Series Thread: Indiana vs FAU - Feb 24th - 26th, 2017




What:      Indiana (2-2) at Florida Atlantic (3-0)

When:     Fri, Feb 24th at 6:30 PM
                Sat, Feb 25th at 4:00 PM
                Sun, Feb 26th at 12:00 PM


Where:    FAU Baseball Stadium

Stream:   CUSA.tv *FEE

Stats:       Here


Series:

This is the first meeting between the two programs.


Projected Starting Pitchers

Sat:       IND - RHP Jonathan Stiever (0-1, 1.59 ERA)
             FAU - RHP Alex House (1-0, 3.00 ERA)

Sat:       IND - LHP Tim Herrin (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
             FAU - LHP Jake Miednik (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Sun:      IND - RHP Brian Hobbie (0-1, 5.40 ERA)
             FAU - LHP Nick Swan (0-0, 21.00 ERA)


Game Notes

Owls

Florida Atlantic will face off against Indiana for the first time in school history this weekend, hosting the Hoosiers for a three-game series beginning on Friday night.

The Owls (3-0) missed their mid-week game on Wednesday due to weather and will replicate the same starting rotation from their opening weekend sweep of Monmouth.

Though the FAU rotation remains the same, there is a likelihood that returning starting pitchers Sean Labsan and Marc Stewart will make their season debuts on the hill in relief this weekend, according to Head Coach John McCormack.

Relievers combined to pitch 8 1/3 innings against the Hawks and allowed only one hit and one unearned combined run. They also struck out 12 batters. The pitching staff as a whole struck out 28 hitters in the three games, and held the Hawks to a .230 batting average.

At the plate, the squad is currently hitting .373 with 34 runs scored. Owl hitters have combined for 12 extra base hits and reached base at a team clip of .455. Seven batters have an average of .286 or higher, led by Tyler Frank (.588) and Esteban Puerta (.583). Those two have combined for 18 RBI and 11 runs scored.

After being entrenched last season, the Owls aren't donning any polls at the moment but are receiving votes in the NCWBA Top 30.


Hoosiers

Indiana continues a 12-game road trip to open the 2017 season with a three-game series at Florida Atlantic. The Hoosiers opened up the 2017 season with a four-game split at the Surprise Collegiate Baseball Classic, picking up 12-3 and 5-1 victories over Gonzaga, while dropping two tight contests to seventh-ranked Oregon State.

Sophomore catcher Ryan Fineman leads the Hoosiers through four games with a .417 batting average and five hits. He recorded his fourth career three-hit game in last Friday's 12-3 victory over Gonzaga.

Junior Laren Eustace posted a .471 on base percentage the first weekend, good for second on the team, while stealing four bases, which ranks tied for second in the Big Ten. He tied his career-high with two stolen bases last Friday against No. 7 Oregon State.

Freshman catcher and designated hitter Jake Matheny was named the Big Ten Baseball Freshman of the Week on Monday. Matheny, who hit two home runs, doubled, and drove in five runs.

Chris Lemonis is in his third season as Indiana's head coach, posting an overall record of 67-48 thus far. Through Lemonis' first two seasons at Indiana, the Hoosiers own two of the top three fielding percentages in program history.

IU is a Big Ten school. They WILL have quality player. This will be our first test of the season. So happy our pitchers are working back into the rotation.

Agree, this will be a big test - they are good.

This will tell us quite a bit about our starters.

House has struck out six through five innings, but he has also given up a total of five runs, four of which were earned.

Hoosiers plate two in the first and third innings before sending their second long ball over the wall in the top of the fifth.

The Owls have managed three hits, and owe their solo score to Esteban Puerta's shot  to left.

Bottom 5th

IU 5  FAU 1

Not looking good so far against just a decent team.  Need Labsen and Stewart back in the starting rotation.  We're trotten out mid relief guys as starting pitchers.  

FAU puts runner's on 2nd and 3rd in the bottom half of the fifth inning which is highlighted by Frank's double, but an Owl strike out ends the threat.

Jordan Poore comes on for House in relief in the sixth and immediately gives up another homer, marking the third of the night by Indiana.

An error allows another run to come in and the Hoosiers are up 7-1 with the Owls due up.

Stephen Kerr finds pay dirt with a homer in the bottom of the 6th to cut the Hoosiers lead to five.

Poore pitches a solid 7th, retiring the side in order, but the Owls fly out three times and leave a runner on to end the frame.

Sean Labsan is making his way to the hill for Florida Atlantic to replace Poore.

IU 7  FAU 2

As a non baseball guy how good is this IU team?

Dusky...IU has top notch players. So do we but right now we are minus a couple starting pitchers. Our starter was hit hard. The first two runs were unearned. Catchers interference/walk. Not the way to start a tough game. Saturday should be a better example of how close the two teams are because we have an experienced starter on the mound. Still very early in the season.