Indiana baseball pulls out the 4-3 walk off win Sunday afternoon over Northern Illinois to get the series sweep and move to 15-4 on the season. @ZainPyarali and @JoshEastern break down today's win from Bart Kaufman Field. #iubase pic.twitter.com/jQAmkkSefN
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) March 18, 2018
When Scotty Bradley knocked a single down the right field line in the bottom of the ninth, the Hoosiers completed their eighth win when they have been tied or trailing in the seventh inning or later. The 4-3 win finished off a weekend-series sweep of the Northern Illinois Huskies.
The Hoosiers scored the first three runs of the game. Then in the eighth inning it was the Huskies that responded with three runs of their own. But in the ninth, the Hoosiers rallied with two outs.
It was Matt Lloyd to force a walk, Luke Miller who came up with a single and after the walk to Sowers, Bradley knew he would get the chance for the walk off winner.
“Coming off the bench, the first at bat of the day, I’m just looking to be aggressive,” Bradley said. “The first pitch I got was really good… I believe it was a changeup, the second pitch, that was left up and luckily I got some barrel on it and it worked out.”
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/975477667188363268[/embed]
It was a long 2017 for Bradley. He had back issues that sidelined him for the whole season. He sat on the bench and waited his turn. The Pennington, New Jersey native has had a solid bounce-back season thus far in limited time, but it’s hard to top a walkoff.
Now he’s playing again and the Hoosiers are benefitting.
“Being on the bench last year was pretty tough,” Bradley said. “It was good to be around those guys everyday, but everyday you’re sitting there watching the games and it gets a little lonely knowing you can’t go out there and help.”
[embed]https://twitter.com/ZainPyarali/status/975748013938397185[/embed]
But in order for the Hoosiers to have been in that situation in the first place, they needed a good starting pitching out. With Cam Beauchamp on the hill, they got that. The Sunday starter spot has been seemingly up for grabs the whole season. Coach Chris Lemonis said he’ll start next Sunday too.
Beauchamp spun six scoreless innings while giving up four hits, striking out three and walking none. After the game, Lemonis said Beauchamp has Friday night stuff, but it’s just getting him to be consistent.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/975481624614891520[/embed]
Lemonis said command was the biggest thing that helped Beauchamp Sunday.
“Sometimes he’ll throw it down the middle,” Lemonis said. “He threw maybe one down the middle all day and he got his breaking ball rolling and kept his velo.”
After winning Friday’s game 18-0, the last two 4-3 wins have been much different. No matter what the situation may be, the Hoosiers can and have won in different ways. 18 runs is impressive, but winning the close ones is just as important.
Lemonis said he would have liked to win it 3-0, but nonetheless, a sweep is a sweep and a win is a win.
“We keep it entertaining,” Lemonis said.
More
