Indiana Baseball: Hoosiers Pound Minnesota 23-1, Sweep Series
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Late-morning games apparently aren't a problem for Indiana's baseball team. The Hoosiers routed last-place Minnesota 23-1 on Sunday in a rare 11 a.m. ET start, jumping on them for 13 runs in the first two innings.
It was over before it started, for sure.
With the win and a weekend three-game sweep, the Hoosiers are now 18-8 on the season and have won seven of its past eight games, keeping the heat on Nebraska and Michigan, the two teams ahead of them in the Big Ten standings entering the day. Minnesota is now 4-23 on the season and has lost 10 straight games. They were outscored 39-5 this weekend.
The 23 runs scored by Indiana on Sunday were the most in a Big Ten game this season. Thirteen of the 23 runs came before noon.
"I woke up about 6 o'clock and had some scrambled eggs and toast, and I was at the field at 7,'' said right fielder Morgan Colopy, a freshman from Centerville, Ohio. "I met Drew (Ashley) up here and we got some swings in early, then did (batting practice) at 9. We were ready to go.''
Where they ever. The ripped apart all five Minnesota pitchers, which each giving up at least three runs. They threw a combined 236 pitches, walked 11 Hoosiers and hit four others. Colopy was one of three Hoosiers with three hits, and he drove in five runs.
Colopy has started the last nine games in right field, and he's had four multi-hit games. He's 14-for-37 – a .378 batting average – with three doubles, three homers, a triple and a team-high 15 RBIs
"He's a really physical kid and he hits the ball as hard as just about anyone I've seen in person,'' Mercer said. "He's a really gifted hitter and you've continued to see him improvement during the course of the season.''
Almost lost in the slugfest was another brilliant outing by Indiana starter Gabe Bierman. He was his streak to 20 2/3 inning without allowing an earned run before giving up a score in the sixth inning. He pitched six innings and threw just 84 pitches, allowing the run and five hits while striking out 11 and walking only one Gophers hitter.
Bierman is on 3-2 on the season with a 2.21 earned run average. The 11 strikeouts tied a career high.
"Gabe was outstanding. He's really stacked several up several good starts in a row,'' Mercer said. "He was able to get that sinker in to lefties, and his change-up was really good. He's been outstanding for the better part of a month, and it's really good to see because he's been working hard. It's great for the team, obviously, but he's a terrific kid and we're excited for him personally.''
Bierman was happiest with his fastball, and his ability to throw it where he wanted, especially inside. He was stacking up strikeouts all day on fastballs.
Indiana's hitters took advantage of Minnesota pitching once again. The Gophers, who came into the game with a league-worst 7.85 ERA, helped a lot, too, walking nine Hoosiers and hitting four others. Indiana had a season-high 17 hits with three Hoosiers – Colopy, third baseman Cole Barr and catcher Collin Hopkins – each getting three hits.
Colopy was 3-for-4 with five RBIs. He hit a three-run homer in the five-run sixth. Bar was 3-for-5 with three singles, and Hopkins had three doubles.
'I'm feeling really good,'' Colopy said. "The first part of the season, being a freshman, it took me a while to get used to playing at the Division I level, but that's changed over the past couple of weeks. It feels great (to be in the lineup) every day.
Center fielder Grant Richardson and second baseman Paul Toetz had big days, too. Richardson was 2-for-4 with a walk and a hit by pitch, and had a three run homer in the eight-run second inning. Toetz was 2-for-4 with a walk, driving in three runs and scoring three himself.
Indiana has led the Big Ten in pitching and fielding all season, and this recent hot streak has been aiding by their bats heating up as well. During this recent 7-1 run, they've scored 69 runs on those eight games.
Indiana dives into the heart of its schedule next weekend, hosting a three-game series with an Iowa team that's right behind them in the standings. Indiana's final 17 games are all against teams with a .500 record or better, and four games with Nebraska and three against Michigan follow the Iowa trip.
Related stories on Indiana baseball
- HOOSIERS WIN DOUBLEHEADER: Indiana opened its weekend series with Minnesota with a doubleheader sweep, winning 9-3 and 7-1. CLICK HERE
- LITWICKI'S PERFECT PROGRESS: Indiana closer Matt Litwicki was an unfinished product when he arrived in Bloomington, but hard work on the field and in the weight room has him throwing close to 100 mph now. CLICK HERE
- BIERMAN ON A ROLL: Indiana starter Gabe Bierman has thrown two straight gems, and he's now gone 15-plus innings without allowing an earned run. He's done it by returning to his roots and pounding the zone with strikes. Here's his story. CLICK HERE
- BIG TEN STANDINGS, SCHEDULE: Here are the current Big Ten standings and the weekend's schedule around the league. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA SEASON SCHEDULE: Here is Indiana's complete 44-game conference-only schedule this season, including links to all the game stories throughout the year. CLICK HERE