Ben Grable earns his second win of the week with a fantastic start and freshman Jake Hanley extends his hitting streak to 10 games with a 3-hit day.
By Carl James @jovian34 March 1st, 2025
With last weekend being Saturday through Monday, it made sense that Indiana would need a different starting pitcher for one of the two games Friday. Gavin Seebold started the pod opener this afternoon and pitching coach Dustin Glant turned to Ben Grable, who got the win pitching to one batter (and striking him out) before the Hoosiers walked-off Northwestern on Monday.
Indiana Hoosiers 8, Stetson Hatters 1
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
The first five innings were a true Friday night college pitcher’s duel. Stetson’s starter, Oregon transfer Turner Spoljaric, allowed only 5 baserunners, all by hits, and one run on an RBI single from Jake Hanley. Grable also went 5 innings, his were scoreless with only 4 runners reaching base. Six of Grable’s 15 outs were by the strikeout. Grable had hist fastball working 93-95 mph for most of his outing and was also locating a pair of off-speed pitches. I know it’s only one game, and Stetson has struggled at the plate this month, but there is potential here for Grable to be Indiana’s third weekend starter and let Drew Buhr remain as a high leverage reliever.
The difference maker was the bullpens. Indiana’s only allowed 1 run (earned), while Steston’s pen surrendered 7 runs (5 earned). Pete Haas got into a jam in his second inning of work giving up one run before Seth Benes came in and didn’t have to finish a single batter as catcher TJ Schuyler gunned down a would-be base stealer to end the threat. Buhr came in in the bottom of the 8th, protecting a 3-run lead and earned the save throwing only 25 pitches. For the season Indiana has an impressive 4.75 ERA and an even more impressive 1.37 team WHIP.
The Indiana offense came to life in the 6th, 8th, and 9th. Freshman Jake Hanley extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He’s gotten a hit in every college game he’s played in so for, including week 1 against Oregon State when he had IU’s only hit of the game. Hanley went 3-5 on the day with a run and an RBI. Korbyn Dickerson and Andrew Wiggins both stayed hot with two hits a piece.
Indiana and Stetson play one more today, Saturday, at 1pm ET.