Indiana Baseball: Hoosiers Routed Again at Clemson, Fall 19-4

Despite jumping out to a four-run lead, Indiana's pitcher struggled again for the second straight day. Clemson scored 19 unanswered runs in beating the Hoosiers 19-4. The final game of the series is on Sunday.

CLEMSON, S.C. — Indiana's pitching staff got roughed up for a second straight day, allowing 19 unanswered runs in an ugly 19-4 loss to Clemson at Doug Kinsmore Stadium on Saturday.

It was the second straight loss to start the season after getting beaten 9-0 on Friday. This game started much different, with the Hoosiers jumping ahead 4-0 right out of the gate, but then everything fell apart quickly.

Indiana needed to use five pitchers, and they all struggled. Starter Jack Perkins, the Kokomo, Ind., native who's a transfer from Louisville, was good early. He struck out six in his first two scoreless innings before finally giving up a run in the bottom of the third with Indiana leading 4-1.

But in the fourth inning, Perkins gave up a two-out walk and a single, and Indiana went to the bullpen, bringing in left-hander Ty Bothwell. But he gave up two singles and a walk, and the game was tied.

It fell apart completely from there.

Indiana went ahead with two runs in the fifth, tacked on seven more in the sixth and three each in the seventh and eighth innings. They scored 19 runs on just 13 hits, benefiting greatly from 16 Indiana walks and six hit batsmen. Bradley Brehmer, Joe Moran and Jack Walker all got roughed up in their first appearances of the season.

Indiana pitchers threw a whopping 257 pitches, including 121 balls. 

The pitching failures put a shade on Indiana's nice start at the plate after getting shut out on Friday. Leadoff hitter Tyler Doanes homered to start the game, and Matthew Ellis homer to right-center three batters later to give Indiana a 2-0 lead in the first.

They scored two more in the second inning, with doubles by left fielder Carter Mathison and designated hitter Brock Tibbitts, and then an RBI single by Doanes to get ahead 4-0.

But the Hoosiers' bats went silent after that, getting just two hits the rest of the game. Shortstop Phillip Glasser and center fielder Bobby Whalen added singles later.

The two teams wrap up the series on Sunday in a 1 p.m. ET game. The game can be streamed live on ESPN-Plus. To watch, CLICK HERE

To listen on audio on the Indiana website, CLICK HERE

Related stories on Indiana baseball

• FRIDAY'S GAME: Clemson got to Indiana starter John Modugno early and cruised to an easy 9-0 victory over the Hoosiers on Friday in the season opener for both teams. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA SCHEDULE: Here is Indiana's complete schedule for the 2022 college baseball season. CLICK HERE