After a dominant road win over Xavier on Wednesday, Indiana returned to action on Friday to take on Western Kentucky. The Hoosiers dropped the first of a four-game series 4-1, falling to 3-6 on the season.
Graduate student Tony Neubeck, making the start on the mound, cruised through his outing. He struck out five Hilltoppers and allowed just four hits in five innings of work, but left the game having allowed one run on a Camden Ross double down the line in left field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
It was a nice bounce-back performance from Neubeck after an underwhelming showing against No. 2 LSU, who knocked him off the hill after just three innings during Indiana’s 14-4 loss to the Tigers in Jacksonville.
Neubeck kept things tight at a one-run game, but the bullpen let the game get out of hand.
Despite reliever Michael Sarhartt effectively retiring five of his eight batters faced, he would make way for right-hander Jacob Vogel after walking the leadoff batter. An intentional walk and sacrifice bunt later, Ross would double off Vogel for his second RBI of the game. Vogel would allow two more runs to cross via a bases-loaded walk and hit by pitch.
The offense let down an otherwise strong outing from the Indiana staff. As has been the case this season, head coach Jeff Mercer’s team can’t seem to have both units firing simultaneously.
The bats struggled to get anything going all afternoon. Western Kentucky starter Gavin Perry made it through the first 11 Hoosiers in the lineup before allowing a hit to Brayden Ricketts to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. Ricketts, the sole offensive bright spot, finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two singles, extending his hitting streak to five consecutive games.
Outside of the redshirt freshman, the offense was underwhelming. As a unit, the lineup struck out seven times and walked just twice. The Hoosiers went down in order in three innings.
The top of the sixth inning produced the most promise for Indiana, as the frame began with back-to-back singles by Will Moore and Ricketts. However, after sophomore Hogan Denny grounded into a double play, first baseman Jake Hanley would end the inning quietly with a flyout to left field, stranding Ricketts in scoring position. The big hit never came.
In fact, the hits didn’t really come at all. As a team, the Hoosiers managed just six of them. It’s the third time this season the bats have failed to record more than six base knocks. Indiana narrowly avoided being shut out for the first time this year in the top of the ninth inning when Cooper Malamazian doubled to bring Hanley in to score.
But, it was too little, too late.
The Hoosiers, still yet to record back-to-back wins in 2026, will look to climb back to .500 with a Saturday doubleheader and the series finale on Sunday. First pitch of Game 1 is slated for 2 p.m. ET.
