Oliver drives in four run on three hits
By Carl James @jovian34 May 21st, 2024
3-seed Indiana defeated 6-seed Purdue thanks mostly to a couple of very big innings in the middle of the opening game of the Big Ten (B1G) Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.
Indiana Hoosiers 8, Purdue Boilermakers 6:
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
Ty Bothwell on four days rest and recovering from illness was able to hold Purdue to no runs through three innings, but he was laboring the whole way. He allowed five baserunners, but struckout one and did not give up any runs. Drew Buhr pitched 4.0 innings. The Hoosiers went down 1-0 in the fourth.
Purdue ace Jordan Morales seemed to be cruising until Jasen Oliver ripped a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Hoosiers a lead. Indiana broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth when the Hoosiers brought 10 men to the plate. All Hoosiers but one got a hit and four had multi-hit days including three from Oliver, and two each by Nick Mitchell, Brock Tibbitts, and Carter Mathison.
Buhr gave up another run in the 8th. Julian Tonghini came in and ended the inning, but allowed two baserunners of his own. The inning ended when Jake Stadler collected a would be wild pitch and tagged out the runner trying to score. It turned out to be the key play of the game, as the next inning the same batter launched a solo home run off of Jacob Vogel. Vogel had control issues and forced a quick move to Brayden Risedorph, who allowed a three-run homer after some control issues of his own. Possibly due to being rushed in Risedorph worked up his velocity and got a double play and strikeout to seal the victory.
Indiana will face 7-seeded Ohio State who upset 2-seeded Nebraska in the nightcap. The winners bracket contest is slated for Thursday at 3pm ET. Connor Foley will be on full rest for this contest. A win means Thursday will put that team in the “catbird seat” needing to split the Saturday games with the loser bracket winner to advance to Sunday’s championship game.