Any realistic hope at extending IU’s B1G leading conference tourney appearance streak came crashing down in Evanston Sunday
By Carl James @jovian34 May 3rd, 2026
Indiana Hoosiers 6, Northwestern Wildcats 9
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
Coming into the series against a team IU had a full game lead on in the Big Ten (B1G) standings, the math said Indiana probably needed a sereis sweep. Hopes of that were dashed with a loss on Saturday. Help around the league made perhaps a spark of life if Indiana could just win the series.
Hogan Denny made a statement opening the rubber game with a solo home run. Lefty Indiana starter Conner Linn was pitching on short rest after an outstanding outing Tuesday at Louisville. The short rest was a problem as Linn did not have command, walking two and allowing a run in the first.
The second inning would be the killer. Linn allowed one runner and head coach Jeff Mercer turned to his bullpen ace, Gavin Seebold. Seebold started out with two strikeouts before the wheels came off. Walk, homer, single, homer and suddenly the Hoosiers were down 6-1. Seebold would settle in and get through the fifth inning allowing just one more run, but 7 runs would be enough.
Jake Hanley ripped a two-run homer in the third, but Indiana’s offense went dead for most of the game. The Hoosiers rallied a bit in the 8th when the Northwestern bullpen walked the base loaded and hit Aydan Crouse to plate a run. Hogan Denny was up with the bases loaded as the tying run with no outs and 3-0 count. He would end up with a 3-2 pitch that he bounced for a rally killing double play that did score a run, but Northwestern benefited by the outs more than Indiana did by the run. Hanley ripped another extra base hit plating another run which cut the lead to two.
Anthony Gubitosi handled the bulk of the Hoosier pitching duties in the later frames, but he allowed a pair of solo homers. The IU offense went down 1-2-3 in the ninth.
Indiana falls to 7-17 in the conference, 15th out of 17 teams. Two weekends left start Friday in West Lafayette against a Purdue team sitting at 15-9 and 6th place in the conference. Indiana will follow that up with a home series against Illinois. Indiana maight need to sweep both series, and very likely needs to sweep one. At this point it would be big upset if Indiana even wins these series. Indiana has not swept any series at all this season.