Indiana softball narrowly defeated Minnesota in its first Big Ten series of the 2026 season, and now the Hoosiers will look to build off the victory Tuesday when they return to Andy Mohr Field in Bloomington to host Loyola University Chicago.
Indiana is coming off a 2-1 series win against Minnesota over the weekend. The Hoosiers dropped the first game of the three-game set to the Golden Gophers 2-0. In the contest, Indiana was a combined 2 for 23 from the plate and did not score a single run.
Following the loss Friday, the Hoosiers recovered and defeated Minnesota 5-0 on Saturday. Indiana tallied nine hits, which culminated in a critical two-RBI single from sophomore infielder Josie Bird in the sixth inning. The Hoosiers’ pitching rotation held the Golden Gophers to just three hits.
The third game of the set saw a combined 17 hits from both teams, but Indiana held on to its late lead to secure the series victory with a 6-4 win. Sophomore infielder Madalyn Strader recorded a home run in the fifth inning, and sophomore pitcher Ella Troutt sealed the game in the seventh inning for the Hoosiers.
Now, Indiana prepares to face Loyola (Chicago), which is 11-13 this season. The Ramblers have struggled in games away from Loyola Softball Park, as they are just 3-5 in road games, and hold an 8-8 record in neutral-site games. However, Loyola (Chicago) has a 3-0 conference record after a series sweep of the University of Dayton over the weekend in its first Atlantic 10 Conference series of the season.
The Ramblers are led by junior infielder Nat Lesnicki, who leads the team with 24 hits and is currently hitting .338 with a .942 OPS. Loyola (Chicago) has not been a frequent power-hitting team so far this season, as Lesnicki leads the team in home runs with just two.
The Ramblers also feature freshman outfielder Megan Piotrowski, who has emerged as a force at the plate in her first season in Chicago. The Tinley Park, Illinois, native is hitting .304 in 69 at-bats and is second on the team with 21 hits. She is tied for third on the team, along with Lesnicki and graduate student catcher Adelina Staden, with nine RBIs.
On the mound, freshman pitcher Anna Kiel has been Loyola (Chicago)’s most consistent arm this season, registering a 2.91 ERA and leading the Ramblers with 45.2 innings pitched. She has started in six of her 15 appearances, and has thrown 23 strikeouts while giving up 53 hits and 19 earned runs.
Freshman pitcher Katie Geydoshek is just ahead of Kiel with a 3.92 ERA, and she has appeared in 13 games while starting six. Geydoshek leads the Ramblers in strikeouts with 39, and she has given up 51 hits and 25 earned runs. Junior pitcher Brooke Steinhorst has made the most starts for Loyola (Chicago) in 2026 with eight. She has struck out seven batters while giving up 36 hits and 20 earned runs.
Indiana will look to win its third consecutive game when it hosts Loyola (Chicago) at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Andy Mohr Field in Bloomington. The game will be streamed on Big Ten+.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Joe Elms (@JoeElms1 and @jpelms@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana softball season.
