Indiana softball returned home this weekend to take on the No. 22 Maryland Terrapins (22-5) in a three-game series at Andy Mohr Field. After extending their win streak to 12 games in Memphis, the Hoosiers looked to carry momentum into the beginning of conference play.
After originally being scheduled to play one game on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, inclement weather pushed back the series opener to Saturday in what was slated to be a doubleheader. The schedule was once again changed on Saturday, pushing back the doubleheader to Sunday.
Related: [Indiana softball adjusts schedule again for series against Maryland]
The Hoosiers came out of the weekend with a 3-0 record in conference play, sweeping the Terrapins and extending their win streak to 15 games.
Saturday, March 25
After being pushed back to Saturday, Indiana opened its series against Maryland with a comeback victory.
Through five innings, neither team could muster up anything on offense to get a run across the plate. The pitcher’s duel between Maryland junior Courtney Wyche and Indiana sophomore Brianna Copeland seemed like it wasn’t going to end, until freshman designated player Amelia Lech opened the scoring for the Terrapins with a solo home run.
Going into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Hoosiers had yet to do anything offensively. With Maryland’s freshman reliever Keira Bucher entering the game with nine saves on the season, it looked like she was well on her way to her tenth. That was until the Hoosiers were able to get the bases loaded with a bunt single and back-to-back walk.
With sophomore outfielder Taylor Minnick at the plate, the ball just needed to be put into play to tie the game, but Minnick got a run batted in via a hit-by-pitch to even the score. An RBI single from sophomore first baseman Sarah Stone gave the Hoosiers a walk-off 2-1 victory in the series opener.
Sunday, March 26
In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, the Hoosiers got off to a quick start at the plate scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning. After her walk-off single in Saturday’s contest with the Terrapins, Stone launched a three-run home run to left center field to give the Hoosiers an early 3-0 lead.
RBI singles from junior outfielder Aaliyah Andrews and junior shortstop Brooke Benson brought Copeland and freshman catcher Avery Parker in to score to extend Indiana’s lead to five. After leading off the inning, senior utility player Cora Bassett came back up to bat for the second time in the first inning and hit a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing Andrews in to score.
After holding the Terrapins scoreless in the second inning, the Hoosiers were able to score three runs in the second after home runs from freshman second baseman Taryn Kern and Parker gave Indiana a 9-0 lead.
The Terrapins responded in the third inning with a home run from Lech, cutting their deficit to six. After Indiana held all the momentum in the early innings, Maryland seemed to have taken some as they held the Hoosiers scoreless in the third inning. They were unable to get anything going in the top of the fourth, allowing Indiana to score five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
RBI doubles from Stone and Parker drove in Minnick and senior pinch runner Tatum Hayes to give the Hoosiers an 11-3 advantage. Later in the inning, Kinsey Mitchell laid down a bunt and reached third base safely, driving in Parker and Andrews after a throwing error from sophomore third baseman Michaela Jones. A sacrifice fly from Benson allowed Mitchell to score Indiana’s 14th run of the game.
Going into the top of the fifth inning, the Hoosiers needed just three outs to end the game via run rule. The Terrapins were able to extend the game by scoring four runs in their half of the inning via an error by Bassett, a wild pitch and an RBI single from Jones. Indiana scored its 15th and final run of the game after a single to right field from Brianna Copeland, giving the Hoosiers an eight-run lead and a 15-7 run rule victory.
In the final game of the series, Indiana once again got off to another quick start after a two-run home run from Stone drove in Minnick and gave the Hoosiers a 2-0 advantage. Even with the quick start, the Terrapins responded in the top of the second with three runs via an RBI double from junior pitcher Trinity Schlotterbeck and an RBI single from Taylor Liguori.
Stone continued her hot streak with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning, driving in Hayes. Just two batters later, freshman catcher Avery Parker followed suit, hitting a two-run home run and driving in Copeland to give the Hoosiers a 6-3 lead.
Following a four-run third inning, the Hoosiers scored three runs in the fourth with RBI singles from Minnick and Bassett and a sacrifice fly from Stone, giving Indiana a 9-3 lead. An RBI single from Liguori in the top of the sixth inning cut Indiana’s lead to 9-4.
A two-run home run from Kern in the bottom of the sixth gave the Hoosiers an 11-4 lead. Montgomery kept the Terrapins quiet in the top of the seventh to give Indiana the 15-7 victory.
Indiana now holds a 15-game win streak and a 3-0 record in Big Ten play behind four home runs for Stone this weekend.
The Hoosiers next take the field Tuesday, March 28, against the Butler Bulldogs for a 6 p.m. first pitch at Andy Mohr Field.
