Team battles Cardinals

Looking to rebound from a pair of shutouts at Minnesota last weekend, the IU softball team returns to the field today as they travel to face Ball State in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.\nIU (12-27-1) and Ball State (15-17) have already met twice this year when the Cardinals were a participant in the Hoosier Invitational in mid-March. Ball State won the first match-up 3-6 after the Hoosiers lost a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh. IU returned the favor to the Cardinals though in the second game as they scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure an 8-3 win. Since meeting in March both teams have losing records; the Hoosiers are 6-17, while the Cardinals are 7-9.\nSophomore pitcher Heather Stillians got the win in the Hoosier victory, allowing just three runs on four hits over seven innings of work. Stillians also went 3-of-4 from the plate to help her own cause. Senior third baseman Brooke Monroe contributed with a double, home run and two runs batted in.\nIn today's match-up, the Hoosiers will be looking to get their offensive attack back on track after getting shutout in each of their last two games. Junior Stormy Hanson continues to lead the Hoosier bats as she is hitting .376 on the season with seven home runs, 11 doubles and 25 runs scored. Monroe has improved her average to .322 in recent games and is tied with Hanson with seven home runs. Monroe also has 20 runs batted in on the year.\nThe Hoosier pitching staff will also look to shut down the Ball State hitters. Stillians started both previous games against the Cardinals and limited them to three earned runs in 14 total innings. But since the return of senior Alison Cooke from an injury and the improvement of freshman Katie Witham, Stillians has seen less time on the mound. Stillians last start was a loss on Purdue April 14.\nBall State junior shortstop Katie Shea leads the Cardinals in hitting. Shea is batting .402 heading into today's games and also has 12 runs batted in and 11 doubles on the year. Sophomore outfielder Kris Burdine is another dangerous hitter for Ball State as she is hitting .345 with four triples and a pair of home runs.\nJunior pitcher Courtney Winger leads the Cardinals pitching staff with a 2.72 earned run average and a 6-7 record. Winger was the pitcher of record in Ball State and IU's first two games and was knocked around by the Hoosier hitters with five runs on five hits in just two innings in the IU victory. Despite her 3.03 earned run average, sophomore pitcher Randi Freese is the Ball State ace. Freese has a 7-8 record with three shutouts and 76 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings pitched.