Indiana baseball an underdog to watch in NCAA Regional play

The Indiana baseball program is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and is ready to make some noise.

The Hoosiers enter as the 3-seed in the Lexington Region and will face off against West Virginia in the opener. The other teams in the region are 1-seed Kentucky and then 4-seed Ball State.

While Indiana isn’t the favorite to come out of the region, it is a program that could sneak its way out.

According to 247Sports, the Indiana baseball program is one of the underdogs in NCAA Regional play.

“Yes, Indiana is the clear third-best team in this Regional. Yes, the Big Ten isn’t any good. But the Hoosiers are 41-18, played the best teams on their schedule competitively and are a tough No. 3 seed here behind No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 West Virginia,” Robbie Weinstein wrote. “Iowa might be the more obvious Big Ten team to take, as the Hawkeyes got a favorable draw in a Terre Haute Regional that could go any direction between the top three seeds. That fact, however, means that Iowa isn’t a true underdog. Indiana is, and it’s one that has a chance to advance.”

It will be tough to get out of the region, however. In its only matchup with Kentucky this season, Indiana lost 12-2. Against Ball State, Indiana was 2-0 this season but only won by a combined four runs.

Indiana played seven other NCAA Tournament teams in the regular season and combined 6-11 against those programs.

The Hoosiers’ 41 wins were the most in the regular season since 2013 and the most in any season (regular + postseason) since 2018.

Right now, the odds for the Indiana baseball program to come out of the Lexington Region are at +390. Kentucky is the favorite playing as the home team and 1-seed.

The Lexington Regional takes place from June 2-5.

SEE ALSO: ‘The culmination of a lot of work’: Indiana baseball head coach Jeff Mercer discusses NCAA Tournament bid

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