Indiana Hoosiers Win Back-to-Back Big Ten Titles
By Evan Reller
IU Baseball Celebrates Big Ten Tournament Championship. Photo via Big Ten Network television broadcast.
The Indiana Hoosiers baseball team won its second straight Big Ten Tournament title Sunday afternoon. The No. 9th ranked Hoosiers took down No. 20 Nebraska 8-4 at TD Ameritrade Field in Omaha.
It was the first time the two opponents had met all season. IU the No. 1 seed and Nebraska No. 2 and both teams rolled to the finals without a loss.
The game was delayed in the top of the eighth inning due to lightning strikes for a half hour. It came at an interesting time in the game with Nebraska trailing by three and the potential game tying run at the plate. Ryan Boldt, who was 3-for-3 at the time, was at the plate.
Following the delay, Boldt bounced one to the mound and pitcher Jake Keltzer flipped it to first base for an easy out that ended the inning. The Hoosiers would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to seal victory.
Indiana sat down the next three batters to win their second conference title under coach Tracy Smith.
Catcher Kyle Schwarber was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament. He had two hits, two RBI and a home run.
The Hoosiers came away disappointed with their last trip to TD Ameritrade Park. IU lost in the College World Series due in large part to the size of the field. The Hoosiers could have advanced to the finals had a couple hits not fallen short of home runs (they would have easily leaped the fence at any normal college field).
It was the Hoosiers fourth Big Ten championship. Today’s game also set a NCAA record for attendance in a conference championship game at 19,965.
IU will head into the NCAA Tournament with 42-13 record.
The Hoosiers will find out their seeding in the NCAA Tournament on Monday. The selection show will be at noon on ESPNU. There is a good chance that the Hoosiers will host a Super Regional this season.