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(04/20/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team will host Michigan and Michigan State this weekend at home before embarking on a monthlong road trip.\nThe 2-7 record the Hoosiers have on the road, coupled with a 1-9 mark in the Big Ten, doesn’t bode well for the future of the IU season. The conference contests have not been very kind to the Hoosiers.\n“We’ve had trouble in our recent home games against the Big Ten,” junior Jennifer Moore said. “We’re hoping to do better in this weekend.”\nSenior Kim Richards said the Hoosiers’ upcoming home stint will be crucial. They have more morale at home, and winning at home will help their performance on the road, she said.\nThough the chances of ending their regular season on a high seems dim because of a grueling schedule to end their campaign, Richards said she thinks IU’s recent win against Evansville will help in this stretch. \n“We were always capable of winning, but the Evansville win added belief,” Richards said. “We like the feeling of winning, and we want to experience it again.”\nThis weekend may see a more energized Hoosiers team that may help to carry over their success against Evansville. Last week IU had to face Minnesota and Wisconsin on the road while traveling by bus, but they will get to sleep in their own beds this weekend. Though the home factor might sometimes seem trivial, it can mean a world of difference on the playing field.\nIU coach Stacey Phillips said these upcoming games are meaningful to the Hoosiers at this point in the season.\n“Having only one win in the Big Ten game, it’ll be important for us to put ourselves in a position to be successful,” Phillips said. “Any game is important to us at this point, and we definitely have an advantage being at home.” \nWinning all four of their weekend games might be a little easier by facing Michigan State (22-21, 0-9) which sits at the bottom of the Big Ten. \nBut the real threat to the Hoosiers’ success is the Michigan Wolverines, who have played well in their season thus far. Though Michigan is only fourth in their conference, they are ranked No. 8 on USASoftball.com. The Wolverines have a 33-8 record on the season and have rated higher than any Big Ten team nationally.\nPhillips said she thinks her team can win if they take the right approach.\n“Our approach is usually the same in every contest,” Phillips said. “The message I have for my players is to play IU softball and do the small things, and the big things will come. I think athletes get caught up in always wanting to make the big play. But if we can focus on the intangibles, the outcome will be a lot better for us.”
(04/19/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team gained a much-needed out-of-conference road win on Wednesday at James N. and Dorothy M. Cooper Softball Stadium in Evansville.\nThe Hoosiers defeated the Purple Aces 2-0 in a game that was largely a pitcher’s duel.\nIU scored its only two runs of the game in the third inning when senior Tory Yamaguchi, who gained two RBIs as she hit in junior Jennilee Huddleston. Yamaguchi continued to improve on a home-run spree this season, and she now has 12 on the season. \nOffense has been hard to come by for the Hoosiers, but Yamaguchi has been a constant performer for IU.\nAssistant coach Tarrah Beyster said Yamaguchi’s hit was a clutch one.\n“We were getting runners on base but couldn’t hit them in,” Beyster said. “It was a really big hit that came at the right time.”\nBeyster also said that her team took much better care of the ball in the win.\nIU hopes to get a smooth transition from this game. The Hoosiers have to prepare to face much more competitive Big Ten foes, who will pose a much greater threat to the Hoosiers than Evansville. Yamaguchi said today changed the team.\n“Today was a turning point,” Yamaguchi said. “Everyone was on a high today and this win was great for us heading into a Michigan (and) Michigan State weekend.”\nThis game may serve as a huge boost for the Hoosiers, who were able to end a five-game road trip that saw four loses and a win. The Evansville win will also help IU heading into a four-game home stretch that will be followed by seven road games before ending the regular season against Purdue at home in May.\nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright was able to post a shutout against the Aces. The sophomore transfer has been a mainstay in the circle for IU and has been the most reliable pitcher thus far. Beyster said she was impressed with Wright’s performance.\n“Monica had a really great game,” Beyster said. “She faced a lot of great hitters and she was able to keep them off balance.”\nWright said she expects to see the same winning team this weekend. \n“I expect our team to carry over everything that we did today into this weekend,” Wright said. “We all went out there and played our game and had fun and that’s what I expect this weekend.”
(04/18/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team has seen its fair share of hard times in the past week, but the Evansville game is just what the Hoosiers need to get back on their feet before jumping back into the Big Ten season.\nThe Hoosiers will travel to Evansville today before getting back into their Big Ten season with contests against Michigan State and Michigan this weekend. \nThis game is similar to the April 10 game against Indiana State that IU won before it went on a four-game losing streak on the road in Big Ten play. IU will have four more Big Ten games after this Evansville contest, but they will be at home. \nSenior pitcher Kristy Wahl said the Evansville game can help the Hoosiers in the future.\n“I think the non-conference game can help us like the Indiana State game,” Wahl said. “I don’t know why Indiana State didn’t carry over, but I think Evansville is a good team so they can help us prepare to face Michigan State.”\nThe Hoosiers (19-23) are 6-6 at home and 1-7 away from Bloomington this season, playing most of the games in neutral sites. Wahl said she thinks the home game can help her team. \n“We’ve been struggling at the starts of games and we seem to settle down once we get into the game,” Wahl said. “Hopefully we can use the Evansville game, along with this weekend, and our fans to turn that around in our upcoming home games.”\nThis home stretch will be a crucial one for IU. \nAfter this weekend the team will head into a stretch without home games that will see the Hoosiers play seven away games heading into the postseason. They won’t return to play a game in the IU Softball Field until May 6, when they face the Boilermakers to close out their regular season. \nSuccess is a must have this weekend because of the Hoosiers’ track record on the road. IU coach Stacey Phillips said after the Minnesota loss that she was proud of a team that never gives up, and IU will need every bit of that determination in its upcoming road schedule. \nThis grueling road slate the Hoosiers have to endure can have an affect that is detrimental to the players’ postseason hopes. Sophomore infielder Sarah Padove said they will have to pull all aspects of their game together to be successful.
(04/17/07 4:00am)
The Hoosiers have hit a skid since the Big Ten season started. They have gone 1-7 in conference play and 2-10 since beginning their Big Ten season against Iowa. \nIU lost two more Big Ten contests yesterday when it was swept in a doubleheader against Wisconsin. The Hoosiers lost 5-3 in their first game, and 7-1 in the second. \nMorale may have been lost when the Hoosiers began their first game poorly, letting Wisconsin get out to a 5-0 lead and going scoreless until the fifth inning of the game. Senior infielder Rachel Terry hit a three-run homer to bring the score to 5-3, but the Hoosiers would not see any more offense as the rest of the game was a stalemate. \nSenior pitcher Christy Wahl said the Hoosiers have to begin their games better. \n“I think both first innings gave the game away because we weren’t able to come back,” she said. \nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright fell to 12-14 with a loss in the first game, but she wasn’t the only one to lose her touch. In seven innings, Wahl allowed four earned hits out of eight, seven runs and six walks. Despite striking out a career-high nine batters, she dropped to 2-2 on the season. \nThe Hoosiers’ offense suffered in their second game. The first score of the game for IU came when senior outfielder Kim Richards hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. IU didn’t see much from its bats, but Richards stole the shutout from the Badgers. \nJunior infielder Jennilee Huddleston said a lack of offense resulted in other problems. \n“The lack of offense affected our defense,” Huddleston said. “It’s hard to get one thing going when you have others that aren’t.” \nThe Hoosiers have seen four consecutive losses in two doubleheaders where IU’s offense struggled late in the game. IU scored only one run in multiple games while Minnesota and Wisconsin scored several runs against the Hoosiers. \nThe recent string of losses for the Hoosiers haven’t changed their outlook on the season. Sophomore infielder Sarah Padove said the team will pull it together. \n“We have to play our game and get all three components together,” Padove said. “But the losses don’t affect us because we try to take each game as they come.”
(04/16/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team embarked on its first road trip of the Big Ten season, facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sunday in Minneapolis for a doubleheader. \nThe team was swept in the doubleheader, 5-4 in the first game and 3-1 in the second.\nThe Gophers now hold a 41-39 lead in the all-time series.\nSenior Kim Richards tried to lead the Hoosiers to a win in the first game when she hit a home run in the top of the eighth inning of a 3-3 tied game. But Minnesota’s Shannon Stemper countered Richards’ hit and drove home two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give her team the victory in the first game. \nIn the second game, a stellar performance from Gopher pitcher Katie Dalen proved to be too much for the Hoosiers’ bats.\nSophomore Sarah Padove said IU had trouble scoring.\n“I think the game came down to runs,” Padove said. “ Our pitchers did well and we had some people on base and we couldn’t hit them in.”\nThe Hoosiers, who are 1-5 away from home and 1-7 in conference play, were looking to use this game to improve both aspects of their record. A victory could have also been applied to the team’s morale heading into a stretch of road games. \nIU had a great launching pad into this string of games from their stellar performance against Indiana State, where they made big hits in the closing innings of the game that allowed them to gain a lead they didn’t relinquish. \nThe game served as a bright spot in a recent skid that saw the Hoosiers squad going 3-8 before the Indiana State contest.\nIU coach Stacey Phillips said she was proud of her squad and the determination they showed in the Indiana State game.\n“You can’t teach heart,” Phillips said. “But to have the talent we have on top of the heart is great.” \nBut that lone bright spot might not be enough for the Hoosiers after these losses to the Gophers. IU’s game against Minnesota served as a makeshift home opener for the Gophers. Minnesota’s four previously scheduled home series were canceled due to poor weather and unplayable field conditions. \nIn addition to having its series at Penn State canceled April 1, Minnesota also canceled games with Iowa (April 7) and Illinois (April 8). The Gophers’ scheduled doubleheader with Wisconsin-Green Bay on April 11 was also postponed, leaving Minnesota with an eight-game layoff that added energy and fueled the Gophers to victory.\nDespite the losses, Phillips said she was proud of her team.\n“It’s nice to be the coach of a team that never gives up,” Phillips said. “They show a passion in what they do.” \nThe Hoosiers have to pick up the pieces and compete today against the Wisconsin Badgers. Padove said the team has to put the losses behind them.\n“We just have to move on and come with it tomorrow,” she said.
(04/11/07 4:00am)
Sophomore shortstop Emily Bergeson was in the middle of a slump. Then she was thrown into the position every player dreams of: two outs and the bases loaded with the opportunity to give her team a chance to win.\nBergeson proved she was up to the challenge when she hit a shot to center field – a triple, scoring all three players on base.\nShe was followed by a hit from senior right fielder Heather Hohs that allowed Bergeson to score the fourth run of the inning, giving the Hoosiers a 6-3 lead that put the win in the bag for IU.\nBergeson said the win was a collective effort.\n“I knew I really needed to step up because I had been in a slump,” Bergeson said. “It was a team win, and everybody stepped up and got on base I just hit them in.”\nDespite being in a position that would ruffle the feathers of most teams, Bergeson said, the team was never worried about pulling out the win when it went down 3-2 in the sixth inning.\n“We have a really strong lineup, and Indiana State was cheering like they had already won,” Bergeson said. “We felt good and weren’t worried at all.” \nThe Hoosiers came into the game looking to earn a milestone win while ending a recent losing streak. \nThey started their trek for the win well when senior catcher Tory Yamaguchi hit a two-run homer – which gave her 11 home runs to tie her career high from the 2005 season. The home run scored junior Jennilee Huddleston from second base. \nThe game got off to a fast start. After the first inning, the Hoosiers led 2-1.\nBut the scoring pace slowed as the defense picked up.\nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright played a solid game and kept the Sycamores off balance with an array of pitches. \nThough Wright was superb for most of the game, she walked Lauren Kebely. That walk helped to fuel the Sycamores in their comeback, taking a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning. They gave the Hoosiers a scare that led to Bergeson’s late-game heroics.\nThough the offensive output picked up at the end of the game, a wealth of defense and pitching, along with a hitting drought that lasted for four innings, helped the game to pass quickly. Wright said the defense helped her to perform.\n“I felt really confident in the circle knowing that whatever the defense was able to hit would be fielded by my team,” Wright said. “I was thrilled with the defense’s performance.”
(04/10/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team is set to square off against in-state competitor Indiana State for the 67th time since the 1975 season when the two teams clash this afternoon. IU holds the winning edge with a 49-17 record against the Sycamores.\nOpening pitch is at 4 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field.\nIU will have the home advantage in this game and will be looking to add another win to its all-time record against Indiana State. \nIn the last meeting against the Sycamores, then-IU senior Mariangee Bogado struck out 22 Sycamore batters in an IU record-setting performance that led to a 1-0 Hoosier win. Bogado only allowed one hit on the day.\nFreshman outfielder Jennifer Glueckert said before IU’s game against Louisville that her team started a hot-streak because of the recent stellar play of senior infielder Rachel Terry.\nTerry went on to prove her right, as she went 4-for-4 against Northwestern on Saturday, and senior infielder Jenilee Huddleston carried the hitting torch for the Hoosiers on Sunday. Though the Hoosiers were on the losing end of the two games, both players displayed determination in their performances.\nTheir team will be looking to get back in the winning column after their pair of loses in two contests against a top-10-rated Northwestern squad.\nIU coach Stacy Phillips said her team will be able to compete if it plays well from beginning to finish.\n“If we attack good pitches and stay aggressive, we’ll have a good chance at winning,” she said.\nThis game will also give the Hoosiers a chance to revamp a season that has taken a recent dive. The Hoosiers have lost eight of their last 10 games dating back to March 24 when they lost to Eastern Michigan.\nThis in-state match up will also have the Hoosiers trying to improve their record against Indiana competitors.\nThe last time the Hoosiers faced a Hoosier state opponent was against Ball State on March 28 in Muncie. The Hoosiers were defeated 8-0, and they didn’t take the loss lightly.\nTerry said their team wasn’t ready to play, and junior infielder Kari Bettenbrock said that the Cardinals wanted the game more and her team didn’t make plays.\nThe game was one that left a sour taste in the mouth of the Hoosiers, and they hope to buck their recent losing trend.
(04/05/07 4:00am)
In the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs, the IU softball team still had one chance to salvage what looked like another road loss. \nIt seemed as if they would seize the moment when freshman right fielder Jennifer Glueckert singled to give the Hoosiers their first hit of the day, and was followed by sophomore second baseman Sarah Padove’s shot to left field .\nLater in the inning both runners moved up on a wild pitch to put runners at second and third for junior Jennilee Huddleston. But when Huddleston grounded out the only shot the Hoosiers had fired, a win turned out to be a blank.\nIU lost 1-0 to a Louisville squad that sophomore pitcher Monica Wright kept in check. IU coach Stacey Phillips said she was pleased with Wright’s performance.\n“I thought Monica pitched really well and kept the offense off balance,” Phillips said. “Unfortunately the defense didn’t help her, and we couldn’t put the ball on the bat.”\nDespite their late push, the Hoosiers managed to end the game scoreless and that lack of offense was largely the reason for IU’s loss. The Hoosiers, who have been on a relatively cold streak, didn’t post any offense on the board until the sixth inning. \nThe game was one that lacked much offensive output from either side. \nLouisville had five hits, but they all came as the result of the performance of a few. Only seniors Audrey Rendon and Courtney Moore registered hits in the game, while sophomore Brooke McCrain earned the lone RBI for the Cardinals.\nThe Cardinals managed to get hits in tight spots. \nThough they didn’t have a large amount of offense on the day, they were able to bat in Rendon for their only run on the day. Phillips said they failed to make in-game adjustments to stop Louisville’s experienced hitters.\nThat tough hitting was exactly what the Hoosiers were missing. Phillips said her team needed someone to lead.\n“We needed someone to step up and hit the ball,” Phillips said. “We need to take advantage of the opportunities available to us instead of letting them slide by.”\nThough the Hoosiers didn’t have someone step up when they really needed it, Glueckert and Padove provided a spark for the Hoosiers. Phillips said she was happy with the two players, but they needed more of that from others.\n“I was excited to see those two (Glueckert and Padove) do their job by getting in scoring position,” Phillips said. “Hitting with two outs is the name of the game and we didn’t do that today.”
(04/04/07 4:00am)
After a long home stretch, the IU softball team is traveling to Louisville to compete against the Cardinals today at 5 p.m.\nThe Hoosiers (18-6, 1-3) will be facing a team that IU coach Stacey Phillips said is a mirror image of her own team.\n“Louisville is a team that has been compared to us a lot,” Phillips said. “They were a tournament team last year, and I expect it to be a great match up.”\nThough the Hoosiers have been improving during the season, they hit a dry spell this weekend at home, losing three of four games against Big Ten foes Iowa and Illinois. Sophomore Monica Wright said she thinks her team can overcome the losses.\n“We just have to take the good with the bad and improve,” Wright said. \nIU improved at the end of their homestand and ended on a high note. \nSenior first basemen Rachel Terry hit two home runs that might have affected more than just the outcome of their final game against the Illini.\n“I think that was a turning point,” Phillips said. “In order for it to be a turning point I think we’ll have to win this next game, but I think it was a huge hit for our team.”\nThis road trip will be the first for IU since their shutout loss at Ball State on March 28. Despite the outcome of that contest, freshman Jennifer Glueckert said she doesn’t think the road aspect of the game will affect her club because of their last outing.\n“I don’t think being on the road will matter because our team came together in our last game,” Glueckert said. “I think the team definitely started a hot streak and that we’ll all get it this time around on the road.”\nOne aspect of the Hoosiers’ game that has been improving is pitching. \nWright and junior Jennifer Moore have both been slowly progressing this season. Phillips said her pitching staff will keep up the good work by keeping its composure. \n“I think if they go out there and hit their spots and gain confidence that they’ll be able to get their game going,” she said.\nDespite their record during the weekend, the last game-ending runs by Terry have helped the Hoosiers to have confidence heading into their next game. \n“I think we can win if we come out with an attack mode and improve on the feelings we had in the last game,” Wright said. “I think it’ll be a good challenge and we’ll come out on top.”
(03/30/07 4:00am)
After a lackluster performance Wednesday against Ball State, the IU softball team will look to get back on the winning track when it opens Big Ten play against Iowa on Friday and close out the weekend against Illinois at home. \nThe opener begins the end of the Big Ten careers for seniors Heather Hohs, Kim Richards, Rachel Terry and Christy Wahl. \nTerry said she had a range of emotions about opening Big Ten play for the last time and that she wanted to be successful in her final opportunity.\n“I’m sad because I know it is the last time, but I’m also excited to make an impact on the season,” Richards said. “We ended last season on a good note, and I want to keep that going.”\nThis game will also dawn the beginning of a new pitching era as sophomore Monica Wright will compete in her first conference game after transferring from Northern Iowa. \nJunior Jennifer Moore is also entering her first year as a full-time starter.\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to rebound from a rough patch in the Ball State game, where they lost 8-0. \nThis will be the first traditional home game for the Hoosiers, who hosted the IU Classic a week ago and placed third in the tournament. Richards said she thinks having home-field advantage will help.\n“We’ll have our fans on our own turf, and I also think it’ll help us mentally,” Richards said. “We love playing at home. We wish we could play every game at home.”\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to re-emerge into winning form after their loss Wednesday.\n“We really need to step up and compete,” coach Stacey Phillips said. “We really prepared poorly for the first game. We turned that around, and I think that will be a key in the way we play.”\nPhillips said the Hoosiers expect Iowa to be aggressive, which is how you have to be when playing in the Big Ten. She said she prepared her team differently for their Big Ten foes.\n“We challenged ourselves this week,” Phillips said. “We had a real pressure practice, and Wednesday (against Ball State) didn’t help much. But I think we also attempted to be faster than we have been all season and that should be different.”\nPhillips, Richards and the rest of the team are adamant they are better than how they played against Ball State.\n“Our last game was an embarrassment,” Richards said. “We were like, ‘Here you go. Take the win.’ And we’ll definitely be better than we were that day.”
(03/29/07 4:00am)
IU had been successful against Ball State in the past, but Wednesday’s 8-0 loss was no indication of the Hoosier’s recent performances. \nThe loss to the Cardinals was the first in the last four meetings against Ball State and might have come as a result of poor offense.\nAssistant coach Tarrah Beyster said earlier that IU would have to handle the ball in its game against Ball State. \nBut the real issue turned out to be the offense that cooled against the Cardinals. \nThe Hoosiers (17-13) only managed one hit against the Cardinals in six innings of play, after a recent hot streak.\nAn indication of the difference in this outing against the Cardinals came in the performance of junior Jennilee Huddleston who was held hitless after hitting a grand slam against Ball State on March 4. \nThe loss caused some frustration among some of the players, and senior infielder Rachel Terry took it a step past just having a bad game when she said how her team performed.\n“They came out ready to play and we didn’t,” Terry said. “We just played like crap and made errors.”\nJunior pitcher Jennifer Moore (4-6) gave up six earned runs to the Cardinals, but also didn’t have any run support. She said she was a little affected by the lack of offense, but that her team is still talented.\n“Today just wasn’t our day,” Moore said. “We weren’t ready to play but we are definitely better than we were today.”\nThe Hoosiers faced Ball State on March 4 and came out with a 6-2 win in that game. \nJunior infielder Kari Bettenbrock said that the difference in the two games wasn’t the pitchers fault or the defense, but that effort and offense was the deciding factor in the game.\n“They wanted it more than us,” Bettenbrock said. “We just didn’t hit when we needed to get runs.”\nAfter the nine-game winning streak that IU amassed during spring break, they are 5-3. Yesterday’s defeat moves the Hoosiers to 17-13 on the season. Despite the loss, Moore said, she still thinks her team is the best in the state. The team will open Big Ten play this weekend against Iowa.
(03/28/07 4:00am)
Indiana in-state battles usually consist of IU against Purdue, but Ball State will be vying for the title of the state’s best team when it faces the Hoosiers in Muncie today.\nIU is 38-26 all-time against Ball State in a series that dates back to the 1974 season, IU’s first with softball as a varsity sport. The Hoosiers have won the last three matchups.\nThe two teams set the stage for another battle when they competed against each other in the Kay Brechtelsbauer Southern Classic at Southern Illinois on March 4. \nIU came out with a 6-2 win in a game that came down to a grand slam by junior Jennilee Huddleston. \nHuddleston said that the Hoosiers didn’t want the game to be as close this time and that her team had something to prove.\n“We definitely want to take it to Ball State,” she said. “We want to prove that we’re the best team in Indiana because we are.”\nThough Huddleston is confident, assistant Tarrah Beyster said the Ball State game won’t be a walk in the park.\n“Being an in-state rivalry definitely adds some fuel to the fire,” she said. “(Ball State’s players) are fighters, they’ve got some hitters and great defense and they won’t lie down and give us the win.”\nHuddleston has been on a recent hitting streak since the grand slam and has helped her team to rebound from a slow start. Her hitting will be one of the determining factors in the outcome.\n“I plan on keeping my hitting streak going by seeing the ball well ... taking it each bat at a time,” Huddleston said. “I plan on getting at least one hit a game to keep my streak up.” \nDespite the Hoosiers’ recent offensive tear, Beyster said the game will come down to defense.\n“I think the game will come down to taking care of the ball. We’re going to have to relax and focus while taking it one step at a time,” she said. “We played (them at) Southern Illinois earlier this year and we know we’ll have to fight for this one.”\nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright will be one of the major factors in the Hoosier counter to the Cardinal attack. She is 11-7 on the season. Wright said she thinks her team will perform well in what will be only it’s third road game.\n“If we are able to make adjustments during the game and play solid defense we’ll be able to perform the way we want on the road,” she said.
(03/19/07 4:00am)
At the 2007 NCAA championships, the IU wrestling team gave a great showing with some unusual players stepping up to propel the team to an impressive showing.\nIU finished 14th at the championships with 41.0 points. It was the second time in the last three years IU has finished in the top 15 and the third straight season IU has been in the top 20.\nFreshman Angel Escobedo and sophomores Matt Coughlin and Andrae Hernandez all reached All-American status. Each placed higher than eighth in the competition, while some Hoosiers were left knocking on the door as they just missed All-American standing. \nEscobedo was ranked among the nation’s best at 125 pounds all season, and he solidified that stamp as he grappled to a fourth-place finish that capped off his season at 39-7. His fourth-place finish at nationals was the highest finish by an IU freshman since the 1930s. Escobedo said he was happy with the finish.\n“It feels great to be an All-American and among that class of IU athletes,” Escobedo said. “Coming in as a freshman I didn’t have as much experience as some of my competitors, and it was huge for me to be fourth in the nation.”\nAll-American Andrae Hernandez said his cousin and teammate Escobedo deserves the title.\n“He never wants to lose, and he’s one of the best because of it,” Hernandez said. “He’s aggressive to shoot, and I think that also helps him be one of the best and pull out wins.”\nAnother Hoosier who performed well during tournament competition was Coughlin, who emerged out of a slump to become an All-American. He was the sixth-place 141-pound finisher in the Big Ten, while he notched a seventh-place finish at the NCAA tournament. \n“I just knew that this tournament was the one chance I had to erase my midseason slump,” Coughlin said. “I came in really focused on getting a championship and it’s a great feeling to be an All-American.”\nHernandez lost initially to the winner of the 133-pound crown at the nationals but kept battling and received eighth place to become the third of the school-record three All-Americans.\nIU coach Duane Goldman said he was pleased with his All-Americans’ perseverance.\n“They all continued to progress after the conference tournaments, and that’s why we recruited them,” Goldman said. “We know they’re the type of kids we can help to achieve their goals.”\nThough IU had a great showing, there were some things that didn’t go their way. Two-time All-American junior Brandon Becker (157 pounds) didn’t receive his previous tag this year due to some early losses, and junior Marc Bennett (184 pounds) fell short of placing at the nationals. \nThe IU squad will return every member of their team except senior heavyweight Josh Buuck. Goldman said he expects his team to be successful but is still leery of the future.\n“I expect to have four All-Americans next year,” he said. “But the Big Ten is hard to call, because we were 14th in the nation and eighth in conference, so you never know what can happen.”
(03/19/07 4:00am)
IU coach Stacey Phillips’ softball team found just what it was looking for all season when it went on a nine-game winning streak during the course of 15 games. The team had been struggling with consistency but dispelled all its troubles during a successful spring break. \nThe Hoosiers won the Bronze Bracket in Clearwater, Fla., defeating Fordham 7-2 and competed hard in Tampa, Fla., where they won seven of nine contests.\nIU has recently picked up its offensive output and added another slugger alongside junior catcher Tory Yamaguchi.\nThe emergence of junior infielder Jennilee Huddleston also helped the Hoosiers find the success they had been seeking all season. Huddleston has performed well for the Hoosiers in numerous games, including two home runs in a 7-1 win against Chattanooga. \nThough she has been successful individually, Huddleston cites her teammates as motivation for her recent success.\n“I really think we feed off of each other, and I was happy to pick up my teammates because they do the same for me,” she said. \nAfter coming in as relative unknowns, the pitching staff has come on strong lately. Sophomore pitcher Monica Wright said the team was able to cut down on the number of walks it had been giving up in previous games.\n“We were able to minimize walks while making them hit our pitches instead of pitching to their strengths,” Wright said. \nThe Hoosiers’ improvement during the break can be seen as a testament to their talent. Phillips has said all year that the team just needed both sides of the ball to come together. Wright said the Hoosiers were able to finally get both sides clicking, and the streak followed.\n“All of us knew we could (do) better, and we just waited for a game when everything clicked,” Wright said, “and once we did that everyone stepped up.” \nThis click came for the Hoosiers at the end of their trip in Clearwater, where they began their streak with an 11-3 win against Wagner. But IU also proved it wasn’t going to slip back into its slumping ways as it picked itself up after a 4-1 loss to Boston and followed with the victory against Chattanooga.\nHuddleston said the recent positivity surrounding the team will continue throughout the season.\n“I think these wins gave us confidence and let us know we can play with anyone,” she said. “And that attitude will help us when we play against big competition.”
(03/08/07 5:00am)
Less than a week after having its games against Ohio and Southern Illinois canceled because of the threat of extreme cold weather in Carbondale, Ill., the IU softball team will get to compete in the sun when they travel to Clearwater, Fla., for the Adidas Invitational today.\nThe Hoosiers (3-4) will compete in six games at the Invitational, going up against border-state natives Illinois at Chicago and Northern Illinois, among others.\nThough the trip to Clearwater will present a weather pattern with some consistency, the same can’t be said for the Hoosiers’ game. Coach Stacey Phillips said she thinks the change of venue will help her team’s performance.\n“I expect us to find consistency within all parts of our game, and I think the good weather will help us to compete and perform better,” Phillips said.\nIn its recent games the team has had several different players step up, but some have also faded at times. Despite having a wealth of talent on their roster, the Hoosiers have struggled to find regularity from those who showed flashes of brilliance in the early moments of the season.\n“We have a very talented team, and when we get on the same page it’ll be a stellar bunch,” Phillips said. “The fact that they step up here and there is great, but we need to get them to do it together and have the success become contagious from game-to-game.”\nSophomore shortstop Stephanie Pellerito is one of the Hoosiers who has made big plays in pressure situations. She hit a grand slam that led the Hoosiers to a win in their last contest against Ball State. Pellerito said the Hoosier squad can benefit from the upcoming tournament by beginning its game on a better note.\n“If we can start more consistent from the beginning and not fall behind early, we’ll be more efficient on defense and offense because we won’t be playing catch up.”\nThe Hoosiers also have two new pitchers who are still adjusting to the daily grind of pitching, which might play a role in the Hoosiers unpredictable play. Sophomore pitcher Monica Wright said it is important for the team to focus on being positive.\n“Each and every one of us needs to take the good with the bad and focus on the future without worrying about past games,” Wright said. \nDespite a slow start, Moore said she believes the Hoosiers will find their stride.\n“I think we just need to find our groove, and we’ll soar once we find it.”
(03/02/07 5:00am)
After a loss at Wisconsin to end the regular season, the IU wrestling team is ready to get back on the mat and chase history. \nThe Hoosiers haven’t won a Big Ten title as a team since 1943, and are looking to add to their 13 Big Ten championships March 3-4 at the 2007 Big Ten championships at Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.\nIU also hasn’t had an individual winner of the Big Ten Conference title since 1997, when Roger Chandler, now an assistant coach at Michigan State, won the 142-pound title. Joe Dubuque wasn’t even able to accomplish this despite winning two national championships in the 2005-06 seasons. \nThe current Hoosier to come the closest to this feat is No. 7 junior Brandon Becker, who placed third at 157 pounds last year. Though he performed well, Becker said he wants to improve on last year’s finish.\n“I’ll do the same thing that got me that third place last year,” he said. “I’m going to wrestle as hard as possible and really get after it.”\nBecker was recently seeded second in the Big Ten standings at 157 pounds.\n“It’s nice to receive such a high seed, but it doesn’t matter until I live up to it,” Becker said. “The seed will be good because it can make your first match a little bit easier, but in the end it doesn’t matter, because everyone’s good.” \nIU coach Duane Goldman said Becker would be among some of the best in the country.\n“Becker’s been an All-American twice, but he’s in a really tough weight class,” he said. “There is a lot of good wrestlers, but that’s what he likes – the big stage.” \nAlong with Becker, the Hoosiers had eight of nine starters seeded in the top eight, with Scott Kelly at 141 pounds being the only one not to place.\nJunior Max Dean, who placed fifth at 165 pounds in last year’s Big Ten championships, is among those nine. Dean was seeded eighth in the tournament and said he plans on improving his position in the championships through the development that comes with another year of wrestling.\n“I think I can place higher through maturity and hard work,” he said. “It’s all about learning and applying new techniques while remembering what you’ve already mastered.”\nThe nine IU team members who will compete in East Lansing also include freshmen Angel Escobedo, who is ranked No. 9 in the nation, and Nate Everhart. They were seeded third at 125 pounds and eighth at 197 pounds, respectively.\nGoldman said he was impressed with the performance of his young grapplers.\n“Everhart got what he deserved, though he still has a lot of work to do,” he said. “It’s nice to see the young guys being successful.”\nThe Hoosiers also have four other wrestlers who placed. Trevor Perry (174 pounds) and Marc Bennett (184) were each seeded fifth in their respective weight classes. Andrae Hernandez (133) and Josh Buuck (heavyweight) each were seeded sixth. Matt Coughlin (149) was seeded eighth.\nGoldman said he is confident in his team, but he isn’t a psychic.\n“I don’t make predictions,” he said. “We’ve been training well and we want to do better than our seeds, and we’ll see what happens.”
(03/01/07 5:00am)
While the band's spelling suggests they are of English descent, the Colour are actually from L.A. I first heard about these guys about three years ago from a friend who went to Biola University, a small Christian school where the band had formed. The band originally came up in the wake of the British rock revival scene that included the Strokes, The White Stripes and Hot Hot Heat. Since their forming, the Colour have released a few EPs that received little attention, and now, five years after forming, they've released their debut album, Between Earth and Sky. On the album they mix Rolling Stones-esque groove rock with elements of new wave to make a promising debut.\nThe most dynamic part of the band is lead vocalist Wyatt Hull, who sounds like a mix of Mick Jagger and the Cure's Robert Smith. His vocals also sound similar to those of the Killers' Brandon Flowers on Sam's Town, but Hull puts Flowers to shame. A competent backing band falls behind Hull's vocals, including lead guitarist Luke Macmaster and rhythm guitarist Davey Quon. They provide a classic groove rock sound that is reminiscent of '70s British blues rock. The riffs and grooves are nothing new but sound somewhat refreshing when supporting Hull's new wave vocals.\nBetween Earth and Sky opens up with "Can't You Hear It Call," which is the most apparently Stones-influenced track, with its hip blues guitar riff and bluesy backing vocals. This track is followed by two songs that were released on previous EPs, "Devil's Got a Holda Me," the first single, and the undeniable "Save Yourself." "Save Yourself" is the highlight of the album, with its mix of the band's signature sound with pop sensibility. This song is followed by the beautiful yet gloomy "Silver Meadows," which rings of their fellow L.A. indie rockers the Cold War Kids. However, after this point, the album loses its sparkle. Beside the exceptional "Black Summer," the rest of the record feels more like filler than anything. Maybe it's the novelty wearing off, but the end of the album is rather forgettable. Tracks like "You're A Treasure" and "Salt the Earth," while full of enthusiasm, heed little result. So while it is disappointing that this album isn't solid from start to finish, the few choice tracks show promise of what's to come. Between Earth and Sky is a hit-or-miss debut with hints of brilliance.
(03/01/07 5:00am)
The Hoosier nation had become accustomed to seeing two-time national champion Joe Dubuque wrestling at the 125-pound weight class. But Dubuque’s graduation last year set the stage for the emergence of No. 7-ranked Angel Escobedo. \nIU wrestling coach Duane Goldman said at the beginning of the year that Escobedo was the key to filling the void Dubuque left when he graduated. Goldman said recently that he has lived up to his expectations but there is also room for improvement.\n“Angel is having a really good season but Dubuque is a really hard guy to replace,” Goldman said. “He’s really coachable and uses what he’s taught, and can only get better.” \nEscobedo has amassed astonishing numbers in his attempt to pick up where Dubuque left off. \nThe freshman has compiled an overall record of 27-4.\nThough he has had a great season, when he began there were still freshman jitters he had to work out to become the athlete he is today. Escobedo said he was nervous when he competed in his first official competition at the Michigan State Open in early November, where he took third place at 125 pounds. \nBut all of Escobedo’s early tension went out the window as he began to flourish in the two meets during winter break. He pinned all three of his opponents at the FITE Duals and won the 125-pound title at the Midlands Championship. He was in control of all his matches as he won in an average of four minutes.\nThe Griffith, Ind., native built on this momentum and jumped to the top of the national rankings. Though this surprised the wrestling world, Escobedo’s cousin and teammate Andrae Hernandez said he always knew Escobedo was going to do great things.\n“I always expected him to be good, because he was winning national tournaments when we were young,” Hernandez said. “But I definitely think that our coaching staff has helped him to become a better wrestler.”\nDespite all the confidence everyone else had in him, Escobedo said he was surprised by his progression, but isn’t satisfied with it.\n“I came in with confidence from training with Dubuque,” he said. “I’m doing a little better than I thought I would, but I still have a lot of room to do better.”\nEscobedo trained with Dubuque in practice for a full year in the 125-pound weight class, and knows about all Dubuque’s accomplishments. Escobedo said he wants to leave his fingerprints alongside Dubuque’s in IU history.\n“I expect a national championship. It’s a high goal but reasonable enough for me to get,” Escobedo said. “I hope to do what Dubuque did here because what he did was a great accomplishment; and to think about doing what he did here is an honor because his are really big shoes to fill,” he said. “I just want to work hard and try to be as good as he was.”
(02/19/07 5:00am)
The IU softball team began its quest for the NCAA tournament this weekend. But last year’s success doesn’t guarantee a tournament bid for the Hoosiers, who began this season with a 2-3 record after competing at the Crowne Plaza Classic in Houston.\nIU won the first of its five games, defeating Centenary 3-0 before losing three straight games. \nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright said the weekend isn’t the way the Hoosiers expect to compete the rest of the season.\n“There was a lack of focus and first game jitters that we needed to get out of our system early,” Wright said.\nOne Hoosier who wasn’t nervous coming into the first weekend was junior Tory Yamaguchi, who blasted two home runs in her first two games back after sitting out all of last season due to illness. Yamaguchi said her early success was a product of hard work from the team as a whole.\n“The whole team worked hard to come out strong and I think it was good for us to come out and play to see what we’re made of,” Yamaguchi said.\nAfter defeating Centenary, the Hoosiers lost 6-2 to Southern Illinois, then IU lost 8-0 to No. 5 Louisiana State and 5-3 to host Houston.\nThe Hoosiers were able to get back on their feet Sunday to defeat Missouri State 6-0. IU coach Stacey Phillips said she was satisfied with the performance of her team but there is still room for improvement.\n“I was pleased with this weekend; there were some bright moments but we need to be able to capitalize on those moments to create more of them,” Phillips said.\nPhillips also said this weekend was a good way to measure where her team is at this point in the season and that she saw a big difference in her team during the two wins.\nIU began the season with two new pitchers after losing Mariangee Bogado and Megan Roark from last year’s team. Sophomore Monica Wright and junior Jennifer Moore will carry the load this year and try to fill the void left by Bogado and Roark. Phillips said she was impressed by the pitching staff but had no idea what to expect from them going in.\n“I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get from the pitchers but they did very well and were physically ready,” Phillips said. “But we need to cut down the walks. If we could have done that, we may have won two of our three losses this weekend,” Phillips said. \nDespite some early bumps in the road, Yamaguchi said she believes in her team.\n“We have a great amount of potential. It’s just a matter of putting it together on offense, defense and pitching,” Yamaguchi said. “If we’re able to do that we’ll be unstoppable.”
(02/12/07 2:28am)
The No. 18 IU wrestling team (12-4, 3-3) experienced a resurgence just in time for senior day. \nSenior Josh Buuck is the only Hoosier who won't return to next year's squad, and he competed in his last two duals at home Friday and Sunday in University Gym.\nBuuck scored a win Friday night against No. 21 Michigan, propelling IU to a 21-15 win and helping snap a four-meet losing streak that began when the Hoosiers visited Illinois on Jan.21. \nThey also won 28-11 against No. 10 Northwestern to send Buuck out with two consecutive home wins. \nBuuck, who redshirted his freshman year, has been a constant on a team that has had many changing faces. He will be finishing his fifth year with the wrestling program. IU coach Duane Goldman said he will miss his lone senior.\n"It's always hard to let seniors go after spending four or five years with them, but it's always nice to be able to honor seniors," Goldman said.\nThe senior has seen his fair share of success. He has compiled a 9-5 record in his senior season while competing as an undersized heavyweight. Sunday was no different as 184-pound heavyweight Buuck competed against 267-pound Dustin Fox of Northwestern, who is ranked No. 4 in the nation.\nBuuck lost 3-2 after a late score for Fox, but Buuck said he doesn't plan on being down over the outcome.\n"It means everything to be a Hoosier and to get the support I did tonight, and I plan on beating him when it really counts at Big Tens and Nationals," Buuck said.\nBuuck's teammates won seven of nine matches in convincing fashion against Northwestern. Sophomore Scott Kelly lost a close match to No. 1 Ryan Lang of Northwestern in the 141-pound division and Marc Bennett was pinned by No. 1 Jake Herbert. Buuck said he was very impressed with his team's performance.\n"As a lone senior I try to be a role model for these guys and it was great to see them put out such a tremendous effort and I'm so proud of the way they competed," Buuck said.\nSeventh-ranked junior Brandon Becker was extremely aggressive in his 18-8 win against Dominic Marella in the 157-pound match, and helped to widen the Hoosier lead to 13-3.\nBut the surprise of the night came in freshman Trevor Perry, who pinned No. 15 Nick Hayes 22 seconds into his match to earn his fourth pin of the season. This pivotal moment in the dual sealed the win against Northwestern with two matches left to go. Perry said it was nice to send Buuck out with a win.\n"I think this will be a memory that Buuck remembers for rest of his life and it was a wonderful win for him," he said.
