Hoosiers hope to start season strong

The clink of the aluminum bats and the snap of a pitch hitting a leather glove fills the air as the softball team practices in Mellencamp Pavillion. Spring is finally approaching and with the season opener just days away, the IU softball team is preparing for their 2005 season.\nWith five of their top eight hitters and two winningest pitchers returning this season, the Hoosiers hope to improve on last year's 32-31 record. \n"We're all very excited for the start of the season," said junior catcher Tory Yamaguchi. "We want to go out and show what we can do."\nYamaguchi led the Hoosier offense in 2004 with a .340 batting average, 10 home runs and a .543 slugging percentage.\nIU interim head coach Stacey Phillips says Yamaguchi and fellow junior Mariangee Bogado will be counted on for leadership with a team that features 12 freshmen and sophomores.\n"Tory and Mariangee have taken a leadership role on the team. By the way they play, they're helping the younger players add the pieces they need to play this game."\nAs the team's ace last season, Bogado led the team with a 16-15 overall record and a miniscule 1.62 earned run average. Her 207 strikeouts for the year were the fifth most in a single season in IU history. She also contributed a .262 batting average with 19 RBI's.\nBogado will receive support on the mound from junior pitcher Megan Roark who compiled a 10-11 overall record with a 1.95 ERA during the 2004 season.\nIU will jump right into things this weekend with five games in the Alexis Resort Challenge in Las Vegas. The team will start the season Friday with two games versus the Cal State-Northridge Matadors and the University of Texas-El Paso Miners. \nContinuing its grueling stretch of five games in three days, the cream and crimson will take on host team University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Utah State Saturday and then will wrap up the tourney Sunday against Marshall.\n"We know we can go 5-0 this weekend," Bogado said. "We've been working so hard, and we're all just ready to play."\nNo matter what happens during the tournament, the Hoosiers are using these preseason games as tune-ups for the conference season. Last season against Big Ten opponents, IU finished with a disappointing 7-13 record. \n"The preseason is just preparing for the Big Ten, the best conference in the nation," Phillips said. "Our goal for the season is to finish in the top half of the conference and get into the tournament."\nFinishing in the top half of the conference will be no easy task for Phillips' squad. Seven teams finished with a .500 record or above overall last season, including a Michigan team that won 54 of its 67 games.\nThe Hoosiers will not let anything or anyone stand in their way.\n"Defense, offense and pitching are always the most important things," Phillips said. "If we can get two of those three things going consistently, I project great success for IU softball this season."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.