Indiana softball heads to Bowling Green, Kentucky for a mid-week matchup Tuesday against Western Kentucky University (21-12). After sweeping Ohio State on April 2, Team 50 has risen to No. 19 in the D1 Softball rankings and will look to extend its program-record 21-game win streak.
Freshman second baseman Taryn Kern continues to lead Indiana at the plate with her Big Ten-leading 15 home runs and .435 batting average. Sophomore outfielder Taylor Minnick impressed at the plate against Ohio State, totaling six hits in eight at-bats, allowing her to score five runs.
[Related: Indiana softball infielders Sarah Stone and Taryn Kern earn Big Ten awards]
Team 50’s pitching staff had their struggles against the explosive Buckeyes, but with the offense averaging 11 runs per game, allowing seven runs per game didn’t lead to any losses over the weekend. Sophomore Brianna Copeland enters Tuesday with her unblemished 13-0 record in the circle alongside her 2.81 ERA.
Junior shortstop Brooke Benson was surehanded in the field during the three-game set against Ohio State with five putouts, 19 assists and just one error. With putting the 21-game win streak on the line Tuesday, the pressure of extending it hasn’t gotten to Benson.
“Personally, it doesn’t feel like 21. I’ve been having a blast with my team,” Benson said after sweeping Ohio State. “Belief drives behavior, and I believe in this team and the team believes in each other.”
After taking care of business against Butler University on March 28, Indiana returns to non-conference play against a solid Western Kentucky team. Head coach Shonda Stanton said she hopes that the fast start in conference play makes her team hungry for more.
“I hope they’re hungry. You know, that’s what I hope (the fast start) does, I hope it makes them super hungry tomorrow,” Stanton said after sweeping Ohio State.
While the Hoosiers swept the Buckeyes, the Hilltoppers dropped two of three at home against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Western Kentucky struggled in their final two games against Charlotte, losing both games and only totaling three runs while allowing 17.
At the plate, Western Kentucky is led by fifth-year utility player Faith Hegh, entering Tuesday’s contest with a .396 batting average alongside an on-base plus slugging of 1.104. In the circle, the Hilltoppers are led by senior Katie Gardner with an ERA of 3.46.
Tuesday’s contest against Western Kentucky will be streamed on Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network, with the first pitch at 6 p.m.
“We gotta get back to understanding what it’s about,” Stanton said Sunday. “We got a good ballclub on Tuesday on the road.”
