Indiana Baseball: Hoosiers go 2-1 at Keith LeClair Classic

The Indiana baseball team had another successful weekend as they went 2-1 at the Keith LeClair Classic at East Caroling University.

In their third straight weekend trip away from Bloomington, the Hoosiers were able to go 2-1 including a win over top-20 and host East Carolina. The Keith LeClair classic hosted by the Pirates included the host team, Indiana, High Point, and 15th ranked Ole Miss.

The Hoosiers started the weekend off by playing East Carolina on Friday afternoon. It was supposed to be an appetizer for the Pirates before their top-20 showdown with the Rebels on Saturday, but somebody forgot to tell Indiana the plans.

The Hoosiers scored two in the first and four in the third to grab a 6-3 lead after three innings. The Pirates would score two in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-5 but the Hoosiers would pull away late scoring four runs over the 7th and 8th to put the game away and take home an 11-5 win.

Drew Ashley and Grant Richardson both went 2-5 with a home run and a combined five runs batted in. Elijah Dunham, Collin Hopkins, and Jordan Fucci would all go 3-5 as the Hoosiers pounded out 15 hits.

On Saturday the Hoosiers took on the High Point Panthers. While Indiana never trailed in the game they led just 2-1 after six innings in what was a great pitchers duel. The Hoosiers finally broke through with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to give themselves some breathing room and a 5-1 lead. Indiana would go on to win by that score and set up a winner take all matchup with Ole Miss on Sunday.

Tommy Sommer (2-1) went 8.2 innings for the win for Indiana, coming just one out short of his first complete game. Grant Richardson had another great game at the plate going 3-5 and Jordan Fucci went 2-5 with a double as the Hoosiers again hit the ball well collecting 11 hits on the game.

Sunday was the battle with fellow 2-0 on the weekend team Ole Miss. The Rebels came in with just one loss on the year and looked the part early as they jumped on the Hoosiers 5-2 after four innings. It would stay that way until the Hoosiers put together a two-out rally in the sixth plating three runs to tie the game.

The good feelings were short-lived as the Rebels were able to put together a four-run seventh to take back control at 9-5. Ole Miss would shut down the Hoosiers the rest of the way as Indiana dropped a tough one 9-5.

Richardson and Fucci again came up with home runs to get the Hoosiers on the board early. Dunham continued to be a force going 2-5 as him and Richardson continue to hit no matter who the Hoosiers play.

The loss to the Rebels was a tough way to end the weekend but picking up another win against a ranked opponent and going 2-1 has to have the Hoosiers feeling good about their team.

Indiana now sits at 6-3 on the year and will hopefully finally play a home game this week as they host in-state rival Purdue on Wednesday before having San Diego visit Bloomington for a four-game set over the weekend,