Indiana clinches huge road series win at Maryland Saturday

Foley pitches a 6 inning, 1-hit, 10-strikeout gem, Pyne drives in 5 runs

By Carl James @jovian34 April 6th, 2024

This is the Indiana team that was envisioned in February. Competitive pitching in the strike zone, solid defense, and an offense that is dangerous 1 through 9.

Indiana Hoosiers 14, Maryland Terrapins 2:

Box Score

After a dominating performance on Friday, the two Hoosiers at the top of the order that didn’t produce in that game immediately got hits and Nick Mitchell drove them in with a 3-run homer. Hoosier ace righty Connor Foley took the bump with a 3-run lead, and he never let it up. Foley pitched six innings of shutout baseball, setting down 10 via the strikeout and only allowing 6 baserunners via three walks, two hit-by-pitches and a single on a perfectly placed swinging bunt. It took 116 pitches for Foley to do this as his command wasn’t perfect, but the stuff was working and the Terps were off balance all game.

Foley really showed what he could do in a 1-2-3 second inning. He started batters with off-speed mostly in the zone. Threw a fastball over the outside corner 0-2 for a foul and then got the swing and miss with a breaking ball low and outside.

Josh Pyne paced the Hoosiers offensively, going 3 for 5 on the day with a three-run homer and 5 total runs batted in. Joey Brenczewski had the big two-RBI double in the third inning. Catcher Jake Stadler had a single, RBI, and drew three walks on the day. Freshman Jasen Oliver had his 12-game hitting streak snapped, but he still managed to get on twice with walks.

Julian Tonghini was warming up before the Hoosier 7-run top of the sixth inning. The coaches let Foley get through the sixth and used Tonghini for one inning. For the eighth and ninth the Hoosiers turned to strike-thrower Seti Manase to preserve key arms for a Sunday sweep attempt. Manase did allow some hits in the eighth that plated two runs, but he managed to keep the Terps off the board in the ninth.

Indiana improves to 3-2 in B1G play and will try to complete a series sweep of Maryland at 12pm* on Sunday.

*Edited as the initially said the game would be played at 1pm Sunday