Indiana Hoosiers baseball


The Indiana Hoosiers baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Indiana University Bloomington in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The team competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I and are members of the Big Ten Conference. The team plays at Bart Kaufman Field, which opened for the 2013 season.
In conference postseason play, Indiana has won four Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournaments and made eight NCAA Regionals appearances, including one College World Series appearance in 2013. In regular season play, the Hoosiers have won seven Big Ten Conference titles.

History

The early years

In 1949, the Hoosiers hired former Indiana University alumn and former MLB third baseman Ernie Andres to manage the team. Andres would eventually become the longest serving head coach of IU baseball, to date, amassing a 388-367-3 overall record during his 25-year tenure. Andres' Hoosiers would capture one Big Ten conference championship, while also finishing third or better in conference standings three times.
In 1974, Bob Lawrence replaced longtime-tenured coach Ernie Andres. In seven seasons with the Hoosiers, Lawrence compiled a 132-164 overall record ; Lawrence never led Indiana to a post-season appearance, with his highest conference final standing of third place occurred in 1976.
In 1981, Larry Smith replaced Bob Lawrence as head coach for the Hoosiers. During Smith's three-year tenure at Indiana, he compiled a 74-74-1 overall record and never achieved a post-season appearance.

Bob Morgan era

In 1984, Bob Morgan replaced Larry Smith as head coach of the Hoosiers. Morgan would take the Hoosiers to five Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournaments and one appearance in the NCAA Regionals. Indiana would lose in the opening round of the 1996 NCAA Midwest Regional to Wichita State, 4–0. Morgan would finish his career with Indiana in 2005, with an overall record of 782–499–4 in 21 years of managing the team as the second-longest tenured coach in Hoosiers' history.

Post Bob Morgan

Tracy Smith

On June 23, 2005, Indiana replaced long-time coach Bob Morgan with former Miami head coach Tracy Smith.
On June 9, 2013, the Hoosiers completed a sweep of in the best of 3 Super Regional to advance to their first College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The Hoosiers would eventually lose 1–0 to Oregon State in the second round. Consequently, the 2013 roster would also notably include future-Chicago Cubs player Kyle Schwarber and his eventual selection in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.
Following the conclusion of the 2014 season, then-head coach Tracy Smith was hired by Arizona State to the same position. In nine years as head coach of the Hoosiers, Smith finished with a 287–237 overall record, two Big Ten Baseball Championships and three NCAA Regionals, including one College World Series appearance in 2013.

Chris Lemonis

On July 24, 2015, the Indiana Hoosier's Athletic Department hired former Louisville assistant coach Chris Lemonis to replace Smith as head coach. On June 25, 2018, Mississippi State confirmed that it had hired Lemonis as their new head baseball coach, formally ending Lemonis' tenure with the Hoosiers. Lemonis compiled a 141–91–2 overall record, 55–37-1 conference record and three NCAA Tournament appearances, while head coach of the Hoosiers.

Jeff Mercer

On July 2, 2018, Indiana University Athletics announced the hiring of former Wright State head coach Jeff Mercer, to the head coaching position for the Hoosiers. Mercer would then make a notable acquisition to the Hoosiers' coaching staff on July 18, 2018 with the hiring of former-MLB All Star third baseman Scott Rolen as Director of Player Development.
On May 18, 2019, the Hoosiers became the 2019 Big Ten regular season champions, following their win over Rutgers by a score of 13–3. Indiana would finish the regular season 36–19 overall and 17–7 in conference play.
Following the culmination of the regular season, on May 21, 2019, Jeff Mercer was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. With the award, Mercer became the third Hoosier manager to be bestowed the honor.
On March 12, 2020 it was announced that the remainder of the 2020 season would be cancelled, due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

Conference affiliations

Jordan Field (1887–1950)

Created in 1887, Indiana's first athletic grounds, Jordan Field was originally named University Athletic Field before being renamed in 1898, in honor of then-Indiana University President David Starr Jordan. The field was a mixed-use facility utilized by both the football and baseball teams. Bleacher seating for 4,000 persons were added in 1901, with field drainage added the following year to alleviate flooding.
In 1904, a track and field component was added to the athletic facility; however, conditions of the field continued to be a problem for the Hoosiers. The track and field portion of Jordan Field was upgraded in 1915. The final varsity athletic event for Jordan Field, a baseball game, would occur in 1950 prior to the facility being turned into a parking lot for the nearby Indiana Memorial Union.

Sembower Field (1951–2012)

Sembower Field was the main baseball stadium utilized by the Hoosiers from 1951 to 2012. It was named after former Indiana baseball player Charles Sembower. The stadium was located just north of the Foster Quadrangle dormitory on Fee Lane, less than 1 mile southeast of the current Hoosier baseball facility: Bart Kaufman Field. The former site of Sembower Field is presently used as a recreational sports complex for university students.

Bart Kaufman Field (2013–Present)

Bart Kaufman Field is the home of the Hoosiers and is located in Bloomington, Indiana, on the campus of Indiana University. Indiana alumnus Bart Kaufman pledged $2.5 million to start construction on the facility, with the rest of the funding coming from private donations and the university. Construction of Bart Kaufman Field was completed in March 2013 and formally dedicated on April 26. Bart Kaufman Field hosted its first Big Ten Baseball Tournament from May 24–28, 2017.

Notable players

Current MLB players

YearRoundPickNameTeam
19658th154Ron KellerMinnesota Twins
197020th469Bruce MillerChicago White Sox
19843rd69Barry JonesPittsburgh Pirates
19885th120Mickey MorandiniPhiladelphia Phillies
19887th174John WehnerPittsburgh Pirates
19931st29Kevin OrieChicago Cubs
199337th1046Chris PetersPittsburgh Pirates
199635th1050Doug DeVoreCincinnati Reds
20005th134Zach McClellanKansas City Royals
20091st38Josh PhegleyChicago White Sox
200933rd987Jake DunningSan Francisco Giants
20113rd91Alex DickersonWashington Nationals
20129th291Micah JohnsonChicago White Sox
20135th140Aaron SlegersMinnesota Twins
20141st4Kyle SchwarberChicago Cubs
20142nd67Sam TravisBoston Red Sox
201619th568Kyle HartBoston Red Sox
20179th267Craig DedelowChicago White Sox
201731st916Minnesota Twins
20185th138Jonathan StieverChicago White Sox
201822nd647Luke MillerPhiladelphia Phillies
201828th828Logan SowersChicago White Sox
201829th883Tim HerrinCleveland Indians
20192nd57Matt GorskiPittsburgh Pirates
20196th182Andrew SaalfrankArizona Diamondbacks
20196th187Tanner GordonAtlanta Braves
201915th444Matt LloydCincinnati Reds
201923rd680Pauly MiltoChicago White Sox
201936th1077Scotty BradleyToronto Blue Jays
201936th1080Cam BeauchampPhiladelphia Phillies
201937th1116Seattle Mariners
201940th1204Pittsburgh Pirates
201940th1207Cade BunnellAtlanta Braves

Year-by-year results

Below is a table of the program's yearly records.

Championships

Conference Regular Season Championships

Conference Tournament Championships

Awards

Conference Awards