NEW ALBANY, Ind. - The Indiana University Southeast baseball team continued its successful ways on Friday with one major change. The historic change occurred before the second game of the doubleheader with Asbury College when Grenadier Head Coach Ben Reel turned his key to turn on the new lights at the Koetter Sports Baseball Complex for the first time.
The lights, funded by a generous donation from the Clark-Floyd Counties Convention & Tourism Bureau, provided a unique playing atmosphere that has been in the waiting for 30 years. The 30 year dream is now a reality and happy faces could be seen everywhere on Friday as fans, parents, alumni and players soaked in the new surroundings.
To make things better, the Grenadiers swept the visiting Eagles of Asbury. The Grenadiers won 9-8 over the Eagles in the first game of the four-game weekend series. Great pitching in the second game of the doubleheader allowed for the Grenadiers to out-score Asbury 6-0 to win the second game of the day in seven innings.
The IU Southeast baseball team has won 17 of its last 18 games with the only loss coming to NCAA Division II Bellarmine University on March 23.
IU Southeast senior
Brandon Clemmons (2-0) came in with the game tied and pitched his way to the game one victory to earn his second win of the season. Senior
Adam Lipke (4-1) earned his fourth win of the season with a four-run complete game shutout in the second game of the doubleheader with Asbury.
Lipke struck out eight batters while only giving up four hits against 27 total hitters. Freshman
Zach Maupin hit an impressive grand slam in the first inning of the first game to give the Grenadiers an early lead.
Senior
Derek Mills also had a good offensive performance on Friday. Mills was 3-of-4 hitting with two stolen bases.
"Our guys grinded out the win in the first game. The middle of our lineup has been terrorizing opponents all year long," said Coach Reel.
The Grenadiers are currently 19-7 overall and are off to one of the best starts in IU Southeast baseball history. The Grenadiers are an undefeated 6-0 in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) standings and in sole possession of first place in the conference regular-season standings. Asbury College and Brescia University are currently tied in second place in the KIAC two games back.
With today's wins, the IU Southeast baseball program is now undefeated (16-0) this season at the Koetter Sports Baseball Complex. The Grenadiers are also 1-0 overall under the lights at home.
Reel has been pleased with his team's play as we hit the halfway point of the season.
"We have a very balanced lineup," said Reel. "Our guys take every appearance at the plate as it were their last, they fight to the end and never give up. As a coach, you have to be pleased with a team who plays like that."
Reel also knows how special playing under the lights is for the entire community, "So many people played a role in making this a reality at IU Southeast. This is something special and it makes me happy for our guys, our alumni, the campus and the entire community. These lights really put our field on the map and provide greater flexibility to our program and the community."
The Grenadiers are combining for a .316 batting average and have outscored opponents 192-136 in 27 games. Coming into today's doubleheader with Asbury, the Grenadiers had stolen 69 bases in 81 attempts. That ranks the Grenadiers No. 12 in the NAIA for stolen bases and No. 14 in the number of stolen bases attempted.
"I am also happy with our base running," said Reel. "We value base running here at IU Southeast and are one of the top base stealing teams in the country."
The Grenadiers will return home tomorrow when they finish the four-game regular-season conference series with Asbury College. Saturday's doubleheader with Asbury will begin at 1 p.m. at the Koetter Sports Baseball Complex.
Check back to IUSAthletics.com later this evening for more information including the complete box score statistics from the today's wins over Asbury College.
