Indiana Baseball plays a second straight midweek game against Cincinnati

The Hoosiers look to end their three-game skid as they return home.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana baseball will play its second-midweek game in as many days when it faces off against Cincinnati. Indiana is in the midst of a three-game losing streak and is coming off a 5-4 loss to Evansville.

Since pummeling in-state rival Purdue, Indiana has struggled to play a complete game and play up to the level seen at the beginning of the season. Both the Hoosiers’ hitting and pitching have left something to be desired over the past three games and the team will need to figure out a way to get out of the lull they find themselves in.

The Hoosiers will face junior pitcher Garrett Schoenle who started 12 games last season, earning a 5.95 ERA while striking out 62 batters in 56 total innings pitched. Schoenle has struggled to open the season, posting an 11.37 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched.

At the plate, the Bearcats are led by senior Jeremy Johnson. Johnson has been one of Cincinnati’s most consistent hitters posting a .370 batting average while driving in 13 runs this season.

Here are the particulars on Wednesday’s matchup:

• Who: Cincinnati (7-7)
• When: Wednesday, March. 11, 4:05 p.m. ET
• Where: Bart Kaufman Field, Bloomington, Ind.
• Probable Starters: David Platt (RHP) v. Garrett Schoenle (RHP)
• Television: BTN
• Radio: Indiana Radio Network
• Announcer: Austin Render

Here are three things I’m looking to see from Indiana:

1. Good Starting Pitching

Indiana’s three-game losing streak, one of the common themes has been poor starting pitching. During those three losses, none of the Hoosiers’ starting pitchers have gone five innings or longer and their ineffectiveness has put a strain on both the offense and bullpen.

David Platt has been one of the most impressive arms out of the bullpen this season and will get his first chance at being a starter. Indiana is hoping that the young righty’s hard fastball and lively off-speed pitches translate to a starting role.

2. Indiana’s Three-Headed Monster Stays Hot

The middle of Indiana’s batting order has given opposing pitchers nightmares to open the season. Junior Elijah Dunham, freshman Grant Richardson and senior Jordan Fucci have carried the Hoosiers’ offense to this point of the season and have shown very few signs of slowing down.

Dunham and Richardson are both hitting .400 while Fucci is hitting a more reasonable — yet still impressive — .286 through the team’s first 15 games. The three sluggers have driven in a combined 36 runs and each boasts a slugging percentage of .490 or better.

Hitting and run production have come at a premium of late for the Hoosiers and to break out of this slump, the big three in the middle of the lineup need to continue to perform.

3. Avoid the Big Inning

The Hoosiers need to avoid the big inning. It seems obvious, but the big inning has been one of the many banes of Indiana’s recent struggles.

The Hoosiers have been able to survive small innings as their offense has plenty of firepower to put runs on the board. The team’s problems have come when its opponents have scored three-plus runs in an inning, forcing the offense to play catchup.

A run here and there hasn’t hurt Indiana yet this season. It’s been the innings in which their opponents have been able to land the knockout blow by driving in runner after runner that has derailed the Hoosiers of late.

Clean innings and the ability to work out of trouble without letting the doors being blown off is what Indiana is looking for out of its pitchers. A reasonable expectation that has been hard to accomplish.

Related Indiana Baseball Stories:

• Indiana Falls Short Against Evansville: The Hoosiers lose 5-4 to the Aces. Click Here
• Indiana 2020 Schedule: Complete list of games for the Hoosiers. Click Here
• Indiana 2020 Roster: Complete 2020 roster for the Hoosiers. Click Here