Hoosiers halt Purdue winning streak

The Hoosiers had their best conference series this weekend when Purdue visited Saturday and Sunday. In three games, the Hoosiers finished 2-1 against the Boilermakers who — prior to this weekend — were undefeated in Big Ten play.

Saturday’s first game resulted in a 3-2 victory for the Hoosiers, ending the Boilermakers’ undefeated streak.

After IU scored an early run in the bottom of the first inning, freshman pitcher Lora Olson shut out the Boilermaker lineup until the fifth inning.

The Boilermakers notched two runs in the top of the fifth, and junior Amanda Wagner came through and tied the game back up with a groundout RBI to score sophomore Jenna Abraham.

In the seventh, the Hoosiers were just one out away from extra innings until freshman Brianna Meyer hit a double near the center field wall, scoring Wagner for the game-winning hit.

The hit was Meyer’s second of the day, including her second RBI of the day, as well.

Abraham and junior Kelsey Brannon both went 2-for-4, and sophomore Shelby Gogreve provided the leadership IU Coach Michelle Gardner looked for by hitting a perfect 3-for-3.

The win was Olson’s first Big Ten win in her collegiate career.

The second game Saturday ended in a 9-5 hitting-clinic victory for the Hoosiers.

The game, which resulted in IU’s fourth-straight victory against Purdue, tied the previous win-streak record against Purdue set by the 1996-97 Hoosiers.

As Gardner has asked her team to do all season, the Hoosiers scored early and scored often.

The Hoosiers touched home plate a total of eight times in the first three innings compared to the Boilermakers’ two.

Wagner continued hitting well by leading the team with her second two-home run game of the season. Of the Hoosiers’ opening nine runs in the first four innings, four were driven in by Wagner.

Twice during the game, she answered the Boilermakers’ scoring with a home run of her own.

Wagner also ended the game hitting a perfect 4-for-4, and her teammates joined in on the hitting.

Of the nine other Hoosiers with at-bats, six of them recorded hits, and three of them recorded at least one RBI.

In the final game Sunday afternoon, the Hoosiers did not convert their attempt at a weekend sweep.

The Boilermakers defeated the Hoosiers 11-2 after a significant hitting effort against the Hoosiers.

After recording 17 hits total in the first two games, the Boilermakers recorded 17 hits in the final game alone.

Olson recorded the loss, giving up four runs and eight hits in three innings.

Sophomore pitcher Meaghan Murphy relieved her but struggled, as well, giving up seven runs on nine hits in the remaining four innings.

Senior catcher Cassie Gogreve went 2-for-3, recording the only two RBI from the Hoosiers.

The Hoosiers travel to Terre Haute on Wednesday for a break in Big Ten action.

They will face the Indiana State Sycamores before making the trip to University Park, Pa., to resume Big Ten play Saturday against the Nittany Lions of Penn State.

— Justin Shockey