CHICAGO – With the calendar flipping to May, Indiana baseball was presented with a rather special opportunity: playing a game at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. On a night that featured snow flurries, a first-time ejection, and more, the Hoosiers defeated Northwestern 9-2 for their first win in Big Ten play since April 11.
The star of the show Friday night, at least defensively, was graduate student LHP Tony Neubeck. After a rough outing against Iowa last weekend, the Mizzou transfer spanned six innings against the Wildcats, allowing zero earned runs on just four hits while walking four and striking out seven. Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer discussed why Neubeck’s performance was so important for the Hoosiers postgame.
“The fact that he could go six for us really, really saved our backside,” Mercer said. “I thought he put up just a tremendous job of battling. He’s a great leader, and he’s a warrior of a competitor.”
The scoring started early for Indiana, as freshman DH Owen ten Oever drove in sophomore outfielder Hogan Denny on a sacrifice fly in the opening frame. Then, in the top of the third, the Hoosiers plated four runs, with sophomore Jake Hanley, ten Oever and freshman Landen Fry all contributing to the first of two four-run innings on the day for Indiana.
Fast forward to the top of the sixth, Mercer experienced something he never had until now, at Wrigley Field nonetheless. Sophomore Will Moore was hit by a pitch in the knee, but after a review, was called out for batter’s interference, as it was determined that he did not make an effort to avoid being hit. Mercer disagreed, pleaded his case, and was subsequently ejected from the game for the first time in his coaching career.
He defended his actions postgame.
“I wanted to have a guy’s back in a pivotal moment in the game,” Mercer said. “It’s my first career ejection. I just felt like it was the time to have their back.”
Indiana seemed to respond well to that moment, plating four more runs in the top of the eighth to blow things open. With the bases loaded, ten Oever was hit by a pitch for his third and final RBI of the game. Sophomore Cooper Malamazian made it 7-2 with a sacrifice fly, and Cole Decker gave the Hoosiers their largest lead of the game with a two-RBI triple to right center.
The only two Northwestern runs came in the bottom of the seventh against redshirt junior RHP Jacob Vogel. Graduate student infielder Noah Ruiz notched an RBI single to left, and a second run scored on a fielding error by freshman outfielder Cal Gates. However, graduate student RHP Reagan Rivera entered in relief of Vogel and shut the door, earning the save while striking out six of the seven batters he faced.
With Indiana making a push to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Friday’s game at Wrigley Field was similar to one it might play later this month. Mercer spoke to how the Hoosiers’ performance against the Wildcats can translate into postseason play postgame.
“I thought we played really well to the elements, and that’s what you have to do to get to Omaha,” Mercer said. “This team has the potential to be able to play in an environment like that.”
The series now shifts to Evanston for the final two games of the weekend, as first pitch at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday.
