Indiana Baseball Eliminated From Big Ten Tournament | Now Seeks Return to Omaha

Indiana’s stay in Omaha didn’t last long.

Now the focus turns towards figuring out how to get back.

The Hoosiers lost a Thursday afternoon Big Ten Tournament elimination bracket game against Minnesota by a score of 9-4 just a day after losing their opener yesterday to Iowa.

Minnesota got to IU starter Tanner Gordon for two early runs before Justin Walker tied things up in the fourth with a bloop single.

.@JustinCWalker23 ties this one up!!#IUBase 2, MINN 2 | B4 pic.twitter.com/aQZ0BbQuuY

— Indiana Baseball (@IndianaBase) May 23, 2019

The Hoosiers took a 3-2 lead before a three run Minnesota fifth gave the a Gophers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

For the second straight day IU struggled at the plate at TD Ameritrade Park.  Indiana accumulated just three hits while yielding 13 to Minnesota.

It was an unusually rough outing for Gordon, who went 4.1 innings and allowed five hits and four runs, although only two were earned as IU struggled in the field with three errors.

While the outcome was disappointing, there is still a larger prize on the horizon for Indiana, and perhaps a silver lining to the early exit this week.

IU (36-21) will now await their NCAA Tournament fate.  The field will be announced on Monday at noon on ESPNU.

The Hoosiers were likely a No. 2 seed irrespective of their performance this week in Omaha.  Most prognostications have IU going to Louisville next week.

Now with the Big Ten Tournament in the rear view mirror, IU will be able to rest their pitching staff rather than playing as many as three more games through the weekend.

It was far from optimal this week at Omaha, but a return trip for the College World Series is still attainable.

The Hoosiers would like to get another shot at solving TD Ameritrade Park.

The journey begins anew next week.

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