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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

IU faces midweek road test

Freshman utility player Gabbi Jenkins leads off first base during IU's game against Bowling Green on Saturday, March 18. IU beat Bowling Green, 11-3, during its first game of the Hoosier Classic. 

IU softball began the season with 24 road games, and when it played its last seven games at Andy Mohr Field, it didn’t feel like a homecoming for freshman utility player Gabbi Jenkins.

Jenkins grew up in Floyds Knobs, Indiana. Located in the state’s southern tip, Floyds Knobs is more than 80 miles from Bloomington but just 10 miles from Louisville, 
Kentucky.

As such, IU’s Wednesday trip to Louisville for a game with the Cardinals offers 
Jenkins the chance to play in front of family and friends.

“I’m really excited,” Jenkins said. “It’s going to be cool and a lot of fun to be able to see my family.”

IU, 16-15 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, starts a seven-game road trip with a visit to Ulmer Stadium.

It will be the 14th consecutive year the Hoosiers and Cardinals play, and IU Coach Michelle Gardner said it’s always a big nonconference matchup.

“Even though it’s not in state, it’s kind of a rivalry game because we do a lot of recruiting in that area,” Gardner said.

Since winning the first meeting between the schools in 2001, IU is 2-15 against Louisville. The last Hoosier victory came in 2014 when they beat the Cardinals 8-3 in Bloomington.

Louisville has made 13 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and lost at the Regional stage last year. This season, the Cardinals boast a 19-8 overall mark and are 4-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

“They’re a very competitive nonconference game for us,” Gardner said. “We’re going to prepare for them just like we do for any opponent.”

The game will improve IU’s rating percentage index, which currently ranks 107th out of 295 NCAA teams. By comparison, Louisville’s RPI is 39.

The Cardinals have already faced Big Ten opposition this season as part of the ACC/Big Ten Softball Challenge, when Louisville recorded wins against Ohio State and Purdue.

A big part of Louisville’s success has been its ability to put up runs. The Cardinals average 5.74 runs per contest, with 10 batters hitting above a .290 average. This includes junior outfielder Nicole Pufahl, who leads the team with 24 RBI and is second on the team with 28 hits.

Unlike IU’s four-pitcher staff, Louisville uses just three pitchers, led by senior Maryssa Becker. Becker has thrown a staggering 115 innings this season to great effect, as she owns a 1.77 ERA and a 14-5 record. She has also thrown 13 complete games. In last season’s matchup between the two teams in Bloomington, Becker threw 2.2 scoreless innings in relief and picked up the win in a 12-2 victory.

IU will look to disrupt Becker’s rhythm through Jenkins and junior outfielder Rebecca Blitz at the top of the Hoosier batting order.

“The more success they have, the more success we have,” Gardner said. “It loosens everybody up and there isn’t as much pressure when those two get on and we’re running around the bases.”

Blitz currently has a 10-game hitting streak, while Jenkins brings an 11-game hitting streak into the game. They are second and third on the team in batting average and Blitz’s 33 hits lead IU.

Following Wednesday’s game, IU will travel to University Park, Pennsylvania, for a three-game series with Penn State.

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