Hoosiers take 2 in doubleheader versus Kentucky

The softball team bounced back from a four-game losing streak Tuesday, taking both games of a doubleheader against Kentucky.\nIn game one Tuesday afternoon, the Hoosiers (9-23) staged a comeback of their own. Down 4-0 to start the fifth inning, IU got on the board when sophomore left fielder Kelli Ritchison notched her first career run with an RBI single to drive in senior center fielder Julia Hamilton. The Hoosiers’ second run came on a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior second baseman Julie DiNallo to score senior third baseman Jennilee Huddleston.\nWith the team trailing 4-2 in its last at bat, senior first baseman Tory Yamaguchi came up to bat with runners on first and second with one out. Yamaguchi lined a pitch to center field that was misjudged by the outfielder and the ball went off her glove to bring the Hoosiers within one run at 4-3 with runners on second and third. \nHuddleston stepped in the box with two outs and runners on second and third. She doubled to right, giving the Hoosiers the lead and eventual win.\nIf the first game lacked excitement, the second game made up for it. Game two saw at least one run scored in every inning. The teams combined to score 29 runs and register 30 hits. To go along with the offensive output, Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing with the home plate umpire.\nThe Hoosiers trailed 3-1 after three innings. In the fourth inning, the Hoosiers batted around to put up seven runs, highlighted by Yamaguchi’s bases-loaded hit that scored two runs. \nKentucky came back in the bottom half of the fourth to put up six runs of their own, making the score 9-8 in favor of the Wildcats. \nIn the top of the fifth, the Hoosiers responded and put five runs on the board, highlighted by a leadoff solo home run from freshman catcher Brittany Stein, and a three-run home run by Yamaguchi. The home run was Yamaguchi’s 37th of her career, putting her one shy of the all-time record.\nThe Hoosiers led 13-12 heading into the Wildcats’ last at-bat. IU junior Stephanie Pellerito’s pinch hit two-run home run in the top of the eighth broke the 13-all tie to put the Hoosiers ahead for good. IU added one more run to win 16-13.\nThe Hoosiers return to Big Ten play when they travel Friday to Minnesota.