Indiana

Indiana Baseball Can’t Muster Offense When Needed In Loss To Purdue

Published

7 months ago

May 11, 2025

Indiana Baseball Can’t Muster Offense When Needed In Loss To Purdue

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In Friday’s eight-run victory over Purdue, Indiana baseball showed what it could be when it all clicks.

In Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Purdue at Bart Kaufman Field, Indiana demonstrated what has held it back and what traits might ultimately keep the Hoosiers out of the NCAA Tournament.

Indiana (28-22, 13-13) scored in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, but that was all the Hoosiers could muster in the scoring department. The Hoosiers are a good offensive team, but Indiana baseball coach Jeff Mercer lamented the habits that keep Indiana from being consistent.

“We hit some balls hard early that on most days are home runs, but we sometimes just have to adjust differently. We have to execute with guys on base,” Mercer said.

Indiana’s offensive performance looks worse when you consider that first baseman Jake Hanley accounted for three of Indiana’s seven base hits. The top three spots in the order went 1-for-10 against Purdue pitchers Cole Van Assen and lefty Michael Vallone.

“My frustration, and I told them, was our inability to execute to a different game plan,” Mercer explained. “(Purdue) brings in the lefty with low slot ride and they moved the entire infield over. You’re going to have to shoot the ball the other way, hit the ball on a line to right field, and we were unable to do that,” Mercer explained.

Purdue, fighting for its life as far as Big Ten Tournament qualification is concerned, played a steady game and were able to create scoring opportunities Indiana could not replicate.

After Cooper Malamazian drove home Hanley for the opening run of the game for Indiana in the second inning, it was all Purdue in terms of scoring.

Purdue’s Eli Anderson singled home Ty Gill in the third inning to tie the contest. Purdue (30-20, 10-16) then took the lead in the fifth inning on a towering Aaron Manias home run to center.

CJ Richmond singled home Brandon Anderson in the sixth to make it 3-1. In the eighth, Purdue slugger Logan Sutter hit a two-run home run to left to give Purdue the 5-1 edge.

All the while, Indiana created opportunities to push ahead, but the Hoosiers were unable to take advantage.

Some of it was bad execution, but some of Indiana’s issue were also just bad luck.

In the fifth inning, when Purdue’s lead was 2-1, Devin Taylor walked and Korbyn Dickerson hit a Van Assen offering into the right-center field gap. The speedy Taylor would have scored easily on the long shot, but it bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double and Taylor was compelled to stop at third. The Hoosiers were unable to drive Taylor or Dickerson home afterwards.

This inning was part of Indiana’s .143 average with runners in scoring position. The Hoosiers were 0-for-9 with two outs.

Indiana’s pitching wasn’t bad, but wasn’t outstanding either. Starter Ben Grable pitched 5 1/3 innings and struck out five batters. Gavin Seebold, a former starter, then went 3 2/3 innings in relief and struck out six.

It was Grable’s 11th start of the season, but the Hoosiers have not been able to put together a starting staff that has stood the test of time. Ten different Hoosiers have started a game this season.

“Ideally, you’re able to you’re able to do that. You’re able to line guys up and and have defined roles,” said Mercer on the pitching roles.

“I would love to be able to do that, but when the draft is always an impact, and then injuries here and there, so then you have to problem solve. You have to play the cards that you’re dealt,” Mercer said.

Realistically, to have a shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, Indiana probably had to run the table of its remaining regular season games and make a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament.

With the loss to Purdue, that isn’t a possibility. Indiana’s RPI remains in the 70s, not good enough to earn an at-large bid.

The series against Purdue concludes at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Bart Kaufman Field.

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Indiana

If they make it through this week, Ohio State and Indiana would give Big Ten a historic title game

Published

3 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

If they make it through this week, Ohio State and Indiana would give Big Ten a historic title game

No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana are closing in on a historic matchup in Indianapolis.

If the Buckeyes and Hoosiers win this week against rivals Michigan and Purdue — and in Ohio State’s case that’s been a big if lately — they’d both bring undefeated overall records into the Big Ten title game. That’s never happened since the conference began playing a championship game in 2011.

In fact, only three times since Michigan State’s arrival pushed the league to 10 teams in 1953 has the Big Ten finished its regular season with more than one unbeaten team in league play. In 2013, Michigan State won the Legends Division at 8-0, and Ohio State won the Leaders Division with the same record. The Spartans beat the Buckeyes in the title game — but even that year, Michigan State had taken an early loss outside the Big Ten to Notre Dame.

In 2002, Ohio State and Iowa both went 8-0 in league play. The Buckeyes went to — and won — the BCS championship game, and Iowa headed to the Orange Bowl.

The situation was far more acrimonious in 1973, when Michigan and Ohio State played to a tie, and each finished the conference season 7-0-1 — and 10-0-1 overall. Athletic directors voted to send the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl.

According to Sportradar, only one FBS conference championship game has ever pitted two teams with unbeaten overall records. Alabama beat Florida 32-13 to win the Southeastern Conference in 2009. Of course, that year the losing team was finished as a national title contender because there was no playoff yet.

The stakes will be lower if Ohio State (11-0, 8-0, No. 1 CFP) and Indiana (11-0, 8-0, No. 2 CFP) make it to Indy with unblemished records, but it would still be quite a finish to the Big Ten season.

Star power

An Ohio State-Indiana title game could also become a de facto Heisman Trophy decider between Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin and Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is also a contender, but his final pitch is this week because the Irish aren’t in a conference and thus won’t be in a title game.

Going bowling

Ohio State, Indiana, No. 5 Oregon (10-1, 7-1), No. 15 Michigan (9-2, 7-1), No. 19 Southern California (8-3, 6-2), Washington (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Illinois (7-4, 4-4), Nebraska (7-4, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4) and Northwestern (6-5, 4-4) have reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. The winner of the game between Penn State (5-6, 2-6) and Rutgers (5-6, 2-6) joins them.

Hot seats

As seems to be the trend nowadays, a lot of these situations were resolved before the end of the regular season. Penn State fired coach James Franklin in the middle of October, for example.

Also, Wisconsin has already said it is keeping Luke Fickell, and Maryland is standing behind Mike Locksley.

The big remaining question is whether Jonathan Smith can survive a second straight bad season to start his tenure at Michigan State.

Youth movement

Michigan’s Bryce Underwood and Maryland’s Malik Washington have been starting at quarterback as freshmen all season. Washington has had to throw more, but Underwood’s most important game is still in front of him.

Ohio State freshman Bo Jackson has rushed for 835 yards in 10 games.

Recruiting watch

Oregon, not Ohio State, has the Big Ten’s top-ranked 2026 class according to 247 Sports. The Ducks are ranked No. 5 nationally, with the Buckeyes at No. 6 and Michigan at No. 11. Washington is No. 15.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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Indiana

Pedestrian, driver seriously injured in I-65 crash in Hobart, Indiana State Police say

Published

21 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

Pedestrian, driver seriously injured in I-65 crash in Hobart, Indiana State Police say

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 4:29AM

2 seriously hurt in I-65 crash in Hobart: Indiana State Police

Two people suffered serious injuries in a crash along Interstate 65 in northwest Indiana on Monday afternoon.

HOBART, Ind. (WLS) — Two people suffered serious injuries in a crash along Interstate 65 in northwest Indiana on Monday afternoon.

Indiana State Police said troopers responded to the crash on southbound I-65, about 1 mile north of 61st Avenue, in Hobart around 2:30 p.m.

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Police said a roadway contractor’s white 2021 Ford F150, pulling a utility trailer, was parked on the right shoulder while a pedestrian collected debris in a ditch.

The driver of a white 2006 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling in the right lane when they left the lane and struck the F-150, police said.

Police said the crash pushed the F-150 into the pedestrian. The Silverado then overturned before stopping in the right lane.

The pedestrian had to be airlifted to the University of Chicago Medical Center. The driver was also hurt in the crash and was taken to an Indiana hospital.

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Indiana

Shots, blocks & boards: Vote for IndyStar girls basketball players of the week (Nov. 17-22)

Published

2 days ago

November 24, 2025

Press Room

Shots, blocks & boards: Vote for IndyStar girls basketball players of the week (Nov. 17-22)

IndyStar will be recognizing the top girls basketball players in Indiana with our players of the week poll.

Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until noon Friday.

Congratulations to Plainfield’s Abrielle Dugan on being voted Player of the Week for Nov. 10-15! The junior led the Quakers to a hard-fought win over Brownsburg, scoring a team-high 18 points in the six-point win. She went for five points, dished out two assists and pulled in four rebounds in a win over county foe Danville.

Here were the top performers from the past week.

Precious Anuka, Cathedral

Anuka went for 18 points, six steals and three assists to spark a 57-56 win over Jennings County on Friday.

Konley Ault, Bluffton

The 5-8 wing/guard scored 33 points on 14-of-17 shooting in a 78-25 win over Mississinewa, then went for 15 in a 15-point win over Huntington North. Ault also totaled seven rebounds, six assists and 10 steals for the week.

Ava Emberton, Brownsburg

The freshman scored 18 points on six 3-pointers and dished out five assists in a win over Noblesville, then dropped 19 points on Pendleton Heights in a 78-58 win on Saturday.

Mollie Ernstes, Jennings County

The senior Kansas commit dropped 31 points in a 64-59 upset of 4A’s Warsaw on Saturday. Ernstes was a guest on The Scorers Table this week. Watch here.

Gracyn Gilliard, Center Grove

Gilliard led the Trojans to their third consecutive Johnson County tournament, totaling 77 points over three games. She set a school record with 37 points in a 49-42 win over Indian Creek that also saw her convert a school-record 17 free throws. She followed that with 20 points and and a couple steals vs. Whiteland, then 20 more points and three steals vs. Franklin in the final. She did not play the fourth quarter against Whiteland or Franklin.

Lilly Maple, East Central

Maple kicked off her week by scoring 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting vs. Columbus East, then tallied 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting vs. Hammond Central on Saturday at Pike. She also totaled 14 rebounds (11 vs. Columbus East), nine steals, seven assists and seven blocks (five vs. Hammond Central).

Mia Miller, Scecina

Miller went for 12 points, 20 rebounds, five steals, two assists and a block vs. Purdue Broad Ripple, then notched 32 points, nine rebounds and six steals in a win over Herron.

Carley Moellering, Homestead

After being limited to five points in a loss to Norwell, Moellering went for 14 points in a blowout win over Plainfield on Saturday at Sneakers For Santa.

Addison Norris, Norwell

The senior standout helped spark a win over Homestead, generating 24 points with three triples and a 7-for-9 mark at the line. Norris (and teammate Vanessa Rosswurm) were guests on The Scorers Table last week. Watch here.

Paige Schnaus, Gibson Southern

Schnaus scored 24 points and pulled in 18 rebounds to lead Gibson Southern to a 14-point win over Princeton. She converted 10-of-18 shots from the field and hit a 3-pointer. She also tallied 18 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a blowout win over Forest Park.

Amelia Story, Purdue Poly

Story scored 21 points to lead Purdue Poly to victory over Heritage Christian. She went 7-for-10 from 3 and also dished out six assists in the win.

Jordyn Suggs, Lawrence North

Suggs continued her strong debut campaign, scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in a 62-57 win over North Central. The freshman also picked up a steal.

Aleia Sultzer, Ben Davis

The senior scored 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting in a 62-50 win over Plainfield. She also picked up seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Sultzer tallied 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and two steals in a loss to Warren Central.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.

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