After 4 balls to the leadoff man, a hit-by-pitch in opposition to the three-hitter and a single by the clean-up hitter, Jack Perkins instantly discovered himself in a bases-loaded jam in his begin in opposition to Illinois on April 29.
Although Perkins leads Indiana with a 4.28 ERA and 66 strikeouts this season, it was a state of affairs he is confronted earlier than. Perkins loaded the bases after getting the primary two batters out in opposition to Purdue on April 9, which led to a four-run inning. However after battling by these tough eventualities a number of occasions all through the season, Perkins is healthier due to it.
Previously, it was straightforward for Perkins to get right into a unfavourable mindset on the mound. However his evolution over a yr’s time has allowed him to appreciate that he’s been within the enviornment earlier than, and he’s powerful sufficient to get by it.
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Perkins employed this “warrior-type mindset” in his most up-to-date begin in opposition to Illinois. With the bases loaded and one out within the high of the primary, Perkins took a deep breath, struck out the following hitter and induced a floor ball for the third out to wiggle out of hassle.
The very subsequent inning, he confronted one other bases loaded jam, however Perkins doesn’t see failure as a unfavourable anymore. The most important development for him since final season is discovering the optimistic in his failures and rising consequently. 4 pitches after loading the bases, Perkins compelled Justin Janas, a .328 hitter, to floor out to finish the inning, escaping one other jam.
“In case you see failure as a unfavourable factor, it may be actually defeating to your thoughts,” Perkins mentioned. “However if you happen to enable failure to gasoline you ahead and discover methods to make you higher, it permits you to grow to be rather a lot higher as an individual and rather a lot higher as a participant.”
Jack Perkins strides down the mound at Clemson on Feb. 19 (Photograph by IU Athletics).
Posting scoreless innings within the third and fourth, Perkins held Illinois’ first three batters to at least one hit in Indiana’s 7-6 win. Perkins guided the Hoosiers with 5.2 innings, seven hits, two runs, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. After the sport, Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer mentioned Perkins confirmed a bulldog mentality when navigating by a powerful Illinois lineup.
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“[Perkins] has constructed himself to have the ability to handle the workload on a Friday,” Mercer mentioned.
Perkins transferred to Indiana this season after three years at Louisville, the place his collegiate profession obtained off to a promising begin. As a freshman, Perkins posted a 4.18 ERA and a 3-0 file throughout 32.1 innings.
However when he confronted Clemson within the 2019 ACC Match, Perkins left the sport after only one inning. The following day an MRI confirmed a torn UCL, which meant Perkins wanted Tommy John surgical procedure and can be sidelined for his complete second season.
Perkins returned to the mound in 2021 and was primarily used as a aid pitcher for Louisville. In 16 innings of labor, he completed the season with a 7.31 ERA with 22 walks and 15 strikeouts.
Following the season, Perkins determined it was time for a change of surroundings. He by no means anticipated to be in a state of affairs to switch, however he let his religion in God information him to the appropriate spot. In a tweet from Perkins asserting his dedication, he mentioned “Typically God has a method of bringing issues full circle.”
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And as a local of Kokomo, Ind., that meant his house state and the varsity the place a lot of his relations graduated.
“God deserves all of the credit score for getting me right here,” Perkins mentioned. “It’s by religion that I’m right here, and particularly going by that switch course of, your world sort of comes down on you.”
From Perkins’ first name with Mercer to his official go to on campus, there was a direct bond. Perkins mentioned he was in search of a coach that believed in him it doesn’t matter what, and since changing into a Hoosier, he additionally considers Mercer an ideal buddy and mentor.
Perkins and Mercer are very like-minded with their religion in God, and he was additionally drawn to the fatherly-type love Mercer has for his gamers. Perkins mentioned Mercer desires each participant on the roster to succeed, and he reveals help each day, which makes him totally different from different coaches.
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“I really like [Mercer] to dying,” Perkins mentioned. “He’s the primary purpose I’m right here.”
Perkins additionally credit Indiana pitching coach Dustin Glant for his transformation during the last yr. The most important dig on Perkins throughout his time at Louisville was his fastball command. His quick ball used to succeed in the higher 90’s, however in his position as a starter for Indiana, Perkins has discovered to maintain his fastball at 92 to 95 miles per hour for over 100 pitches, which has led to raised management.
Perkins mentioned this season he has confirmed he can find his fastball on each side of the plate, and he’s beginning to land his breaking pitches with extra consistency. This capability to keep up constant pitch velocity deep into video games, coupled with the power to selectively blow a fastball previous a hitter at 95 mph, is uncommon within the Large Ten.
“[Glant] has been the perfect factor that ever may have occurred to me from a pitching coach perspective,” Perkins mentioned. “He’s actually groomed me into who I’m, and he actually deserves numerous the credit score for getting me right here.”
One other step in Perkins’ private progress during the last yr has been his growth as a pacesetter. Perkins is pals with former Indiana pitchers Tommy Sommer and Gabe Bierman, and he knew Indiana was dropping two veteran leaders once they had been chosen within the MLB Draft.
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Perkins mentioned the will to be a pacesetter for Indiana with Mercer, and it’s one thing he tries to perform each day. Whether or not it’s flipping baseballs to a hitter within the batting cage or enjoying catch with the pitching workers, Perkins mentioned he tries to make use of his previous experiences to assist youthful gamers develop and construct confidence.
Perkins and the Hoosiers now method a weekend sequence in Ann Arbor, Mich. in opposition to a Wolverine squad that holds a 23-18 file total and a 9-6 mark in convention, good for fifth place within the Large Ten.
First pitch is at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, and Perkins is slated to take the mound for the Hoosiers. Perkins clearly by no means tries to get in a jam on the mound, but when he does, his historical past of overcoming adversity has given him the boldness to get previous any problem. And with Perkins on the mound, Mercer trusts the chief his Hoosiers will observe.
“Individuals don’t observe titles,” Mercer mentioned. “They observe toughness. They observe guys that undergo the wall and get knocked down and get again up. That’s what Jack [Perkins] has accomplished.”
Associated tales to Indiana baseball:
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INDIANA WINS SERIES: Indiana scored eight runs within the fifth inning of Sunday’s rubber match in opposition to Illinois. Freshman Carter Mathison belted two house runs, and Reese Sharp tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in aid to say a vital sequence victory. CLICK HERE
ILLINOIS FORCES RUBBER MATCH: The Combating Illini bats had been on hearth all afternoon, leading to 16 hits and 18 runs. Indiana strung collectively a rally within the late innings, however the job was too tall by then. Sunday’s 1 p.m. first pitch will determine the sequence winner. CLICK HERE
PYNE DELIVERS WALK-OFF: Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer was impressed with Josh Pyne’s maturity on the plate because the freshman third baseman continued his scorching streak with a walk-off single down the third bottom line. CLICK HERE
The Boston Celtics hosted the Indiana Pacers Friday, 27th of December, the first of two matchups in TD Garden, Boston. For Coach Rick Carlisle and the Indiana Pacers, they come into Boston managing five injuries with Isaiah Jackson, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin who were all ruled unavailable prior to tip-off. Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) and Jrue Holiday (shoulder) have both been ruled out for Boston. Holiday’s unavailability saw Sam Hauser slotted into the starting lineup for the C’s. Hauser’s starting nod is noteworthy, as he has been in and out of the lineup with his own back injuries and struggling with form, going scoreless in 3 out of his last 4 games.
Jayson Tatum started the game strong, physically taking it to Bennedict Mathurin for the strong and-1 post finish. Mathurin got going early for Indy, pacing his team with 2 of his team’s first 4 buckets. Jaylen Brown was perfect to start the game in this one, as he went three for three, with a pair of triples. Derrick White also got in on the action as Indy sagged off him to hit on his second bucket and his second three-pointer as Boston took an early 24-13 lead.
Boston continued to pile on points behind a crossover step back long Jaylen Brown two and then a Jordan Walsh three, as Boston stretched the early lead out to 12 points. Brown continued to excel with another three-pointer and a steal and breakaway two-handed dunk to register his fifteenth first quarter point on a perfect 6/6 from the field. The Indiana Pacers came into this game on the second night of a back-to-back, and it showed early as Boston was the hungrier team and getting to the loose balls first. The Celtics led 39-22 after the first quarter.
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Jaylen Brown had three first half dunks Friday night, highlighted by a windmill fast break jam.David Butler II-Imagn Images
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Boston started the second quarter very slowly, going scoreless for the first 3 minutes and turning the ball over multiple times. Luckily for the Celtics, Indy wasn’t much better, with just one three-point made basket in that stretch. The crowd well and truly woke up at the 6-minute mark of the game as JB drove past two perimeter defenders and dropped the hammer on top of an outstretched Myles Turner. Brown, not to be outdone, then stole the ball again at midcourt, leading to a dunk competition-worthy windmill jam with no Pacer player within fifty feet of the the basket.
Jayson Tatum would then return to the game after a nice break to hit his first shot, a corner three-pointer. Al Horford, then added his own triple as Boston registered a 20-point first-half lead at the 2-minute, 30-second mark. The first half would end 67-42 with Boston in complete control, spearheaded by Jayson Tatum (10 pts, 10 boards) and Jaylen Brown (23 points, 3/5 from three).
Following the Christmas Day disaster, Al Horford cited “inconsistent effort” postgame after the brutal loss to conference rival Philadelphia 76ers. Boston was looking to get back into form before facing a 4-game west coast road trip in early January. The third quarter proved to be just the test, as Boston continued to exploit Indiana’s lack of perimeter size and picking the Pacers apart with crisp passing and good pace en route to a massive 31-point lead with 5 minutes remaining in the third.
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Jayson Tatum had a brilliant all-around performance Friday night against Indiana.David Butler II-Imagn Images
Indiana came into Boston playing 4 games over 6 nights, and the fatigue was starting to show late in the third quarter with Indy a step slow, Boston would reach the penalty bonus with 4 and a half minutes to go in the quarter. To Indiana’s credit, they did not let the lead creep out more as the quarter would end 103-78, Boston up 25 points.
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JB logged his fortieth point of the game, his highest score of the season, with a mind-blowing eleven minutes left in the game. Eventually Joe Mazzulla would substitute out Brown to a standing ovation and a 44-point night, shooting a stellar 66% split from the field with 6-11 from three. Rick Carlisle would go to his deep bench around the 8-minute mark, giving his younger guys a test against Boston. Payton Pritchard would add 18 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds; Jayson Tatum had a double-double night with 22 points and 13 rebounds; Al Horford chipped in 13 points, whilst Derrick White added 9 points and 6 assists.
Drew Peterson, Jordan Walsh and Jaden Springer all saw significant garbage minute time for Boston to finish off the game. The Celtics, who now sit just a few games ahead of the 3rd placed New York Knicks in the Eastern conference needed a comfortable win and they got this tonight behind a well-rounded team performance. Boston will next face these Pacers once more at home on Sunday, 29th of December at 6pm.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After more than a week since its last game, Indiana returns to action Sunday against Winthrop at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
This marks the Hoosiers’ last of 11 nonconference games before resuming Big Ten play on Jan. 2 for the remainder of the regular season. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Indiana most recently defeated Chattanooga 74-65 on Dec. 21 in Bloomington, where Mackenzie Mgbako and Malik Reneau scored a team-high 14 points apiece. Following the win, coach Mike Woodson said the team would have a few days off before resuming practice on Thursday evening. Indiana enters Sunday’s game with a 9-3 record and a desire to clean up recent defensive shortcomings.
“Definitely the defensive side is the side we need to focus on the most and keep working at that and getting better,” Reneau said after the Chattanooga game. “But I feel like this break will help us out and clear our minds and we’ll come back ready to work and get ready for Big Ten play.”
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Here’s a full breakdown of the Winthrop Eagles.
Key players
Winthrop Eagles forward Kelton Talford (4) drives against South Carolina Gamecocks guard Myles Stute (10) at Colonial Life Arena. / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Key departures
2024-25 schedule (10-4)
Head coach: Mark Prosser
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Prosser has a 65-45 overall record and a 32-18 record in Big South play in his fourth season at Winthrop. In Prosser’s first season, the Eagles won the Big South south division title with a 14-2 conference record, but they finished in fourth place the following two seasons. Before his head coaching stint at Winthrop, Prosser coached Western Carolina for three seasons, going 37-53 overall and 18-35 in the Southern Conference. He was also an assistant coach at Winthrop from 2012-18, following one season as Brevard College’s head coach. Previous jobs include assistant coaching positions at Wofford and Bucknell. He played at Marist from 1998-99, then became a student assistant after an injury. Prosser, 46, was born in Wheeling, W.V.
Strengths
Winthrop has benefited from continuity, which has become rare in today’s era of college basketball. Its four leading scorers from last year returned, and they’re leading the Eagles in scoring again this season, averaging double-digit points. All four are seniors in at least their second seasons at Winthrop under Prosser.
That core includes a pair of 6-foot-7 forwards, Kelton Talford and K.J. Doucet. Both are efficient scorers, shooting over 55% from the field. Talford is the team’s leading rebounder and second-leading shot blocker. He leads the Big South with 52 offensive rebounds and 101 free throw attempts. Indiana will have to keep him off the glass and foul line. Doucet can stretch the floor at 41.7% from 3-point range, creating a dynamic one-two punch in the front court.
Guards Kasen Harrison and Nick Johnson round out Winthrop’s veteran quartet. Harrison does the vast majority of scoring from 2-point range, and he’s the team’s assist leader at 3.3 per game. Johnson is fourth on the team in scoring, but he’s plenty capable at 11 points per game. He led the Eagles with 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting in their most recent win over Mercer.
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As a team, Winthrop ranks 17th nationally at 87.2 points per game and plays at the nation’s fifth-fastest tempo. The Eagles lead the nation with 32.1 free throw attempts per game. nationally. Indiana has struggled to rebound the ball in a few games this year, and it faces a formidable challenge in that area Sunday against a Winthrop team that ranks 17th nationally with 41.9 rebounds per game. Winthrop also averages 8.9 steals and has an opponent turnover percentage of 21.7%, 33rd in the country, placing an emphasis on Indiana taking care of the ball.
Winthrop Eagles guard Nick Johnson (10) dribbles against Xavier Musketeers at the Cintas Center. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Weaknesses
Indiana’s significant height advantage could offset the effectiveness of the 6-foot-7 duo of Talford and Doucet. Both players are having good seasons, but they haven’t faced a front court trio quite like Indiana’s 7-foot center Oumar Ballo and 6-foot-9 forwards Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako. Winthrop’s leading shot blocker is 6-foot-10 center Tai Hamilton, but he plays just 9.9 minutes per game. Lacking height and shot blockers inside, Winthrop may have to play Hamilton more than usual.
Though Winthrop is among the nation’s top-20 in scoring average, it has not been efficient. The Eagles shoot just 30.9% from 3-point range, which ranks 297th nationally. They get to the free throw line more than anyone, but they haven’t taken advantage of that as they shoot just 66.8% from the line, 302nd nationally. Baker and Jones lead the team with 30 and 25 3-pointers made, respectively, but both shoot below 35% from beyond the arc.
Winthrop Eagles head coach Mark Prosser speaks with guard Kasen Harrison (11) at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati. / Carter Skaggs/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Season and game outlook
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Winthrop was picked to finish second in the preseason Big South poll and received one first-place vote. The Eagles rank 184th overall on KenPom, ninth-best out of Indiana’s 13th opponents this season. They should be in the mix for a Big South title in Prosser’s fourth.
Indiana is predicted to win Sunday’s game 89-74 and is given a 92% chance of victory by KenPom. The Hoosiers’ defense has struggled in several games this season, and they’ll have to be sharp to slow down a fast-paced, high-scoring – though not particularly efficient – Winthrop offense. It’s a game Indiana should win comfortably in its final tune-up before facing Big Ten opponents the rest of the way.
Wisconsin Badgers (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) at Indiana Hoosiers (9-3, 1-0 Big Ten)
Bloomington, Indiana; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Indiana takes on Wisconsin after Shay Ciezki scored 20 points in Indiana’s 90-55 victory over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
The Hoosiers have gone 6-1 in home games. Indiana averages 72.0 points and has outscored opponents by 10.2 points per game.
The Badgers are 1-0 against Big Ten opponents. Wisconsin is 2-0 in one-possession games.
Indiana scores 72.0 points, 10.6 more per game than the 61.4 Wisconsin gives up. Wisconsin scores 8.0 more points per game (69.8) than Indiana allows to opponents (61.8).
The Hoosiers and Badgers match up Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Yarden Garzon is shooting 41.4% and averaging 14.2 points for the Hoosiers.
Serah Williams is scoring 20.0 points per game and averaging 12.3 rebounds for the Badgers.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hoosiers: 8-2, averaging 71.4 points, 30.8 rebounds, 16.7 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 61.0 points per game.
Badgers: 8-2, averaging 66.4 points, 33.6 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 60.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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