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Indiana Baseball: Devin Taylor highlights All-Big Ten awards for Hoosiers, six total honored

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Devin Taylor highlighted the postseason awards for the Indiana baseball program as six total Hoosiers were honored. (Devin Taylor / Indiana Athletics)

The Indiana baseball program reached a milestone this year that it hadn’t done in the regular season in a decade. On top of that, numerous players received All-Big Ten honors heading into postseason play.

After reaching the 40-win regular season mark for the first time since 2013, Indiana heads into the Big Ten Tournament as the 2-seed. A large reason for the success has been due to freshman Devin Taylor. On Tuesday, he received the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award.

Taylor’s numbers this season were tremendous. He led all Big Ten freshmen in batting average (.328), OPS (1.146), runs scored (58), home runs (16), RBIs (56), total bases (121), slugging percentage (.695), walks (34) and on-base percentage (.451). His 16 home runs this year rank third all-time by all Big Ten freshman.

Taylor was also named to the All-Big Ten First Team.

The other member of the All-Big Ten First Team is sophomore relief pitcher Ryan Kraft. Kraft led all Big Ten pitchers in ERA (2.51) this year in 19 appearances and 57.1 innings of work.

He had 49 strikeouts and was 6-1 on the season. He also had five saves.

On the All-Big Ten Second Team were Phillip Glasser, Luke Sinnard and Brock Tibbits.

Glasser started the year off with a bang, reaching base in the first 45 games of the season. He had a .350 batting average and team-best 83 hits to go with 63 runs scored.

Sinnard led the Big Ten in strikeouts with 104, including three games with 10+ strikeouts. He had a 4.48 era in 78.1 innings pitched. Sinnard finished the season 11-3.

He needs five more strikeouts to set the Indiana single-season program strikeout record.

Rounding out the second team was Tibbits. He had a .387 batting average and finished with 10 homers and 64 RBIs.

Sophomore Josh Pyne was the lone representative for the Indiana baseball program on the Third Team. He finished the year with a.311 batting average and five home runs and 51 RBIs.

Tyler Cerny was also on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. 

The Indiana baseball program begins its Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Five thoughts on transfer portal activity for Indiana basketball following portal deadline

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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Indiana baseball an underdog to watch in NCAA Regional play

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The Indiana baseball program is named as an underdog to watch in NCAA Regional play. (Indiana Athletics)

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

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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

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IU baseball head coach Jeff Mercer discusses the Hoosiers NCAA Tournament bid. (Indiana Athletics)

The IU baseball program heard its name called on Monday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show for the first time since 2019. Following its 40-win regular season, the Hoosiers received a 3-seed in the Lexington Region.

The Hoosiers face off against West Virginia in the opener. Kentucky is the host team as the 1-seed while Ball State rounds out the Lexington Regional.

Indiana’s 40 wins were the most in the regular season since 2013 and the most in any season (regular + postseason) since 2018.

After winning the Big Ten in his first season with the IU baseball program, head coach Jeff Mercer went the last three years without the same level of success. This season was a ‘culmination of a lot of work’.

“I was obviously really excited for the guys,” Mercer said following Monday’s Selection Show. “For most of the guys, this is their first time going. For so long, you’re trying to explain to the guys what it’s like and the process and what you have to do to be able to go through it … to have them be able to experience it and see it and have the satisfaction … it’s very rewarding … The culmination of a lot of work.”

IU baseball was one of three Big Ten teams in the tournament field (Maryland, Iowa).

Below is the full Q&A from Jeff Mercer.

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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Indiana baseball back in NCAA Tournament as 3-seed in Lexington region

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The Indiana baseball program is heading back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. (Indiana Athletics)

The Indiana baseball program is back in the NCAA Tournament.

For the first time since 2019, the Hoosiers enter postseason play with high expectations on making some noise. The selection was announced on Monday with Indiana receiving a 3-seed.

The Hoosiers are in the Lexington region with Kentucky as the host team. The other programs in the region are 1-seed Kentucky, 2-seed West Virginia and the 4-seed Ball State. Indiana opens play with West Virginia.

The Lexington region takes place from June 2-5. The winner of the Lexington region will face the winner of the Baton Rouge regional.

The Indiana baseball program finished the season 41-18 overall and 16-8 in the Big Ten — good enough for second in the conference.

It was the first time since 2013 that Indiana reached 40 wins in the regular season and first since 2018 to hit the mark at all. It was the ninth time in Indiana baseball program history to hit the 40-win mark.

SEE ALSO: Indiana Baseball: Devin Taylor highlights All-Big Ten awards for Hoosiers, six total honored

Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics. 

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