Team earns wins in New Mexico tourney

IU entered this weekend's tough New Mexico State tournament with no season experience and a new head coach, but came out 3-2 with victories against San Jose State, Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green. They lost to Marshall and Southwest Texas State. \nIn the first game against already 2-4 San Jose State, it was the Spartans who looked like they were playing for the first time this season, as IU defeated SJSU 4-2 before 125 fans in Las Cruces. \nJunior pitcher Heather Stillians (1-0) was the star of the evening as she threw a complete-game, allowing only six hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out six. She also drove in two runs on a single in the top of the fourth inning that broke a 1-1 tie. \nSenior Stormy Hanson also drove in a run for the Hoosiers who scattered seven hits and only committed one error. Three of IU's runs all came on the top of the fourth inning with nobody out. After senior Heather Suca walked and Hanson doubled, Stillians helped her own cause by singling to center field plating both Suca and Hanson. \nIn the nightcap, IU continued their stellar play as Hanson went 4 for 4, including two doubles, two triples and four RBI to lead the Hoosiers to a 10-2 victory over Eastern Illinois (0-2). Sophomore Katie Witham (1-0) earned the victory for the Hoosiers allowing only five hits and no runs while walking one and striking out three in six innings pitched. Junior Abby Stark also had two hits and one RBI for IU. The Hoosiers started 2-0 for the first time since the 1994 season. \nOn Saturday the Hoosiers, despite two excellent scoring opportunities in the fourth and the sixth, could not cross the plate as they were shutout by Marshall 2-0. The Thundering Herd (2-1) were led by sophomore pitcher Randi Nielson, who allowed only three hits in seven innings while walking three and striking out eight. Witham continued her success from last night, as she pitched a complete game, allowing no earned runs on five hits. IU played shorthanded as Suca sat with the flu.\nThe senior shortstop's return to the lineup against mighty Southwest Texas State was not enough to power the Hoosiers past the Bobcats, as IU was shutdown 9-2 by junior Nicole Neuerburgh, who just last evening tossed a no hitter against host New Mexico State. \nSouthwest Texas State, who had already played five games against top 25 teams and two teams among the top five in 2003, scored three runs in the top of the third inning off of starter Stillians (1-1) and went on to score two runs each in the fourth, fifth, and sixth inning. \nIn what mounted to be the rubber game of the tournament, IU put together their most complete game of the weekend by beating Bowling Green 8-3. Stillians and Hanson provided the fuel for the IU offense as Stillians connected on a three-run home run in the third, while Hanson increased the IU lead to 5-2 with a solo smash over the centerfield fence in the fifth. Stillians earned the victory on the mound for the Hoosiers while Witham allowed no earned runs in three innings pitched extending her consecutive scoreless innings pitched to 20.