8-run 4th inning leads to run rule win
By Zach Horwitz @HorwitzZach February 17th, 2026
“…we have the guys lined up… to be on-base guys, to walk, hit-by-pitch, and we have to be able to bunt.”
— Head Coach Jeff Mercer
Indiana Hoosiers 15, Bradley Braves 3 (7 innings)
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
For the better part of the last few seasons, Indiana’s offense has been defined by the long ball.
Under Jeff Mercer, the Hoosiers routinely sat atop the Big Ten home run leaderboard, powered by sluggers like Devin Taylor, Korbyn Dickerson and Carter Mathison — hitters capable of changing a game with one swing.
But in Tuesday’s 15-3 victory over Bradley, Indiana offered a glimpse of something different.
Yes, there were home runs, but the larger picture reflected a lineup Mercer has intentionally reshaped: more contact, more traffic on the bases, more versatility, and more ways to manufacture runs.
“That’s how it was built,” Mercer said. “It was built for what we did there. I know we hit the home runs early but we have the guys lined up… to be on-base guys, to walk, hit-by-pitch, and we have to be able to bunt.”
That approach contrasted sharply with the opening weekend at North Carolina, where Indiana drew 17 walks but managed just 14 hits and nine combined runs across three games. The process was there. The production wasn’t.
Against Bradley, it all clicked.
Hogan Denny made sure of that early.
Denny Leads the Offense
The sophomore mashed two nearly identical home runs to left field in his first two at-bats, staking Indiana to a 4–1 lead by the third inning. He finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, jumpstarting an offense that never looked back.
“I got a couple hits this weekend and obviously you don’t want to try to hit home runs,” Denny said. “It felt good to get the first one out of the way.”
The night was significant for Denny beyond the box score. After playing right field over the weekend, he made his first career start behind the plate, taking over for TJ Schuyler following a taxing three-game series.
Mercer had been deliberate about easing Denny into the role.
“I wanted to try to work him into it slowly, and in the right settings, but we felt like he was ready for a start,” Mercer said. “He’s just a really smart, competitive kid whose available to learn and really has improved a ton.”
Denny’s emergence at catcher adds a new layer of flexibility for Indiana.
“You have two legitimate plus defenders that can catch and throw,” Mercer said. “Playing matchups is a really big deal… that depth and versatility, that’s what you want.”
A fourth-inning onslaught
While Denny set the tone, the fourth inning broke the game open.
Indiana batted around and plated eight runs on six hits and four walks. Four hits and five runs came with two outs.
It wasn’t just power. The Hoosiers strung together base hits, worked walks, stole a base, moved runners with productive outs and lifted sacrifice flies. The inning embodied the “creative versatility” Mercer has emphasized since the fall.
Cooper Malamazian added to the fireworks, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer to left in the fifth. Jake Hanley drove in three runs, punctuating the night with an inside-the-park home run to cap the run-rule victory.
By the final out of the seventh inning, Indiana had displayed just about every offensive tool in its arsenal.
Bullpen Group Shines
On the mound, it was the typical Mercer midweek blueprint, showcasing depth and development.
Six pitchers combined to secure the seven-inning run-rule win, with left-hander Conner Linn earning the victory after two effective innings of relief. The outing was a steady response following a tough first appearance in Chapel Hill.
Reagan Rivera opened the game flashing a mid-90s fastball, while freshman Kellen English — the No. 28 recruit in the state of Indiana — impressed with a sharp pitch mix, pairing a 95 mph fastball with a 90 mph slider during a scoreless sixth inning.
The collective effort kept Bradley from mounting any sustained momentum and allowed Indiana to continue evaluating arms in live settings.
Looking ahead
If opening weekend was about patience without payoff, Tuesday was about execution.
The power remains, but the identity appears broader with a lineup built to reach base, create pressure and score in bunches.
Indiana now heads to Jacksonville, Florida, for the Live Like Lou Jacksonville Classic, where it will face LSU, UCF and Notre Dame in another early-season test.
If Tuesday was any indication, the Hoosiers won’t rely solely on the long ball to compete. They’re aiming to be built for more.