Tony Neubeck earns his first win in an IU uniform
By Zach Horwitz @HorwitzZach March 6th, 2026, photos by Carl James
“We’ve let some games get away, but we really do have enough depth,”
— Head Coach Jeff Mercer
Indiana Hoosiers 4, Washington Huskies 2
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
Indiana opened Big Ten play with a 4–2 victory over Washington on Friday night, leaning once again on its three-pitcher “piggyback” strategy to secure the win.
For the fourth time this season—and the fourth weekend win of the year—the Hoosiers relied on multiple arms to navigate the game, a pitching approach head coach Jeff Mercer views as a strength of his roster.
“We’ve let some games get away, but we really do have enough depth,” Mercer said.
Indiana has demonstrated that depth early in the season with a rotation anchored by Tony Neubeck, Brayton Thomas, and Jackson Bergman.
“As your starters get worked up, you really want to be able to protect those guys,” Mercer said. “In an ideal world, you go six and three. If you have a closer, we have the capabilities of piggybacking guys and having length in our bullpen where you don’t have to stretch the starter out and lose the stuff. Everyone is battling.”
While still early in the 2026 campaign, Jackson Yarberry has emerged as Indiana’s ninth-inning stopper. Mercer noted that using a traditional closer for just one inning allows the staff to deploy its top arms more frequently throughout the week.
IU benefited from that approach Friday night. Yarberry shut the door in the ninth despite Washington placing the tying run in scoring position, inducing a groundout to end the game.
The effort began with left-hander Tony Neubeck, who delivered another strong outing. The Missouri transfer allowed two runs across six innings, tying a career-high with nine strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 1.46 on the season.
Neubeck credited his pitch mix for the success, particularly his slider.
“I was using it well in the correct situations,” Neubeck said.
Mercer acknowledged that Neubeck’s command was inconsistent early but praised his ability to escape trouble as the game progressed.
Following Neubeck was Gavin Seebold, who continued his scoreless start to the season. Through 12 innings in 2026, the right-hander has yet to allow a run.
“He’s really composed and executes pitches one after another,” Mercer said.
Indiana’s trio of pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts without issuing a walk.
Defense also played a pivotal role in preserving the lead. The defining moment came in the eighth inning when Mercer inserted Cole Decker as a defensive replacement in left field.
Decker raced back toward the wall to make a difficult catch before crashing into the padding. Moments later, he tracked down another fly ball in the shallow “Bermuda Triangle” of left field to end the inning and maintain Indiana’s two-run advantage.
Mercer, who spent a decade coaching outfielders, emphasized the importance of reading the wind and committing to the first step back on deep balls. He credited both Decker and Caleb Koskie for making game-changing plays in the outfield.
At the plate, Indiana produced just enough offense to support the pitching staff.
Hogan Denny and Brayden Ricketts each delivered two-out RBI doubles, while Laden Fry gave the Hoosiers the lead with a run-scoring double in the sixth inning. Koskie followed with an RBI single down the first-base line to extend the advantage.
Indiana returns to action Saturday afternoon for the second game of the series against Washington. The Hoosiers will look to clinch their first conference-opening series since 2023, with Brayton Thomas scheduled to take the mound. EDIT: First pitch was originally set for 1 p.m., but has now been moved back to 4pm to avoid rain in the area.