Despite 11 hits and another big day from Hogan Denny, the Hoosiers failed to build on an early lead in a frustrating defeat on Saturday
By Zach Horwitz @HorwitzZach May 3rd, 2026
“Even though you get hits and you’re putting yourself in a position to be successful and win, you don’t take care of the game”
— Head Coach Jeff Mercer
Indiana Hoosiers 4, Northwestern Wildcats 7
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
EVANSTON, IL – Indiana gave itself every chance to take control early.
The Hoosiers jumped ahead 3-0, collected 11 hits in the game and more than doubled Northwestern’s offensive output. Brayton Thomas looked sharp through the first two innings, Hogan Denny stayed scorching hot at the plate and Indiana repeatedly put runners in position to extend its lead.
But the Hoosiers never created enough separation.
Baserunning mistakes, missed execution and a 2-for-14 day with runners in scoring position allowed Northwestern to hang around before the Wildcats charged back and handed Indiana a frustrating loss.
Head coach Jeff Mercer did not hide from what cost his team.
“Completely and certainly self-inflicted,” Mercer said.
Indiana’s early lead could have been much larger. Instead, the Hoosiers ran themselves out of multiple chances. Mercer pointed to a missed stop sign on the basepaths, a failed safety squeeze, and a runner taking off from second base on a ground ball with the infield in as key mistakes that stalled the offense.
“Even though you get hits and you’re putting yourself in a position to be successful and win, you don’t take care of the game,” Mercer said. “Consequently, you don’t add to the lead, and you give somebody a little bit of life.”
That life proved costly.
Indiana stranded nine runners, while Northwestern left just two. The Hoosiers outhit the Wildcats 11-5, but Northwestern made more of its limited opportunities. Indiana had traffic throughout the game, but the missed chances piled up.
Mercer said the Hoosiers had an opportunity to open the game up before turning to the bullpen, but failed to do so.
“We had every opportunity to open that game up and really put a sizable lead on it,” Mercer said. “We didn’t do that, and completely our own doing.”
Thomas gave Indiana a chance early. After a stretch of inconsistent outings, the left-hander cruised through the first two innings and looked in control. Mercer said Thomas was “tremendous” early and had some of his best stuff before the game turned in the third.
“The first two innings, he really cruised,” Mercer said. “Still felt like he was in control.”
But Thomas lost command in the third as Northwestern broke through. Even then, Mercer felt the game was still in reach, especially with Indiana’s early offensive pressure. Thomas worked through the inning, but after walking the leadoff batter in the fourth and falling behind another hitter, Indiana went to the bullpen.
“He was as good as he could be early,” Mercer said. “Then kind of faltered there as the game went on.”
Offensively, Hogan Denny continued to be one of Indiana’s most reliable bats. After recording three hits Friday night in the series opener at Wrigley Field, Denny went 4-for-4 Saturday. His production helped fuel an Indiana lineup that had no issue creating chances.
The Hoosiers had runners on throughout the afternoon, but the combination of poor baserunning and missed situational hitting kept Northwestern within striking distance. Indiana’s 11 hits suggested a team that did enough to win. Its nine runners left on base and 2-for-14 mark with runners in scoring position told the real story.
For a team still trying to stack wins late in the season, Saturday was the kind of loss that stings because of how avoidable it felt. Instead, the Hoosiers left the door open.
The rubber match and series finale will be slated for 2 p.m. ET.