No. 24. Indiana softball returns to Andy Mohr Field this weekend for a three-game set with Nebraska beginning on Friday. Entering the weekend with a 9-2 record, Indiana currently sits one game behind Northwestern in the Big Ten standings. The Hoosiers split the midweek schedule with a victory over the University of Louisville on April 11 and a loss against the University of Notre Dame on April 12.
In her start on Wednesday against Notre Dame, sophomore pitcher Brianna Copeland allowed two earned runs on five hits in three innings in the circle. Copeland’s record now stands at 15-1 after the rough outing in South Bend. Copeland, Indiana’s ace throughout the season, will look to rebound against the Cornhuskers.
While freshman second baseman Taryn Kern continues to lead the Big Ten in several statistical categories, she went a combined 1-3 with four walks against Louisville and Notre Dame. On April 7, Kern’s 17th home run set the single-season home run record, but she has been unable to add to that mark in Indiana’s past four games.
Nebraska is led by freshman infielder Katelyn Caneda and a pair of sisters in junior infielders Billie and Brooke Andrews. The trio has combined for 128 hits, 85 RBIs, 76 runs and 23 home runs. As a team, the Cornhuskers have a batting average of .316, trailing only Indiana in the Big Ten.
Senior pitcher Courtney Wallace has been a workhorse in the circle for the Cornhuskers this season, holding an ERA just north of 3 in 141 2/3 innings pitched. Wallace has struck out 90 batters this season while allowing a batting average of .255.
The reigning Big Ten champions currently stand at 40th in the RPI while the Hoosiers are currently 29th. A series victory against the Cornhuskers would bolster Indiana’s already solid NCAA Tournament resume.
The Hoosiers look to regain momentum after losing three out of the past four with the first game of the series set for 6 p.m. on Friday. A 2 p.m. first pitch is on the slate for Saturday with the series finale beginning at noon on Sunday. Each of the three games this weekend will be available for viewing on B1G+.
