in the first nine
innings to assure Free Snack Pack Coupons from Mother Bear’s Pizza for
fans in attendance before fanning seven more Cardinals in extras for a
total of 19 punch-outs.
At the dish,
Michael Basil led the charge for Indiana (13-16, 4-2 Big Ten). The
Cincinnati, Ohio native went 4-for-7 to keep his batting average at
home over the .600 mark.
Ball State chipped away at the
scoreboard throughout the day, scoring a lone run in five different
innings. Indiana, meanwhile, posted a pair of two-run frames in the
fifth and seventh innings.
Conference play is next for the Hoosiers, traveling to Illinois for a three-game set with the Fighting Illini.
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