WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After struggling at the plate through the first six innings, the bats broke out for the Indiana Baseball team (26-19-1, 11-6 B1G) to the tune of six runs and seven hits in the seventh inning to blow open a tight contest.
A pair of singles from juniors Josh Pyne and Nick Mitchell chased the starter before IU delivered three-straight, two-strike hits, capped off by a massive three-run home run from junior Carter Mathison. In total, IU had 13 hits and 10 runs, cruising to a 10-2 victory on Saturday (May 4th) at Alexander Field.
Redshirt freshman Joey Brenczewski had the game-tying single through the left side before junior first baseman Brock Tibbitts put the next ball in the same spot. But it was the home run from Mathison, who had been struggling in Big Ten play, that really did the most damage.
The Saturday duo of sophomore Connor Foley and sixth-year senior Ty Bothwell (W, 6-2) joined forces again, combining to throw all nine innings. The pair gave up just two runs (one earned) while scattering seven hits. Foley hadn’t pitched in three weeks but gave IU four strong innings. Bothwell finished off the final five, working the last three with a comfortable lead.
IU added four more runs in the ninth inning, including a big two-run single from Mitchell, to really blow the game open for good. The Hoosiers have scored 10+ runs on 19 occasions and are 18-1 in such games. Eight of those contests have come in Big Ten play.
Today’s win sets up a massive series finale and rubber match between IU (11-6, B1G) and Purdue (12-5, B1G) on Sunday (2:00 PM) afternoon. The Hoosiers are looking for a fifth-consecutive conference series win, something that hasn’t happened since 2019. IU hasn’t won a weekend series in West Lafayette since 2002.
Scoring Recap
Bottom Fourth
Purdue struck first on Saturday with Keenan Spence lacing a two-strike, two-out single up the middle to score Cooper Caskenette.
Purdue 1, Indiana 0
Top Seventh
The Hoosiers finally got the offense going in the seventh, doing most of the damage with two outs. Josh Pyne and Nick Mitchell each had singles to get runners on. After a pitching change, Tyler Cerny laced a line drive right at the first baseman, Luke Gaffney. Joey Brenczewski began a trend of two-out hitting with a single through the left side to score Pyne. Brock Tibbitts followed that with another single in the same spot to take the lead. Carter Mathison got down two strikes but struck a massive three-run home run to extend the advantage. After another pitching change, Jake Stadler and Jasen Oliver exchanged doubles to add the sixth run of the day. Purdue finally got the final out on the 11th batter of the inning.
Indiana 6, Purdue 1
Top Ninth
Insurance came for pitcher Ty Bothwell in the ninth. Stadler reached on an error with Pyne bringing him home on a double. Mitchell had a single to left field off the new pitcher to score a pair before Cerny doubled into left field to score the 10th run of the game for IU.
Indiana 10, Purdue 1
Bottom Ninth
Purdue was able to get an unearned run in the ninth. Thomas Green reached on an error, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle from Couper Cornblum.
Indiana 10, Purdue 2
Top Hoosier Performers
#3 Mathison, Carter
1-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
#5 Taylor, Devin
2-4, 1 R, 1 BB
#41 Bothwell, Ty
5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K
Notes to Know
• The Hoosiers scored double-digit runs (10) for the 19th time this season. IU is 18-1 in those contests and is a perfect 8-0 in Big Ten play when putting 10+ on the board. IU has scored 10+ runs in 8 of its past 10 conference victories.
• Josh Pyne tallied the 55th double of his career in the ninth inning on Saturday. He now sits in a tie for sixth with former big leaguer Sam Travis (2012-14) on the program’s all-time doubles list. He is now No. 22 in IU history with 206 hits. He needs 10 more for top-20 all-time.
• Carter Mathison hit home run No. 41 of his career on Saturday. He moves past Kyle Schwarber (2012-14) and into sole possession of No. 6 on the all-time IU list. Next up in the career ranks is the No. 4 spot which is occupied by Vasili Spanos (2000-03) and Alex Smith (1982-86) with 43 each.
• Brock Tibbitts is up to 184 hits for his career. After missing the entire month of April, the junior inches towards becoming the 25th member of the 200-hit club. His teammate, Pyne, recently joined and Tibbitts could reach the mark over the final nine games of the regular season.
• Connor Foley and Ty Bothwell combined to throw all nine innings on Saturday. In game’s started by Foley this year, IU is 9-1. The Hoosiers are 11-3 on Saturdays and move to 11-1 in the second game of a three-game series this year. IU is also 6-0 in Saturday contests played in the Big Ten this year.
Up Next
A massive rubber match awaits the Hoosiers and Boilermakers on Sunday afternoon at Alexander Field. The game, with a first pitch of 1:00 PM, will be streamed on BTN+ and can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
A pair of singles from juniors Josh Pyne and Nick Mitchell chased the starter before IU delivered three-straight, two-strike hits, capped off by a massive three-run home run from junior Carter Mathison. In total, IU had 13 hits and 10 runs, cruising to a 10-2 victory on Saturday (May 4th) at Alexander Field.
Redshirt freshman Joey Brenczewski had the game-tying single through the left side before junior first baseman Brock Tibbitts put the next ball in the same spot. But it was the home run from Mathison, who had been struggling in Big Ten play, that really did the most damage.
The Saturday duo of sophomore Connor Foley and sixth-year senior Ty Bothwell (W, 6-2) joined forces again, combining to throw all nine innings. The pair gave up just two runs (one earned) while scattering seven hits. Foley hadn’t pitched in three weeks but gave IU four strong innings. Bothwell finished off the final five, working the last three with a comfortable lead.
IU added four more runs in the ninth inning, including a big two-run single from Mitchell, to really blow the game open for good. The Hoosiers have scored 10+ runs on 19 occasions and are 18-1 in such games. Eight of those contests have come in Big Ten play.
Today’s win sets up a massive series finale and rubber match between IU (11-6, B1G) and Purdue (12-5, B1G) on Sunday (2:00 PM) afternoon. The Hoosiers are looking for a fifth-consecutive conference series win, something that hasn’t happened since 2019. IU hasn’t won a weekend series in West Lafayette since 2002.
Scoring Recap
Bottom Fourth
Purdue struck first on Saturday with Keenan Spence lacing a two-strike, two-out single up the middle to score Cooper Caskenette.
Purdue 1, Indiana 0
Top Seventh
The Hoosiers finally got the offense going in the seventh, doing most of the damage with two outs. Josh Pyne and Nick Mitchell each had singles to get runners on. After a pitching change, Tyler Cerny laced a line drive right at the first baseman, Luke Gaffney. Joey Brenczewski began a trend of two-out hitting with a single through the left side to score Pyne. Brock Tibbitts followed that with another single in the same spot to take the lead. Carter Mathison got down two strikes but struck a massive three-run home run to extend the advantage. After another pitching change, Jake Stadler and Jasen Oliver exchanged doubles to add the sixth run of the day. Purdue finally got the final out on the 11th batter of the inning.
Indiana 6, Purdue 1
Top Ninth
Insurance came for pitcher Ty Bothwell in the ninth. Stadler reached on an error with Pyne bringing him home on a double. Mitchell had a single to left field off the new pitcher to score a pair before Cerny doubled into left field to score the 10th run of the game for IU.
Indiana 10, Purdue 1
Bottom Ninth
Purdue was able to get an unearned run in the ninth. Thomas Green reached on an error, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle from Couper Cornblum.
Indiana 10, Purdue 2
Top Hoosier Performers
#3 Mathison, Carter
1-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
#5 Taylor, Devin
2-4, 1 R, 1 BB
#41 Bothwell, Ty
5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K
Notes to Know
• The Hoosiers scored double-digit runs (10) for the 19th time this season. IU is 18-1 in those contests and is a perfect 8-0 in Big Ten play when putting 10+ on the board. IU has scored 10+ runs in 8 of its past 10 conference victories.
• Josh Pyne tallied the 55th double of his career in the ninth inning on Saturday. He now sits in a tie for sixth with former big leaguer Sam Travis (2012-14) on the program’s all-time doubles list. He is now No. 22 in IU history with 206 hits. He needs 10 more for top-20 all-time.
• Carter Mathison hit home run No. 41 of his career on Saturday. He moves past Kyle Schwarber (2012-14) and into sole possession of No. 6 on the all-time IU list. Next up in the career ranks is the No. 4 spot which is occupied by Vasili Spanos (2000-03) and Alex Smith (1982-86) with 43 each.
• Brock Tibbitts is up to 184 hits for his career. After missing the entire month of April, the junior inches towards becoming the 25th member of the 200-hit club. His teammate, Pyne, recently joined and Tibbitts could reach the mark over the final nine games of the regular season.
• Connor Foley and Ty Bothwell combined to throw all nine innings on Saturday. In game’s started by Foley this year, IU is 9-1. The Hoosiers are 11-3 on Saturdays and move to 11-1 in the second game of a three-game series this year. IU is also 6-0 in Saturday contests played in the Big Ten this year.
Up Next
A massive rubber match awaits the Hoosiers and Boilermakers on Sunday afternoon at Alexander Field. The game, with a first pitch of 1:00 PM, will be streamed on BTN+ and can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
