Linn dominates across five shutout innings as Hoosiers continue power surge in 8-6 win over Evansville
By Zach Horwitz @HorwitzZach April 15th, 2026, photos by Carl James
“When you work with young people, the journey that you’re going through on a day-to-day basis to try to help better people’s lives… that’s the goal.”
— Head Coach Jeff Mercer
Indiana Hoosiers 8, Evansville Purple Aces 6
Inning by inning details in the Live Game Blog | Box Score
After utilizing nine different arms just a night ago in Terre Haute, the Indiana pitching staff needed someone to step up and eat a chunk of innings on Wednesday evening. Conner Linn answered the call, leading the Hoosiers to an 8-6 win over Evansville.
Linn turned in his best outing of the year after recent struggles, striking out seven across five shutout innings. He allowed just two baserunners, one coming via a walk, and commanded the game from the outset.
“Think it was fantastic,” Linn said. “We’ve been working on some mechanical stuff, just keeping my front side closed as long as I can. I was flying open a bit before, but I think I made the adjustments out there and it clicked.”
Behind him, Indiana’s offense continued its recent power surge. After launching six home runs against Indiana State, the Hoosiers wasted no time carrying that momentum over, opening the scoring with three long balls that accounted for half of their runs on the night.
Caleb Koskie remained scorching hot, extending his hitting streak to 18 games with a first-inning two-run shot to left field. Jake Hanley and Brayden Ricketts followed suit, helping Indiana build an early four-run cushion.
“I’ve just been seeing the ball well and staying aggressive early,” Koskie said. “That’s been the biggest thing. Getting my pitch early in the count and not getting myself into bad situations.”
Indiana appeared in control with an 8-3 lead entering the ninth, turning to Xavier Carrera to gain experience on the mound. After two walks, Carrera was lifted for Ivan Mastalski, who surrendered a three-run homer and another walk before Gavin Seebold shut the door. Seebold’s fastball touched 95 mph as he recorded the final outs to secure the win.
The victory marked a milestone moment for head coach Jeff Mercer, as he earned the 300th win of his head coaching career.
Mercer, now 300-208 all-time, credited the achievement not to himself, but to the people who shaped his journey.
“I wanted to coach because he coached and because I saw the way that he impacted people’s lives,” Mercer said of his father. “When you work with young people, the journey that you’re going through on a day-to-day basis to try to help better people’s lives… that’s the goal.”
Caught off guard by the recognition postgame, Mercer reflected on the relationships built throughout his career.
“You see the flashes of the recruiting journeys,” he said. “I’ve known guys like Zach Weatherford since he was 17. I coached under Matt Myers, and Denton Sagerman… I’ve known him for 10 years. Morgan Colopy was a player here and now on staff. It’s all those relationships.”
For Mercer, the milestone goes beyond wins and losses.
“You grow up and think about all the great players, all the relationships, the moments,” he said. “I mostly think about the day-to-day experiences with people that you align with on a journey to try to improve together.”
Behind a dominant start, continued offensive firepower, and a milestone moment in the dugout, Indiana secured its second consecutive midweek victory in a game that carried significance well beyond the final score. Indiana Baseball will stay in Bloomington for their Big Ten “bye week” as Abilene Christian comes in for a three-game set. First pitch is set for Friday at 6 p.m.