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Indiana Baseball had a rough start in the Big Ten Tournament but was able to win the Big Ten Conference season and is looking ready to start in the regional finals. They will first be going to Louisville as a 2 seed. Head Coach Jeff Mercer joins JMV to talk about what he is looking forward to and preparation for the posteseason.
Did you feel starting the season that the Hoosiers could have done what they ended up doing?
“I don’t know if you ever really know what kind of club that you have until halfway through the year. We thought we had some talented guys and some opportunities. I remember we struggled early and didn’t start off great and had some coaches meeting talking about our expectations. We just came pushing and making a run hoping to keep it the right direction as best we can. I really did, I didn’t know that we would be able to compete at this level this quickly. I know Indiana has been good in the past. We had to play well down the stretch, it really is a testament to the boys. Their belief and committment and they just pushed themselves every day.”
What was the biggest change throughout the season that is the reason you guys are going to Louisville?
“There’s a couple things. We had some injuries early and everyone kind of goes through that phase but we were missing some key pieces. Getting those guys back certainly helped but I think understanding the style and brand that we wanted to play the competitiveness and the toughness that we wanted. You have to have that resiliency every day because we’re playing tough teams and there is no off days. You gotta be able to prepare yourself like a professional. When you come to ball club, these guys are expected to be like professionals.”
1070 The Fan will keep you updated as they get ready to start the tournament.
