Deron Swanson shines in relief as pitching staff propels Indiana past Ball State

The crack of Korbyn Dickerson’s bat as he crushed his Big Ten-leading 15th home run may have electrified the crowd early, but it was the calm, methodical work of senior southpaw Deron Swanson that truly stole the show Tuesday night at Bart Kaufman Field.

Swanson didn’t expect to be jogging to the mound in the second inning. But when Indiana baseball needed someone to steady the ship against Ball State, the Fort Wayne native answered the call—and then some.

“I’m just ready when my name is called,” Swanson said postgame. “Being ready when my number is called and going out there and balling out for the team.”

That’s exactly what he did.

Swanson delivered 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, surrendering four hits and striking out three. More than anything, he gave the Hoosiers a backbone—a gutsy outing that helped Indiana claw back from an early deficit and ride it out to a 7-5 win.

After starter Jackson Yarberry gave up two runs in the first, pitching coach Dustin Glant turned to Swanson. The plan may have been to eat up a couple of innings. But once Swanson settled in, it was hard to take the ball from him.

His biggest moment came in the third. After hitting the leadoff batter and allowing a single, Ball State had runners on second and third with one out. With the game still 2-0, things could’ve unraveled.

Instead, Swanson dug in.

He struck out the next batter after a tense string of foul balls on a full count, then induced a flyout to end the threat. No runs, no panic—just a senior doing his job.

“He settled back in and attacked and did a tremendous job,” head coach Jeff Mercer said. “It really is the reason that we won the game.”

Moments later, Indiana’s bats came alive. A five-run bottom of the third flipped the script.

Dickerson launched a no-doubt two-run blast to left, and freshman Cooper Malamazian followed with a go-ahead two-run single through the infield.

From there, Indiana’s lefty-heavy bullpen took over.

Ryan Rushing and Brayton Thomas combined for three innings of work before things got dicey again in the ninth.

Thomas loaded the bases with a walk and two hit batters, unable to record an out in the final frame. That’s when veteran Ryan Kraft got the call.

And, like he’s done many times before in his Indiana career, Kraft closed the door.

Though all three inherited runners scored—charged to Thomas—Kraft secured the final three outs for his first save of the season. It marked his 74th career appearance, tying him for sixth in program history.

“You always feel like the game is over when he comes in,” Mercer said. “He’s just awesome. He’s a hell of a good player and a hell of a good leader.”

The Hoosiers were out-hit but made their knocks count, scoring all seven of their runs in just the third and fifth innings. That proved to be enough, thanks to Indiana’s arms.

In total, Indiana pitchers struck out 12 and walked just two. Ball State was held scoreless from the second through the eighth innings.

It’s been that kind of stretch for Indiana. Tuesday’s win marked the Hoosiers’ fourth straight, capping a nine-game homestand at 6-3.

Over those last four games, Indiana has allowed just 13 runs, with the staff ERA dropping significantly during that span.

“I wouldn’t say we changed anything,” Swanson said. “I just think things started to go our way. We’re pitching the way we’re supposed to and the way we’re capable of.”

There were other milestones, too. Infielder Tyler Cerny broke Indiana’s all-time hit-by-pitch record with his 39th, coming in the fifth inning.

Outfielder Devin Taylor tallied two more hits, putting him one shy of joining Indiana’s 200-hit club. He also became just the 20th Hoosier to notch 150 career RBIs.

But the tone of the night belonged to the pitching staff—and to Swanson, who came in early and refused to blink.

“I think the train’s just now getting rolling,” Swanson said.