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(06/08/12 3:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana University Softball signee Brooke Boetjer was named the 2012 Gatorade Indiana Softball Player of the Year Thursday. A pitcher for South Putnam High School, Boejter has led the team to back-to-back IHSAA Class 2A state title games after winning the title last season.South Putnam will take on Adams Central at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for the Class 2A state title.The award is based upon athletic achievement, academic success and exemplary character. Boetjer has been a crucial element to the team’s pristine 30-0 record this season and 53 game winning streak that dates back to last season. Off the field, Boetjer has maintained a 3.59 cumulative GPA for her high school career and is an active member of the 4-H Club. She is also a volunteer elementary school tutor and a youth softball instructor.For her softball career, Boetjer is 21-0 with a 0.11 ERA. She has 159 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 129 innings pitched. Offensively, she holds a .542 average with 40 RBI and five home runs for the 2012 season. In addition to being named the 2012 Gatorade Indiana Softball Player of the Year, Boejter earned First Team All-State honors and is a finalist for the Indiana Miss Softball Award.Boejter will join the IU softball team for the 2013 season. -- Shannon Ireland
(05/14/12 12:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team finished its season with a six-game winning streak and sweep of Michigan State in the team’s final series. The team also finished with a 30-25 record, and tied for fourth place with Northwestern in Big Ten Conference standings. This was also the Hoosiers’ second three-game sweep in as many weekends in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers finished the 2011 season with 37 wins. Michigan State finished the season with no Big Ten wins.The series against the Spartans was played in Secchia Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., and featured a game Friday and a Saturday double header. In the final game of the season, IU freshman Brianna Meyer scored in the second inning with an RBI single from sophomore Shelby Gogreve, but Michigan State answered with a run in the second and third innings to make it 2-1.The Hoosiers scored four runs in the fourth inning and one in the fifth to bring their total to six, and they held the Spartans to five runs. Freshman pitcher Lora Olson came in to close out the game in the seventh inning. With two runners on and two out, Olson induced a popout by junior Jayme O’Bryant for the final out of the game.- Margaret Ely
(05/04/12 1:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nebraska (31-18, 12-5) visits Bloomington this weekend to face Indiana (24-25, 8-10) in the last two conference games for the Hoosiers this regular season.With one game splitting the top five teams in the conference, this weekend will be important for the Hoosiers. With a successful series against the Cornhuskers, the Hoosiers could potentially move into the top group of conference teams as the season winds down.Nebraska’s visit marks the third time this season the Hoosiers have played a team in the top three spots in the Big Ten standings — the other two being Michigan and Purdue. In those series, the Hoosiers went 1-2 and 2-1, respectively, while both were at home.With the season winding down, Nebraska provides an opportunity for the Hoosiers to face a quality opponent before the NCAA Regionals take place in two weeks. This opportunity would give the Hoosiers a chance to tune up against a top team before heading into the postseason.The Spartans could provide a similar opportunity next weekend. However, little can be learned while playing a team that has no Big Ten wins thus far in the season.Nebraska’s matchup with Indiana follows a streak in which the Huskers have won five of their past seven games. Undefeated at home, the only games with which the Huskers have had trouble have been away this season. IU Softball Field poses a dangerous threat for certain Big Ten teams this year.The field has seen two upsets against top teams Michigan and Purdue.Nebraska brings with it the pitching talent that leads the Big Ten. Ashley Hagemann, Nebraska’s primary pitcher with 43 appearances, has the top spot in Big Ten strikeouts this season with 293 in 235 innings of work.Nebraska will be able to go to its bullpen, also. Last week, Tatum Edwards earned her second Big Ten Pitcher of the Week mention after a five-hit shutout against Michigan State. Her first mention came March 26 after she returned from a three-week injury to keep Northwestern to just one run. In her first start in more than a month, Edwards recorded six strikeouts and retired 13 of the last 14 Wildcat batters.In Big Ten fashion, Nebraska has correlating skill in hitting and pitching. Nebraska is currently third in the conference with a .297 batting average. Indiana is behind the Huskers with .288.Power hitting statistics for both teams are somewhat similar, as well. Nebraska’s Gabby Banda is just two spots ahead of Indiana’s junior Amanda Wagner for the individual hitting standings of the Big Ten.The matchup will be similar to last weekend’s series against Iowa. Both the Huskers and the Hawkeyes featured similar threats to Hoosier pitching and hitting.This weekend, however, the series is in Hoosier territory.— Justin Shockey
(04/30/12 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Hoosiers (24-25, 8-10) opened a Big Ten series against Iowa Hawkeyes (23-24, 12-6) on Saturday with a thrilling nine-inning, 1-0 win.However, the Hoosiers were not able to keep up the pace later in the day.The rest of the weekend ended with the Hoosiers being shut out through 12 innings of play, 4-0 in the second game and 10-0 in the third.In game one, the Hoosiers jumped out early, hitting the ball well. Indiana managed to out-hit Iowa 9-7 in the game. Yet this would be the last game in which Iowa pitching would allow that to happen.Iowa pitcher Kayla Massey went the distance in Saturday’s first game, allowing nine hits and gaining six strikeouts. She returned for the tiebreaker Sunday and improved to allowing just two Hoosier hits.Hoosier hitting struggled following the win Saturday. Junior Amanda Wagner, the Hoosier power-hitter this season, did not record a hit until the finale Sunday. She was walked twice the entire weekend.Other players stepped up in the opening game of the weekend. Junior walk-on Kelsey Brannon continued to come in when needed. She went 4-for-4 in the win and grabbed the game-winning RBI in the ninth.Senior Cassie Gogreve found her groove again. The catcher went 2-for-3 with three assists. Gogreve stepped up on the defensive end when the Hoosiers needed her, grabbing six putouts to hold the Hawkeyes to a shutout.In game two, the outcome went the same direction as the first-game nail-biter but the Hawkeyes broke away in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run burst against freshman pitcher Lora Olson. Freshman Miranda Tamayo came in to relieve Olson and kept the Hawkeyes to four runs.Freshman Shannon Cawley and Gogreve led the Hoosiers with two singles in the second but could not reach the plate.In the tiebreaker Sunday, the Hoosiers were able to grab only two runs.The Hawkeyes came out swinging against Murphy in the circle. After giving up three runs in the first, Wagner and freshman Bri Meyer reached base on singles in the second. Gogreve advanced them both to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but the Hoosiers were not able to drive in their teammates in the inning.The Hawkeyes went on the offensive again in the third, adding four more runs. The fourth inning was no different while the Hawkeyes broke away powerfully with three more runs to finish the game 10-0.The Hoosiers will get their first midweek rest in three weeks. The Hoosiers return to action Saturday at IU Softball Field against a Nebraska team that is second in the Big Ten at 12-5.
(04/30/12 4:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This summer provides the Hoosier softball team an opportunity to better its record heading into the NCAA tournaments.Following the first 1-2 Big Ten series loss against Iowa since mid-April against Penn State, the Hoosiers will seek to bounce back during their last two series against Nebraska and Michigan State.Both teams provide diverse competition as the Hoosiers end the regular season. Nebraska, 12-5 in Big Ten play, is currently second in the conference standings. Michigan State, which has yet to win a conference game, is currently last in Big Ten standings.The Hoosiers will attempt to better their record in an effort to reach second in the Big Ten, where they stood last year.They will also attempt to reach deep into the Big Ten tournament, as they did last year, to finish on the national scene in the tournament.Both freshman Lora Olson and sophomore Meaghan Murphy have been pitching longer and more effectively all season as they continue their collegiate careers.Other Hoosiers have picked up leadership positions on the hitting side. Juniors Amanda Wagner and Kelsey Brannon, senior Samantha Berenter and freshman Brianna Meyer have all started to peak as the season winds down.With the team’s record close to .500, the young foundation in the circle has been kept together by the upperclassmen leadership. IU Coach Michelle Gardner is no stranger to the postseason, either.The four-year Hoosier coach has seen short summers and long summers in her time as a head coach. IU fans will stay tuned as the softball team makes its journey into the postseason.
(04/27/12 2:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team (23-23, 7-8), will head to Iowa City, Iowa, to play its first in a string of three conference series during the next three weekends.The Hawkeyes are (20-22, 10-5) this season after winning five of their last six games, grabbing two of those victories at home, where they have maintained a 6-4 record.Indiana will be Iowa’s second opponent during the last three games of a five-game homestand that began with a doubleheader against Northern Iowa on Thursday night.The matchup will be a return to Big Ten play for both teams after a Hoosier loss to No. 9 Louisville on Wednesday night. In Iowa’s last Big Ten matchup, it swept Michigan State 6-0, 7-1 and 4-1. Sophomore pitcher Kayla Massey’s play was honored with a Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week award following the series. During the series, she posted a 2-0 record while keeping a 0.50 ERA in three appearances. She allowed just 10 hits in 14 innings of work, striking out 10.Before their series against the Spartans, the Hawkeyes won two out of three games against Nebraska, opening the series with a 7-4 loss followed by a 7-6 win and a 6-4 win.Junior Iowa pitcher Chelsea Lyon returns this season after leading the team with 15 victories and 120 strikeouts as a sophomore last season. Last year, she pitched 16 complete games and shut out opponents twice.Freshman Megan Blank leads the Hawkeyes this season with 50 hits in 122 at-bats for a .410 average. She leads the team in walks and doubles and has driven in 22 runs.Junior Brandi Wall is also not to be overlooked. She joined the Hawkeye lineup after freshman and sophomore seasons at Iowa Western Community College where she batted .458 with 10 home runs and 72 RBI. She was also named a member of the Canadian Women’s National Baseball Team for the second time in 2011.As the Hoosiers gear up for Iowa this weekend, they remain nearly even in Big Ten play. They have a chance to move toward the top of the conference standings as Saturday’s first game against Iowa marks the beginning of a nine-game conference stretch against Iowa, Nebraska and Michigan State. Currently, Iowa and Nebraska are just two games out of first place, where Michigan is currently ranked. Michigan State has yet to grab a Big Ten win this season.And though the end of the road is near, the Hoosiers are starting to peak from the batters box.Although the Hoosiers have been out-hit three of their last five games, they continue to drive in the runners they do get on base. The Hoosiers have driven in more runs in the last week than in their first six games combined.This weekend’s games begin with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday followed by a game at 2 p.m. Sunday.
(04/26/12 2:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a 4-4 tie for several innings, the Louisville Cardinals gained the upper hand following a late home run for a 6-4 Indiana loss.Going into the third inning, the teams were neck and neck. After retiring the side in the top of the first, sophomore infielder and pitcher Meaghan Murphy began a game that would be one of her best so far.Leading off the bottom of the first, sophomore outfielder Jenna Abraham was hit by a pitch from Big East standout Tori Collins. Left fielder Kelsey Brannon then moved Abraham to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. However, Collins finished the inning with back-to-back outs.In the top of the second, Murphy and the Hoosier defense went to work again retiring the side in order.“We obviously had a scouting report on them,” Murphy said. “We knew that they’re ranked ninth in the nation for a reason. They were a good team all around, obviously they’ve got some power and it did play into my week earlier. I knew what to throw to certain people and tried to keep the ball low in the corners.”Sophomore shortstop Shelby Gogreve began her game during the series with the first two assists on the first two outs. Gogreve eventually had six assists and recorded one putout herself, picking up a line drive that would’ve reached the gap.Collins retired the bottom of the order in the bottom of the second and the Cardinals were the first to strike in the top of the third.Murphy started the inning well, forcing a pop fly out to right field from Kayla Soles. Then Maggie Ruckenbrod recorded the first hit, a double down left center that touched the fence and Whitney Arion scored on a fielder choice attempt at catching Ruckenbrod at third. Jennifer Esteban picked up a single in right field, scoring the two base runners.Louisville’s Kristen Austin finished the scoring for the inning with a triple that was hit over Brannon’s head in left field. Gogreve came to the rescue again, ending the inning with her third assist to first base.After struggling to end the inning, Murphy led off the bottom of the third with a stand-up double. Abraham followed with a two-run homerun to shorten the deficit to two. Following a Brannon line drive right at the pitcher, freshman infielder Shannon Cawley reached first on a throwing error. Power hitting junior infielder Amanda Wagner wasted no time in the box, swinging on the first pitch and knocking a game tying two-run home run deep over the right field wall.“We responded, we gave four runs and came back and scored four runs,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said. “I think what was most important was the fact that we stayed focused on what we were doing.”However, this would be the last hit the Hoosiers would earn for the rest of the game.Changing pitchers after Wagner’s home run, Louisville’s Caralisa Connell finished the game with four strikeouts, one walk and allowing no hits in 4.2 innings of play.The Cardinals scored the go-ahead runs with a two-run home run from Austin that hit the scoreboard for a final score of 6-4. Despite the two home runs, the Hoosiers were unable to overcome the errors from the third inning.“Errors are going to happen regardless of who are or what your ranked,” Murphy said. “Responding in a positive way because whatever happens, happens. You can’t dwell on what happens, you just have to move on and hopefully get better from it.”The Hoosiers return to action in a three-game series at Big Ten rival Iowa on Saturday and Sunday.
(04/25/12 3:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After taking the series against Big Ten rival Northwestern last weekend, the Hoosiers face the Louisville Cardinals at 2 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field.This matchup marks the second team in a row the Hoosiers have faced that has several nationally recognized players.Taner Fowler led Cardinal hitting. The designated player and catcher recorded four home runs on eight hits in five games. She recorded eight RBI while touching home plate six times, as well.Fowler was named Big East Softball Player of the Week for her efforts this past week.Tori Collins has led the Cardinals’ defensive effort this season. The pitcher was recently named Louisville Slugger Division I National Player of the Week between April 9 and 15 for going 3-0 throughout the week. The defining factor of the sweep, however, was the complete shutout of all three games, only allowing four hits and five walks in all 21 innings. By the end of the week, Collins had earned a perfect 0.00 ERA and forced her opponents to an .087 batting average.She had also completed her first collegiate no-hitter April 14 in an 8-0 shutout against Longwood.This season, Louisville has made a name for itself in the national rankings. Starting the season tied for 24th in the NFCA rankings, the Cardinals have continued to climb week after week. Currently, the Cardinals are ranked No. 9 after climbing two spots against a sweep of University of South Florida and Seton Hall last week.The nearly undefeated team gave up its only two losses to Big East rival DePaul during an away stand in Chicago.Throughout the series, DePaul proved to the rest of the league that the Cardinals can be scored on — winning 7-1, losing 4-3 and winning 3-0, respectively.However, in the games played last week, the Cardinals outscored their opponents 31-5.The Hoosiers will look to continue their momentum gained against Northwestern last weekend. The 23rd win of this season marks the first time since 1996 and 1997 that the Hoosiers have won at least 23 games in back-to-back seasons.Junior Amanda Wagner, sophomore Jenna Abraham, senior Samantha Berenter and freshman Bri Meyer are on fire right now for the Hoosiers.Wagner hit .800 with six runs scored last weekend. Abraham leads the team with 31 runs scored with six home runs and 18 RBI. Berenter notched two home runs this past weekend and continues to add to her season highs of 27 RBI and 24 runs. Finally, Meyer earned Big Ten Player of the Week last week after hitting .556 in three games, earning at least one RBI in each game.Today’s battle between consistent hitting from the Hoosiers and consistent pitching from the Cardinals looks to make a close game between the two border-state rivals.
(04/24/12 2:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers took two of the three Big Ten Conference weekly awards this past week for performances during their home stand against Northwestern.Junior third baseman Amanda Wagner was named Big Ten Player of the Week after she hit .800 during the three weekend games. She reached base safely 13 of 15 times, and she currently leads the team in batting average, home runs and RBI.Wagner recorded a perfect on-base percentage during a doubleheader Sunday, reaching on all seven plate appearances.Wagner’s .543 average in conference play leads the Big Ten and has topped a 1.000 slugging percentage, as well.Bri Meyer received Freshman of the Week after she hit .556 during the home stand against Northwestern. She is the first Hoosier to ever win the award. During this weekend’s play, she recorded at least one RBI in each of the three games. In the series finale, she connected on 3-of-4 with two gap hits in deep center field that allowed for three RBI total in the game.“We are thrilled for Amanda and Bri to win these awards this week,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said in a release. “They both had an outstanding week at the plate and are certainly deserving of this recognition.”— Justin Shockey
(04/24/12 2:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers took the series this weekend, winning two of three games this weekend against Big Ten rival Northwestern.The first game, ending in a 8-6 win, was the most exciting of the three with an eight-run rally coming after the Wildcats gained four runs in the first inning and one run in the top of the second.Senior Samantha Berenter led the Hoosier push with a two-run single. Freshmen Shannon Cawley and Bri Meyer and sophomore Shelby Gogreve also had a pair of hits. The rally began with junior Amanda Wagner being hit by a pitch. Meyer then singled, pushing Wagner to second. Senior Cassie Gogreve then grounded out, moving both runners into scoring position. Shelby Gogreve reached on an error, and the first run of the rally touched home plate. Immediately following, Berenter hit a sac fly to drive in Meyer.The rally continued from both sides of the column as sophomore Meaghan Murphy retired the Wildcats in order in the top of the fifth. Shelby Gogreve came to play again as she collected her second home run of the season to give IU an 8-6 lead they would have until the end of the game.The win was the Hoosiers’ first home win against Northwestern in 12 years.During this game, hometown walk-on junior Kelsey Brannon was honored as this year’s recipient of the Curtis R. Simic Scholarship for Student Leaders. The honor is awarded to IU-Bloomington students who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to the IU community.According to a release from IU Athletics, Brannon was quoted as “exemplifying the essence of this scholarship — an exemplary work ethic, an unlimited commitment to the time it takes to reach her goals and being a leader by example.”On Sunday, the Hoosiers and the Wildcats met again for a televised doubleheader.In the first game, the Hoosiers fell 8-3 after gaining a lead in the second inning. The Hoosiers gave up an early chance at gaining a major leader after bases were loaded. Cassie Gogreve drove the ball up the middle, but the Wildcat pitcher fielded the ball and prevented a score.“I think if we could’ve converted that hit, I think it would’ve been a whole different ball game,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said.After the missed opportunity, the Wildcats scored seven runs to the Hoosiers’ two.However, the tiebreaker immediately following the loss told a different story with an 11-3 win. The Hoosiers immediately hopped out to a two-run lead following an early run from the Wildcats in the top of the first.Berenter picked up her second home run of the weekend, and Meyer went 3-for-4 with three RBI.At the end of the day, Shelby Gogreve got the best of the Wildcats. The sophomore shortstop went 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a home run and a double that finished the game.“After you get those buffer runs its fun, you start feeling a little loose,” Shelby Gogreve said. “You’re playing for fun, and it’s not pressing, and it just turns into the game that you’ve been playing your whole life without any stress.”The Hoosiers continue their home stand against Louisville on Wednesday night.
(04/20/12 2:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This weekend’s Big Ten home stand against Northwestern marks the last time the IU softball team will play in front of students before summer break this year.However, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she doesn’t feel it will make a key difference in home-field advantage for the Hoosiers for the remainder of the season.“I think our fan base is more local people,” Gardner said. “I think it is mostly families who have kids that are a little bit younger, or our families.”Gardner said that although the fan base has grown during the years, she doubts she will attribute that to a growth in student attendance.“We’ve had good crowds the past couple of years, but I don’t really think it’s the students,” Gardner said. “Those who do come are loyal fans.”The Hoosiers (21-21, 5-7) are currently 7-3 at home and 3-8 away. Saturday’s game against Northwestern marks a four-game home stand the Hoosiers will participate in until they travel to Iowa City, Iowa, next weekend.“There is always an advantage when you’re playing at home,” Gardner said. “You practice here every day, and you get comfortable here. It’s really easy to just get into your kind of mode.”Gardner’s approach has worked so far for the Hoosiers this season.“We really just need to come out and play,” Gardner said. “Whether we are here or there, we need to focus on getting the job done. However, with that being said, I think we’ve played better consistently when we’ve been at home.”Northwestern (17-22, 5-7) visits Bloomington after completing a two-week, six-game home stand in Evanston, Ill., during which the Wildcats went 3-3.The Hoosiers will look to take advantage of Northwestern’s 2-8 road record so far this season. Sophomore Wildcat Marisa Bast is currently the top RBI producer in the Big Ten. This year, Bast has hit 11 home runs and has driven in 44 runners.Junior Emily Allard currently leads the Big Ten in base hits with 59 and stolen bases with 25. Allard, along with senior Adrienne Monka, has also been named to the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year watch list.Junior Meghan Lamberth and freshman Amy Letourneau have mostly handled pitching for the Wildcats this season. Lamberth has an 8-10 record during 19 starts. She has a 3.63 ERA, giving up 59 earned runs in 113.2 innings pitched. Letourneau leads the pitching staff in strikeouts with 88 in 84.2 innings pitched.Despite the talent among the Northwestern team, Gardner said she believes the Hoosiers have the answers.“I think they are at a good spot right now,” Gardner said. “It is unfortunate we have given up so many runs, but as long as we’re learning and getting better, then I am OK.”
(04/18/12 1:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the Hoosier softball team practiced Tuesday afternoon, the bases were loaded, and junior Amanda Wagner was up to bat. This type of situation is one that IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she looks forward to.Wagner drove a pitch right back up the middle just over the pitcher’s head into a gap in left center.“It definitely makes a difference that she is hitting so consistently,” Gardner said. “Every time she is in the box, she gives us a chance, and that is what I’m asking her to do. I’m not asking her to do any more or any less. I just want her to give us that opportunity.”Coming off an impressive 2011 sophomore season with 20 RBI and 20 hits, the junior has consistently hit well the entire 2012 season. Currently, Wagner leads the team with 38 hits, 30 RBI and eight home runs. Her .349 batting average and .633 slugging percentage is also the top among the team’s starting players.Wagner attributes the increase in hitting to her summer motivation leading to a change in her game.“I spent this summer really thinking about what I wanted for the team and what I wanted to do for the team,” Wagner said. “Basically, it was just a big change in my mental game and my approach to things.”Wagner said that throughout the summer, she vouched to stay in town and complete her workouts alone.“Just being alone but still being on campus really allowed me to think about what I needed to do,” Wagner said. “I’m trying to fill the leadership role that was left behind from last season.”Thus far this season, that is exactly what Wagner has done in the box. Gardner said she believes that, at this point in Wagner’s career, the junior is coming into her own.“She has been a really good leader for this team,” Gardner said. “I think she’s going to keep doing well because she’s in a good place. She’s not trying too hard. She’s just staying with what she can control.”To Wagner, the sense of leadership is fulfilled when she is able to get on base first and give the RBI notoriety to another batter in the lineup.“I like hitting first. I like having my teammates bring me in,” Wagner said. “I like it when my teammates can gain some confidence because I don’t always need to be the person that they rely on. We have a team full of good hitters.”Gardner said she could count on Wagner to get the hits that are needed, not just the home runs.“I think a lot of kids try to end the game with one swing as opposed to putting back-to-back hits together,” Gardner said. “Yes, a home run is great, but at the end of the day, I’ll take three runners on and a base hit, also.”Wagner said base hits are what win ball games but that it is nice knocking one out of the park once in a while.“There’s a point when I connect really well that I know the ball is gone,” Wagner said. “It’s a feeling I could never get acquired to because it’s one of the best feelings ever — when you grab the whole ball and catch every piece of it.”The Hoosiers (21-20, 5-7) resume play against Ball State (27-12, 6-2) at 4 p.m. today in Muncie.
(04/16/12 3:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers 21-20 (5-7) faced slightly different problems and saw slightly different victories in this weekend’s Big Ten play against the Nittany Lions of Penn State 13-23 (5-7).In game one Saturday, the Hoosiers picked up 12 runs on their way to a 12-6 victory against the Nittany Lions. The Hoosiers have not scored that many runs since they scored 14 against University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in April 2008.Walks were ever present during this game as Penn State issued 13 total. Three of these were issued to junior Amanda Wagner, who finished the day 1-for-1 with a run and three RBI.Senior Samantha Berenter knocked in three runners, as well, while going 1-for-3 and adding two runs herself.Despite winning by six runs, the Hoosiers did not necessarily have it in the bag early in the game. A late Penn State four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth put the Nittany Lions up 6-5 going into the sixth.The Hoosiers took that opportunity to end all doubts by picking up five runs in the top of the inning.The second game of the day, however, was a different story. Gone were the Penn State pitching errors for walks, and the Hoosiers missed some early scoring opportunities.Despite hitting well picking up 10 hits for .333, the Hoosiers were bested by Penn State from the box as the Nittany Lions also picked up 10 hits, averaging .385.The tie-breaker Sunday ended in a 9-4 loss for the Hoosiers after the damage was done in the bottom of the second inning.During the bottom half of the inning, the Nittany Lions picked up seven runs. The first three runs occurred after a double scored three runners following an error and a walk.The next four runs occurred in a grand-slam home run.The Hoosiers attempted another late inning rally after sophomore Shelby Gogreve scored freshman Brianna Meyer on an infield single up the middle. The Hoosiers weren’t finished, however, cutting the lead to four in the top of the sixth.Senior Lindsay Callanan picked up the fifth run of the game on a loaded bases walk. Shortly after, junior Kelsey Brannon reached home on a wild pitch to Meyer. With two runners in scoring position, senior Cassie Gogreve laced one to the outfield, almost catching the gap. However, the play was made for the final out.Indiana will play one more game away at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Ball State.
(04/16/12 2:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers 21-20 (5-7) faced slightly different problems and saw slightly different victories in this weekend’s Big Ten play against the Nittany Lions of Penn State 13-23 (5-7).In game one Saturday, the Hoosiers picked up 12 runs on their way to a 12-6 victory against the Nittany Lions. The Hoosiers have not scored that many runs since they scored 14 against University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in April 2008.Walks were ever present during this game as Penn State issued 13 total. Three of these were issued to junior Amanda Wagner, who finished the day 1-for-1 with a run and three RBI.Senior Samantha Berenter knocked in three runners, as well, while going 1-for-3 and adding two runs herself.Despite winning by six runs, the Hoosiers did not necessarily have it in the bag early in the game. A late Penn State four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth put the Nittany Lions up 6-5 going into the sixth.The Hoosiers took that opportunity to end all doubts by picking up five runs in the top of the inning.The second game of the day, however, was a different story. Gone were the Penn State pitching errors for walks, and the Hoosiers missed some early scoring opportunities.Despite hitting well picking up 10 hits for .333, the Hoosiers were bested by Penn State from the box as the Nittany Lions also picked up 10 hits, averaging .385.The tie-breaker Sunday ended in a 9-4 loss for the Hoosiers after the damage was done in the bottom of the second inning.During the bottom half of the inning, the Nittany Lions picked up seven runs. The first three runs occurred after a double scored three runners following an error and a walk.The next four runs occurred in a grand-slam home run.The Hoosiers attempted another late inning rally after sophomore Shelby Gogreve scored freshman Brianna Meyer on an infield single up the middle. The Hoosiers weren’t finished, however, cutting the lead to four in the top of the sixth.Senior Lindsay Callanan picked up the fifth run of the game on a loaded bases walk. Shortly after, junior Kelsey Brannon reached home on a wild pitch to Meyer. With two runners in scoring position, senior Cassie Gogreve laced one to the outfield, almost catching the gap. However, the play was made for the final out.Indiana will play one more game away at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Ball State.
(04/13/12 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the Hoosiers (20-18, 4-5) make the trip to University Park, Pa., this weekend, they look to keep the momentum from their past four games.In the past four, the Hoosiers have taken three games, outscoring their opponents 15-7 in those wins.On Wednesday night, the Hoosiers defeated the Indiana State Sycamores 3-0 in their third shutout of the season. The game marked the first in a series of five straight away games before the Hoosiers return to Bloomington to face Northwestern on April 21.Freshman pitcher Lora Olson has picked up each of the team’s past three wins, including completing an entire seven innings in the circle against Indiana State on Wednesday. In Meaghan Murphy’s last six decisions, four have been wins, but she has not pitched much since a loss to Michigan on April 7.In other aspects, the Hoosiers have been defending well. The Hoosiers’ defensive strategy played a role in Wednesday’s win against the Sycamores as well. So far this season, the main Hoosier fielders together have averaged 33 chances, while also averaging 22 putouts. With these numbers, only three of these players have more than one error in the entire season.Freshman utility player Brianna Meyer leads the team with 78 chances. Of those chances, Meyer has been consistently efficient with 73 putouts, four assists and just one error.This weekend the Hoosiers face a 11-22 (3-6) Penn State team on a four-game win-streak. However, prior to those four games, the Nittany Lions lost 13 in a row.Penn State resembles Indiana in some ways. Both pitching staffs have been built on two main pitchers. Penn State freshman Marissa Diescher’s ERA of 4.04 resembles Olson’s ERA. The past three years, the Nittany Lions’ senior pitcher Lisa Akamine has been named to the All-Big Ten third, third and second team, respectively.Having a week’s break, after both games against Temple were canceled Wednesday, gave Akamine time to rest before facing the Hoosiers this weekend.This weekend’s conference games will be the second conference home stand for Penn State. The Nittany Lions are undefeated in conference play at home.Penn State’s junior outfielder Cassidy Bell leads the team in conference hits with 14. She is second for the squad with six conference RBI and has a .438 batting average. Along with a high batting average, she leads the team with three conference home runs and has a .83 slugging percentage. However, Bell has the most strikeouts with four in conference play.The Hoosiers will face the Nittany Lions at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and again at 1 p.m. Sunday.— Justin Shockey
(04/12/12 1:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU defeated the Indiana State Sycamores 3-0 Wednesday afternoon in a game of milestones for the Hoosiers.In the win, freshman pitcher Lora Olson picked up her second complete seven-inning shutout while throwing a career-best seven strikeouts throughout the game. Olson caught two batters looking during the personal best.“It is nice to get the shutout,” Olson said. “I wasn’t focusing on it too much during the game. I just knew there hadn’t been any hits, and I wanted to keep it that way.”In a game with very few hits, the Hoosiers capitalized on their first-inning efforts from juniors Kelsey Brannon and Amanda Wagner, sophomore Jenna Abraham, freshman Brianna Meyer and senior Cassie Gogreve.Prior to junior Samantha Heyman’s groundout to second, Brannon grabbed a leadoff single. With an Abraham walk and a Wagner error single, Brannon moved to third. With Brannon and Abraham both in scoring position, Meyer drilled a single up the middle. “I definitely felt pretty confident coming off of last weekend,” Meyer said. “I knew I needed to collect on that opportunity. I just zoned up and hit it right past the shortstop.”The single scored both Brannon and Abraham. However, on a missed throw to first, Meyer moved to second, bumping Wagner to third.“I was just reading the ball,” Meyer said. “Jenna made a great slide at home, so I was just reading that when I made my move.”In the next at-bat, Gogreve knocked a sacrifice fly to right field to score Wagner, which put the Hoosiers up 3-0 in the top of the first inning.As play resumed in the bottom of the second, Olson found herself with two runners on base and just one out. After the ump ruled an illegal pitch, Olson went to work, recording four strikeouts and forcing a groundout during the next six Sycamore at-bats.“I guess it did give me some motivation,” Olson said. “It made me realize that it’s not just me throwing to Cassie out there.”In the late innings of the game, the Sycamores turned the bats on after two straight three-and-out innings from the Hoosier hitters.In the bottom of the sixth, Olson hit the leadoff batter with a pitch. The Hoosier defense answered with a double play to combine with Olson’s second called strikeout of the game to end the inning without trouble.In the bottom of the seventh, Olson walked two batters in an effort to go the distance. The Hoosier defense again answered the call, fielding two direct line drives from the Sycamore rally effort.“It wasn’t just me out there today,” Olson said. “The defense played great all day. I could really count on them to back me up.”IU Coach Michelle Gardner looks to ride this momentum into the Hoosiers’ three-game away stand against Big Ten rival Penn State this weekend.“Anytime we can get a win during the middle of the week, I think it sets us up for good things on the weekend,” Gardner said. “Now we’re just looking forward to going and taking on Penn State.”
(04/11/12 3:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Scoring early has been a touching point for IU Coach Michelle Gardner all season.“When we score early, we come out on top, and I’ve just been looking forward to doing that consistently all season,” Gardner said. “I want them to score early every game, because when they do I think good things happen.”In Indiana’s past 10 games, the Hoosiers (19-18) are 5-1 when scoring first. However, when allowing a run first, the Hoosiers are 0-4.Hitting has been an overall strength throughout the lineup this season. Roughly half of the main hitters hold batting averages of more than .300. Just three of the team’s main hitters have single digit RBI total for the season.“All of the girls are hitting well,” Gardner said. “It is just a matter of taking opportunities to score when they come to us.”The Hoosiers have left runners in scoring position numerous times this season, and as the season continues, Gardner looks to her strength in hitting to finish those opportunities.“(Junior) Amanda Wagner has been really strong,” Gardner said. “(Freshman) Bri Meyer and (sophomore) Jenna Abraham have also been hitting well for us. I think when they all hit well, we have been converting those opportunities.”Yet for the most part, this hitting dominance has taken place toward the end of the game. Rallies have been a constant for this team thus far in the season. However, when hitting early, the Hoosiers have dominated.Wagner previewed this strength this past weekend against Purdue. The Hoosier power hitter blasted two home runs in the first four innings of the opening game of the weekend, and Hoosiers went on to win 9-5.“It’s not hard to get the team fired up when you are playing Purdue,” Gardner said. “I think they came out and had something to prove and got the bats going.”Gardner intends to treat today’s game against the Indiana State Sycamores (13-22) just the same.Sycamore pitching has been somewhat weaker than what the Hoosiers have seen the past three weekends in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers will look to capitalize early on in the matchup against likely Sycamore pitchers Lindsey Beisser or Ashli Scott. Beisser is 6-13 in her 25 appearances and holds a 2.02 ERA. Scott is 5-8 in 18 appearances with a 2.80 ERA.Today’s game against the Hoosiers marks the second game of a 10-game home stand for the Sycamores.Indiana State has struggled lately, only winning two of its past 20 games.The “faceless” opponent theory of Gardner will present itself tonight against the Sycamores.“I don’t think we are ever down or not in it,” Gardner said. “I think the girls are staying focused on what they need to do day in and day out. To us, every game from here on out is important, and that is how we will treat every game.”
(04/09/12 1:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers had their best conference series this weekend when Purdue visited Saturday and Sunday. In three games, the Hoosiers finished 2-1 against the Boilermakers who — prior to this weekend — were undefeated in Big Ten play.Saturday’s first game resulted in a 3-2 victory for the Hoosiers, ending the Boilermakers’ undefeated streak.After IU scored an early run in the bottom of the first inning, freshman pitcher Lora Olson shut out the Boilermaker lineup until the fifth inning. The Boilermakers notched two runs in the top of the fifth, and junior Amanda Wagner came through and tied the game back up with a groundout RBI to score sophomore Jenna Abraham.In the seventh, the Hoosiers were just one out away from extra innings until freshman Brianna Meyer hit a double near the center field wall, scoring Wagner for the game-winning hit. The hit was Meyer’s second of the day, including her second RBI of the day, as well.Abraham and junior Kelsey Brannon both went 2-for-4, and sophomore Shelby Gogreve provided the leadership IU Coach Michelle Gardner looked for by hitting a perfect 3-for-3.The win was Olson’s first Big Ten win in her collegiate career.The second game Saturday ended in a 9-5 hitting-clinic victory for the Hoosiers. The game, which resulted in IU’s fourth-straight victory against Purdue, tied the previous win-streak record against Purdue set by the 1996-97 Hoosiers.As Gardner has asked her team to do all season, the Hoosiers scored early and scored often. The Hoosiers touched home plate a total of eight times in the first three innings compared to the Boilermakers’ two.Wagner continued hitting well by leading the team with her second two-home run game of the season. Of the Hoosiers’ opening nine runs in the first four innings, four were driven in by Wagner.Twice during the game, she answered the Boilermakers’ scoring with a home run of her own. Wagner also ended the game hitting a perfect 4-for-4, and her teammates joined in on the hitting.Of the nine other Hoosiers with at-bats, six of them recorded hits, and three of them recorded at least one RBI.In the final game Sunday afternoon, the Hoosiers did not convert their attempt at a weekend sweep.The Boilermakers defeated the Hoosiers 11-2 after a significant hitting effort against the Hoosiers.After recording 17 hits total in the first two games, the Boilermakers recorded 17 hits in the final game alone.Olson recorded the loss, giving up four runs and eight hits in three innings. Sophomore pitcher Meaghan Murphy relieved her but struggled, as well, giving up seven runs on nine hits in the remaining four innings.Senior catcher Cassie Gogreve went 2-for-3, recording the only two RBI from the Hoosiers.The Hoosiers travel to Terre Haute on Wednesday for a break in Big Ten action. They will face the Indiana State Sycamores before making the trip to University Park, Pa., to resume Big Ten play Saturday against the Nittany Lions of Penn State.— Justin Shockey
(04/06/12 2:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers (17-17, 2-4) look to assert the 1-2 punch between freshman pitcher Lora Olson and sophomore pitcher Meaghan Murphy this weekend during their matchup with in-state rival Purdue (23-9, 6-0).The Hoosiers have relied on the young pitching duo to learn quickly in the pre-conference season and adjust accordingly early in Big Ten play. This season, Olson has 24 appearances with 16 starts. In those appearances, she has a 4.44 ERA with an 8-7 record.“It has been really exciting,” Olson said. “It is a lot different than any other softball that I have played in the past. Obviously, being in the Big Ten, there is a lot of good competition. But working with (catcher) Cassie Gogreve and the rest of the team, the freshmen have been able to blend in well.”While the senior leadership of Gogreve, Samantha Berenter, Lindsay Callanan and Heather Nelson has helped the freshman blend into her surroundings, Olson has another personal coach who most collegiate athletes do not have in their pocket: her older sister.Sara Olson, a former Hoosier softball player, returned this season as a student assistant coach for the team.“It has helped me because during games she helps me understand what the hitters are thinking since she was playing just last year,” Olson said. “That helps me think about what I should be doing as I’m pitching.”Murphy brings with her one more year of experience in the circle. However, in that year, Murphy placed just one game under her belt. In that game she recorded a five-inning shutout — her first shutout in her first collegiate game.Since then, Murphy has seen more time in the circle.“It’s been a huge adjustment, especially mentally,” Murphy said. “Although I am a sophomore, I don’t have as much pitching experience as a typical sophomore. Just being ready to go out there and pitch on a regular basis has been the biggest adjustment, but it has been a good adjustment.”This season, Murphy has 25 appearances with 18 starts. In those appearances, she has a 4.51 ERA with a 9-10 record.Two of Murphy’s wins have come against both Big Ten opponents the Hoosiers have faced thus far. Following a 6-5 start, Murphy picked up her first two Big Ten wins in the last two weekends against Ohio State and No. 20 Michigan.“It felt great to get those two wins over very tough teams,” Murphy said. “Our team played them very tough, so the wins should be credited to the entire team and not just my record.”Teamwork has been a characteristic of this year’s pitching staff, working together to share duties between games.“We both understand that we are working together as a pitching staff,” Olson said. “We are always ready to go. We just try to stay ready for each other in case the other needs help. We know we have to be there for each other.”Murphy said the “opposites attract” theory is shared.“The best thing about Lora and I is that we complement each other very well,” Murphy said. “We are two different pitchers, but that seems to work. If one of us has an off day, the other one has been on.”
(04/02/12 1:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Both winning streaks came to an end this weekend at the IU Softball Field.The Indiana Hoosiers forfeited their 15-game winning streak at home while the Michigan Wolverines ended their six-game winning streak as well.The Hoosiers were defeated in the Big Ten home opener Saturday afternoon by a score of 3-2. Freshman Shannon Cawley opened the scoring column for the Hoosiers in the sixth inning with a groundout RBI, scoring senior Heather Nelson and moving senior Samantha Berenter into scoring position. Junior Amanda Wagner took this opportunity to lace a single into center field, scoring Berenter for the other RBI. Wagner’s RBI single began her hitting streak, which lasted throughout the weekend until her final two at-bats in the Sunday game.“Every time I go up, I like it to be a faceless opponent,” Wagner said. “If you think you know their tendencies, you don’t think as clearly, whereas if I go in not knowing what to look for, I can just react and hit the ball.”The Hoosiers were not able to keep the rally going in the seventh, thus forfeiting their home win streak.Although the end of the streak appeared painful, they picked up their first win against a ranked opponent in their second game Saturday. They also did so against the top-ranked team in the Big Ten.In the Hoosiers’ 7-2 win in the second game Saturday, hitting was all that mattered. Although the team was out-hit 10-to-9 by Michigan, Indiana scored early and often by touching home plate three times in the third inning. Wagner stole the show by again going a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate. She also tied her career-high four RBI and recorded her sixth home run of the season.However, it was not the only time a Hoosier hit would clear the fence. Freshman Bri Meyer recorded her first collegiate home run while adding one more run in the sixth to make the game 7-2. The win also marked sophomore Meaghan Murphy’s second conference win in three collegiate conference starts.The loss was Michigan’s first in Big Ten play and 10th overall. The win gave Indiana one apiece against both conference teams it has faced thus far.On Sunday, both teams met for a finale tiebreaker. Ultimately, it would be the Wolverines reversing Saturday’s 7-2 Indiana win to defeat the Hoosiers by the same score.The Hoosiers failed to score early after forfeiting two runners in scoring position from fielder’s choice outs in the first inning.“I think if we just scored when we had runners on, it would’ve helped,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said. “We had girls on and no outs. We need to be able to score there. If we do, then Michigan isn’t so loose and free and fine.”Following another Michigan run in the top of the fourth, the Hoosiers attempted a late-inning rally as they have numerous times this season.Junior Samantha Heyman started a rally in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a single on a dropped pop fly from right field. Sophomore Jenna Abraham then followed with a double to move Heyman into scoring position. Heyman and Abraham then both scored off of a groundout RBI from junior Kelsey Brannon and Meyer, respectively, to bring the game within three going into the sixth.However, in the next series, Michigan hitter Amanda Chidester blasted a home run into the scoreboard, concluding her perfect day of hitting and concluding any hopes of a Hoosier rally.The Hoosiers will face rival Purdue this weekend at the IU Softball Field. Gardner said she looks to use this weekend’s 1-2 series as motivation for the upcoming conference games.“We’re going to be working on mental toughness,” Gardner said. “We’re having too many mental breakdowns, and we need to be better.”