IU will look to keep its hot streak rolling and head into the Big Ten season on a strong note when it plays Indiana State tonight.
The Hoosiers (16-10) are ranked 47th in RPI out of 295 Division I teams, and are good for the sixth-highest rank of all Big Ten teams. Indiana State (7-19) sits at 212th in RPI entering Wednesday night’s matchup.
“This game is important because it’s our last before we open up conference play over the weekend,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said.
IU will try to carry over some offensive momentum from the weekend. The Hoosiers scored 11 runs Sunday afternoon against Western Illinois, IU’s first double-digit run total this season.
But IU did more than score 11 runs against Western Illinois. The Hoosiers battled back from a seven-run deficit after the first inning. Gardner said she was proud of the composure the team showed in the comeback.
“They didn’t give up when it was 7-0,” Gardner said. “That was one of our better offensive games of the year and it was really a group effort as everyone contributed.”
The Hoosier lineup has combined to bat .238 thus far, and has scored 93 runs in 26 games. Led by sophomore leadoff batter and centerfielder Rebecca Blitz, the top of the lineup has seen the most consistent production.
Blitz leads the way in hits, runs and stolen bases, while maintaining a .367 batting average. Junior utility player Erin Lehman, who is second on the team with a .308 batting average, primarily holds down the second spot in the lineup.
IU has received most of its power from junior infielder CaraMia Tsirigos and senior catcher Kelsey Dotson, both regulars in the heart of the lineup. The two have combined for five of the team’s nine home runs, with Lehman also contributing two long balls.
Aside from the top-heavy production of the Hoosier lineup, the team’s young pitching staff has been forced to keep IU in plenty of low-scoring affairs this season.
Freshman pitcher Tara Trainer, who garnered her third Big Ten Freshman of the Week award Monday for her performance in the Hoosier Classic this past weekend, has gotten better as the season has gone on. Her most recent performances dropped her season ERA to 1.89.
The righty from Lebanon, Ohio, has also struck out 110 batters in just 81.1 innings pitched this year. Trainer and fellow freshman pitcher Josie Wood (2.58 ERA) anchor the staff together, and redshirt freshman pitcher Emily Kirk (4.50 ERA) rounds out the rotation.
Any of the three arms could be expected to pitch in any game for IU, as each pitcher has experience both starting and relieving in games this year.
With Big Ten play beginning against Iowa this weekend, Gardner said it will be important for IU to work out the kinks in several facets of their game before the meat of their schedule kicks in.
“We need to go out there and fine-tune some parts of our game to get ready for this next part of the season,” Gardner said.
