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(08/26/11 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The new varsity baseball and softball stadiums will take the place of the intramural fields on the north edge of campus near 45/46 and Fee Lane and will leave the nearly 10,000 participants of intramural sports without a home field.Director of Recreational Sports Kathy Bayless said that as of yet, there is no immediate plan where the sports will play after groundbreaking on the stadium begins this fall. According to the Indiana University Master Plan, new intramural practice fields will be constructed in the northeast section of campus. Sembower Field and IU Softball Field would become a part of this complex as well. The Master Plan does not include a date for when construction will take place.
(08/26/11 4:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Baseball Coach Tracy Smith has worn the hard hat before. Five years ago, Smith and then-IU President Adam W. Herbert stood together, shovels in hand, to approve plans that included funding for not only new baseball and softball stadiums but also the North End Zone Student-Athlete Development Center, a basketball practice facility — Cook Hall — and an academic resource center.Fast-forward to the summer of 2011 and Smith’s baseball program is finally scheduled to receive the gift it was promised.On Aug. 19, the IU Board of Trustees approved construction of a new baseball and softball complex to be built north of the Indiana Tennis Center and Mellencamp Pavilion.Ground is scheduled to be broken in spring 2012. The stadiums should be ready for the 2013 season.Six years into his tenure at IU, Smith said he is relieved and excited about the announcement. He also said he knows he has been down this road before.“I appreciate all the efforts of the people that have been working on this for years in getting this thing to the forefront,” Smith said. “A lot of time went into this, and I’m very thankful and will be looking forward to that first piece of dirt being moved.”Funding problems pushed the baseball and softball stadiums to the back burner in 2006 as the revenue-producing sports football and basketball had their projects built.With an athletic budget near the bottom of the Big Ten, Smith said he wasn’t mad about the baseball program having to wait its turn.“I’m sitting here at a BCS school, and you have to have the best in football to compete because for all of us (the entire athletic department) to do well, football has to do well,” Smith said. “Indiana basketball has tradition that is probably parallel(ed) by no other, and in my mind, those things should have come first.” “(IU Athletic Director) Fred Glass and current administration have followed up on commitments that were made before them, and I really give them a lot of credit because they probably could have said, ‘Look, that’s (the lack of funding) not our problem,” Smith said. “‘We didn’t promise you these things, and we weren’t here,’ and they did not take that stance.”A popular topic surrounding the construction of a new baseball stadium has been building location. IU is in a unique situation among Big Ten schools since their baseball and softball facilities are in close proximity to the student dorms. The new location places almost all of the Hoosier athletic facilities in the same area.When Glass took over in January 2009, he and his staff made it a priority to bring the baseball and softball stadium project back to the forefront. “Our (current) facilities are woefully behind the rest of the conference,” Glass said. “We have great coaches, and we have the best climate in the Big Ten for that. I think it’s a great foundation and step forward for our softball and baseball programs.” Two years ago, the baseball program made the NCAA Tournament. Smith has had three players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in the last three seasons.“It speaks incredibly highly of what an extraordinary coach he is to recruit kids here when we have subpar facilities,” Glass said.The 2009 Big Ten Championship, won by Smith’s Hoosiers, was the first since 1996, and the NCAA Tournament appearance was only the second in school history.Smith said the stadium will make things easier for his staff in terms of recruiting, but at the end of the day, it still comes down to the players on the diamond.“I’m a big believer in you win with people, and you build your program with people,” Smith said. “I think there is a big misconception out there that you build new stadiums, you win championships, and the recruits just fall into your lap. I think with the people we have here and the way we do things, this will certainly be an enticement for kids to come.“I think when you go back through all of this, I don’t think you’ve ever heard me say, ‘We will not be able to win here without a new stadium.’ Whether we got it or not, we were still going to win at Indiana.”
(08/19/11 2:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU baseball and softball will have a new complex for the 2013 baseball and softball seasons. The Board of Trustees approved the construction on Thursday with the goal of starting construction in spring 2012 and completing it for the 2013 seasons.The new complex will be just north of the Mellencamp Pavilion and the Indiana Tennis Center along North Woodlawn Avenue and the 45/46 Bypass. The location was chosen as a part of the University’s master plan to have all of the major athletic facilities in one neighborhood. “The new baseball/softball facility will allow both teams to compete at the highest level, further demonstrating IU Athletics’ commitment to enhancing the experience of our student-athletes and ultimately delivering on a promise made to both programs several years ago”, said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass in an IU press release.The $19.8 million facility will be funded by the athletic department as well as private donations and will be designed by Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects from Indianapolis, according to the release.Both baseball coach Tracy Smith and softball coach Michelle Gardner were excited for the complex and said the approval showed the University’s dedication to the programs.“There’s no doubt in my mind that this facility will further enhance our program moving forward,” Gardner said in the release.The new complex will replace Sembower Field and the IU Softball Field on Fee Lane across from McNutt Quad. Sembower Field was built in 1951 and the IU Softball Field has been home to the softball team since the early 1970s.
(08/16/11 4:02am)
Athletic Director Fred Glass told reporters at the Tailgate Tour stop Thursday that a plan has been drawn up for a new baseball and softball facility that includes a location and all funding. It will be presented to a committee on Thursday for approval.
(05/18/11 11:03pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team will participate in postseason play for the first time since 2006 when it matches up with DePaul on Friday as part of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship. The Hoosiers (37-16, 17-3) enter the postseason as winners of 25 of their last 29 games and second-place finishers in the Big Ten.The 64-team field was selected Sunday. The Hoosiers landed in the Columbia, Mo. regional along with Illinois State, DePaul and No. 5 overall seed Missouri. The double-elimination regionals, which run from May 19-22, serve as the opening of the tournament.Senior Morgan Melloh, who this week was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, once again will lead the Hoosiers in the circle. Melloh is one of only two Hoosiers with NCAA Tournament experience with the other being senior Kelsey Stander. Melloh said she will have to have good control against DePaul to slow down a batting order that features seven starters with a .300 average or better. “I just have to make sure my pitches are moving and not hang because they will take advantage of that,” Melloh said.As most of the team does not have much experience in the postseason, coach Michelle Gardner said nerves will be a factor but also said she thinks her young team can handle it this weekend.“It is us coming out and competing like we have competed all year long,” Gardner said. “It’s going to be real hard not to get all wrapped up in the hype of everything that is going on. I think they’re ready.” While they aren’t one of the seeded teams in the tournament, the Hoosiers said they feel they can play with any other team they might face.“We have a lot of confidence in ourselves based on our regular season,” Melloh said. “We were 37-16, and that’s a really awesome record.”Despite the offensive lineup Melloh will face against DePaul on Friday, Gardner said she feels confident in IU’s chances as long as Melloh is in the circle.“She just needs to do what she can do and not overthrow, make the ball move and rely on her defense a little bit, but just do what she has done all season long,” Gardner said. “She has thrown so well against so many good hitting teams. It is just a matter of her keeping focused on what she can control.”Hoosiers earn All-Big Ten honorsSeniors Melloh and Sara Olson were each named First Team All-Big Ten on Wednesday, marking the first time since 1994 that IU has had two players on the conference’s first team.Melloh, who threw a Big Ten-record of 221 strikeouts while posting a 1.07 ERA in conference play, was the first Hoosier pitcher since 1996 to receive the Big Ten’s top pitching honor. Olson led all Big Ten first basemen with a .425 average and a .667 on-base tally during the 2011 campaign.Sophomore Amanda Wagner earned Second Team honors from the designated player position, and outfielder Jenna Abraham was selected to the Freshman All-Big Ten team.
(05/16/11 2:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team is going to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006.The Hoosiers, who finished the 2011 regular season second in the Big Ten and with an overall record of 37-16, drew a first-round matchup with DePaul on Friday in the Columbia, Mo. regional.It's just the seventh-ever NCAA tournament appearance for IU and the first under coach Michelle Gardner.The Hoosiers will enter the tournament having won 25 of their last 29 games.
(05/16/11 12:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU softball coach Michelle Gardner watched the last team practice of the regular season from behind home plate on a warm spring day and reminisced about the season she had witnessed and the three seniors that she would lose at the conclusion of the Hoosiers’ season, presumably in the NCAA Tournament.Whenever that moment may come, seniors Morgan Melloh, Sara Olson and Kelsey Stander will have gone through their four years of eligibility, making the 2011 postseason their last hurrah in the cream and crimson. As the season comes to the climax, first baseman Sara Olson said she is completely focused on the team and not the inevitability of the end of her college career.“I guess it crosses my mind, but right now I’m not even worried about that,” Olson said. “I’m worried about what our team is doing and where we’re going to go from here, the next series and the future of what’s going to happen with the team this year.”During her only season in Bloomington, starting pitcher Morgan Melloh has excelled in the circle, racking up numerous accolades but never wavering on the goals of the team. Gardner said she sees Melloh as a great example of the kind of attitude that exemplifies what IU softball is all about.“She cares about her teammates, she cares about her team,” Gardner said. “Yes, it’s great to be a great pitcher, and she gets a lot of accolades. She’s missed a few little things here and there, but Morgan doesn’t care about that. Morgan wants us to do well as a program.”Even though the three seniors will be out of eligibility, two won’t be entirely gone from the Hoosiers’ program. Melloh and Olson will be around to help with the team during the 2011-2012 season.“Sara and I will be back for assistant coaching, but we have both been there pitching, hitting and fielding,” Melloh said. “We can take our skills and hand them over to the younger players.” The third senior in the group, Kelsey Stander, will be attending a nursing graduate program in Massachusetts, but the outfielder explained that she will not soon forget her time in Bloomington.“It’s kind of surreal,” Stander said. “I don’t really think it is going to hit me until it is over. I’m sad, but I am so glad about the experience I had, especially senior year, so it couldn’t have ended better.”While the players had their own emotions about their careers being over, Gardner had some very strong feelings toward the three seniors as their playing days come to a close. “Obviously I am very sad to see any one of them go because it has been quite a journey,” Gardner said. “With Morgan it has been one year, but she has done amazing things, and Sara and Kelsey have been here since I got here, so it’s a different feeling.”
(05/15/11 11:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team concluded its regular season Saturday, finishing a two-game sweep against in-state and conference rival Purdue to improve its record to 37-16 (17-3 Big Ten). The Hoosiers will find out their next opponent when the NCAA Tournament Selection Show appears on ESPNU at 10 p.m. Sunday. The Hoosiers are expected to play in the postseason for the first time since 2006, which is only their seventh appearance all-time following their second-place finish in the Big Ten.On Friday and Saturday, the Hoosiers capitalized on numerous fielding errors by the Boilermakers, scoring three unearned runs in the two games. Purdue blew a one-run lead in the fifth inning Friday to allow the Hoosiers to notch their 11th come-from-behind win of the season. An error allowed the Hoosiers to take a two-run lead early Saturday, and then in the third inning, sophomore Amanda Wagner put the game out of reach with a two-run homer to left field. Wagner was not looking to hit a home run, just a specific pitch, and she got it: a changeup. “I was really just looking for a pitch to drive,” Wagner said. “We as a team picked up on her changeup, so we kind of knew when it was coming, when to lay off it and when not. And I saw it coming.”As the Hoosiers likely head into the postseason winning 25 of their last 29 games, coach Michelle Gardner still sees areas in which the team can improve.“I still think there are areas where we need to do better,” Gardner said. “We need to score more runs, but honestly I feel really good about where we are and who we are,” Gardner said.Morgan Melloh continued her dominance in the circle on Senior Day, notching her 32nd victory of the season and her 13th shutout.She also broke the record for most strikeouts in a Big Ten season with 221. Melloh pitched every inning for the Hoosiers in Big Ten play, posting a 1.07 ERA along with seven shutouts.As the Hoosiers enter the postseason, Wagner said she thinks the team has plenty of potential on the horizon.“We’re expecting to play hard and go far,” Wagner said. “We are not settling for anything. We’re going to play our hearts out.”Even though the Hoosiers have had a strong season, Gardner said she feels like her team is still a big underdog.“I think we’re being overlooked,” Gardner said. “I think we’re little Indiana, and even Morgan, as great as she is, I think we are being overlooked.”
(05/09/11 12:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team split its weekend series with Northwestern, falling 4-1 in the second game Sunday and putting a stop to the Hoosiers’ nation-leading 15-game win streak. With the loss, the Hoosiers fell to 35-16 on the season and 15-3 in the Big Ten. The loss dropped the Hoosiers one game back of No. 2 Michigan in the Big Ten standings. In-state and conference rival Purdue visits Bloomington for two games starting Friday to end the regular season.Senior pitcher Morgan Melloh gave up four runs in the fifth inning on a grand slam by Marisa Bast as the Wildcats sent seven batters to the plate. Melloh struck out only four batters, which tied her lowest total since March 12. Melloh felt that things just came together for the Wildcats in that rough fifth inning for the Hoosiers.“They were able to get a couple of people on base with infield hits, and then we walked (Adrienne) Monka intentionally because we had been having success against Bast,” Melloh said. “She came up there swinging and was able to get enough of it to get it over the fence.”The Hoosiers managed to split the weekend series but could only push two runs total across the plate. Senior Sara Olson saw the number of runners on base as something that the Hoosiers can build on next weekend against Purdue.“I think the positives that we take from this weekend are that we had numerous opportunities to put a lot more runs on the game and we were making them make some plays to get out of it,” Olson said. “Today we just couldn’t find the hole in the defense with runners in scoring position.”Melloh saw the loss as something the team can build on as it moves forward despite its win streak being snapped.“Obviously you never want to lose and everyone on this team knows that we still have things to get better at, and I think that’s what we are going to focus on this week in practice,” Melloh said.
(05/06/11 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team travels to Evanston, Ill.,Saturday for a two-game series with Big Ten rival Northwestern. The Hoosiers (34-15, 14-2) enter the game riding a 13-game win streak in conference play and have won 14 straight games overall. IU finishes the season at home against rival Purdue next weekend.“I feel like we’re playing as a team well and we have a lot of confidence right now,” Abraham said. “Obviously (senior) Morgan (Melloh) is an amazing pitcher and she’s been throwing really well, but also when one person isn’t hitting well in a day, someone else steps up.” As the Hoosiers head into the last four games of the regular season, they have a first-place tie with No. 2 Michigan for first place in the Big Ten. With all of the success for the Hoosiers this year after only winning 12 games last year, many are shocked by their success, but sophomore Samantha Heyman said she feels the team always had confidence in their abilities.“Last year we would go through games, and it would be like, ‘Don’t lose this game,’ and this year we are playing to win and we have so much talent and we are so together, I think that confidence has really done a lot for us,” Heyman said.Abraham said she feels a tough early schedule really helped the team.“I feel like we played real tough competition this year, and I feel like it definitely did prepare us mentally and physically,” Abraham said. “I feel like once we got that one big win, it just clicked, and we like to win. It’s something we don’t want to stop doing.”
(05/02/11 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior pitcher Morgan Melloh added upon an already record-breaking season, as the IU softball team swept its two-game weekend series against Iowa. This extends the Hoosiers win streak to 13 games in the Big Ten and 14 straight overall, improving its record to 34-15 (14-2).Melloh threw her eighth-straight complete game Sunday, coming within one out of a no-hitter before Hawkeye senior first baseman Stephanie Ochoa lobbed a single to center field. In the two games against Iowa, Melloh allowed only three hits while striking out 23 in 14 innings of work. She improved her overall record to 29-14 with a 1.70 ERA and 441 strikeouts on the year.With four games left in the regular season, the Hoosiers are in prime position to win the Big Ten outright, or at the very least, a share of the title with No. 2 Michigan.IU coach Michelle Gardner said she isn’t worried about any kind of a letdown in the last four conference games.“We just need to have everyone continue to do what they have been doing,” Gardner said. “We have been scoring runs and playing pretty good defense while Morgan has been outstanding in the circle .“It’s a combination of all of those things that we need to focus on.”With the Big Ten title in their sights, Melloh said she thinks the Hoosiers are confident because they believe in each other.“We all know that we have the support of everyone in the dugout so it makes it that much easier to go out there and perform at the highest level,” she said. “When you know that everyone in that dugout is pulling for you to succeed, it only motivates you to do your best each and every time you step out onto the field.”
(04/29/11 2:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team swept their rain-delayed doubleheader against Illinois Thursday to extend their winning streak to 12 and improve their record to 32-15 (12-2).The Hoosiers improved their road record to 19-14 on the year. The Hoosiers outscored the Illini 11-1 in the two games.Senior pitcher Morgan Melloh tossed two complete games while giving up only one earned run and striking out 21.Melloh surpassed the 400-strikeout mark for the third time in her college career. Junior outfielder Heather Nelson is continuously impressed with all the things that Melloh is able to do for the Hoosiers.“She’s given us the pitching that we needed, and she’s also got the confidence and the energy that we needed to bring to win the game,” Nelson said.The team has now not only won 12 straight but 20 of their last 23 overall since starting 12-12 and have won 11 straight conference games, the longest such streak in school history. Despite their success, senior first baseman Sara Olson doesn’t see the team becoming complacent as they are very focused on the task at hand.“We just need to keep working and moving from here,” Olson said. “We’re never really satisfied with anything that we are doing, because we are trying to keep getting better everyday. We’re never settling.”While the Hoosiers excelled at the plate in their first game Thursday, an 8-0 victory, defense was key in their second win, a 3-1 triumph. Up 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Illini loaded the bases with one out when recently-inserted defensive replacement Nelson made an over-the-shoulder catch to preserve the lead.“It was a line drive over the left side of my shoulder,” Nelson said. “I took a drop step and made sure to catch the ball.”IU will welcome the University of Iowa for a two-game series this weekend in Bloomington, where the Hoosiers are 13-1 this season.
(04/27/11 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team will be in action today in Champaign, Ill., to take on Illinois in a doubleheader. The Hoosiers (30-15, 10-2) have won 10 straight games for the first time since 1994 and currently are tied for first place in the Big Ten with No. 2 Michigan with just eight games remaining in the regular season. IU will welcome Iowa to Bloomington this weekend.The Hoosiers have been excellent at home, posting a 13-1 record, but they have gone 17-14 on the road.“We have had some opportunities to score runs early in games recently, but have not been able to come up with the big hit,” Gardner said. “Thankfully we have gotten those hits later in the games and been able to get the wins, but I think if we continue to get those runners on base early in games, we will be able to find a way to get the hits we need to bring them around.”Senior pitcher Morgan Melloh again will be in the circle. Melloh has posted a 25-14 record this season with a miniscule 1.82 ERA, as well as 397 strikeouts in 253 1/3 innings.Senior Sara Olson said the team must continue to play well and be mentally strong.“I think as a team, we all need to continue to stay focused on the goals that we have set and do whatever it takes to achieve them,” Olson said. “We have all put the team above any individual goals, and we know that is what we have to do in order to continue having success.”
(04/25/11 1:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU senior pitcher Morgan Melloh stifled yet another Big Ten opponent.The IU softball team swept its two-game series during the weekend at Michigan State to record its 10th win in a row, its longest streak since 1994, and improve to 30-15 (10-2) on the season. The Hoosiers 30 victories are their most since the 2006 season. The victory gave the Hoosiers their fourth straight series win since splitting two with No. 1 Michigan three weeks ago. The Hoosiers are now tied for first place in the Big Ten standings. Melloh was once again dominant in the circle, striking out 22 Spartans while only allowing three earned runs in two more complete games during the weekend. The senior pitcher had two more outings of double-digit strikeouts, giving her 78 career games with 10 or more strikeouts. IU coach Michelle Gardner said Melloh’s consistency is an important factor in the Hoosiers’ success.“Morgan gives us a chance to win every game and we have to find a way to score runs early and take a little pressure off,” Gardner said.With her two victories against Penn State, Melloh improved her record to 25-14 with an ERA of 1.82. The senior southpaw has struck out 397 batters in 253.3 innings while allowing only 158 hits and throwing 30 complete games.Freshman Ashley Warrum, who stands third on the team with a .317 batting average, said while they have been able to count on Melloh to limit opponents, the offense still needs to continue to produce.“She does a lot for us and we don’t want to put too much pressure on her. Everybody has to do their job. Our hitters have to hit and our defense has to play good defense,” Warrum said.The Hoosiers came from behind to win yet again Saturday afternoon, scoring five runs in the sixth en route to a 7-2 victory. Gardner said her team needs to focus on the opposing pitcher to avoid the need for a late comeback.“It’s just making adjustments to hitters early,” Gardner said.The Hoosiers have won nine straight Big Ten contests and sit atop the Big Ten standings tied with No. 1 Michigan. “We really need to keep doing what we’re doing and keep our energy up. We just have such a great energy around the team,” Warrum said. “If everybody keeps doing their jobs like they have been doing, I think things look good for us.”
(04/22/11 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU softball coach Michelle Gardner looks out from her spot in the dugout as she watches her star pitcher strike out batter after batter.She looks on with amazement at the talent the left-hander has to offer.IU senior pitcher Morgan Melloh has been in Bloomington for less than a year and has already made a lasting effect on the Hoosier softball program. On Wednesday, Melloh struck out 14 Ball State Cardinals en route to her 23rd victory of the season, but this performance was special for a different reason. In the process, Melloh became the single-season strikeout leader, passing Amy Unterbrink. Unterbrink set the record in 1986 with 370.Melloh, a Fishers, Ind., native, transferred closer to home after three years at Fresno State University. Many of her current Hoosier teammates were excited that Melloh had so much success in her career, but even catcher Cassie Gogreve said she didn’t realize the senior pitcher would be this dominant.“I didn’t really know how much of an impact that she could have by playing every game and really being the ace dominant pitcher on our team,” Gogreve said.Melloh entered the year with a 90-35 record and 1.76 ERA after three years at Fresno State. This season, Melloh has shown no signs of slowing down, posting a 23-14 record with a 1.84 ERA and striking out 375 batters. Her career total in strikeouts is 1,513, placing her at ninth all-time in Division I history.While there are many elite pitchers in the country, Gardner said there is something different about Melloh that allows her to continue to dominate inside the circle.“She can throw herself into a bases-loaded situation and throw herself out of it, and I think that’s a special quality,” Gardner said. “She has not only the speed, but the ball movement that it takes to be at that level.”Melloh has infused confidence into a team that has been short on wins the last few years. Gogreve said the success the Hoosiers have experienced this season has rubbed off on the entire team.“Seeing how great she is reinforces the idea that we can be that great too, and the level that she succeeds at every game is something that we all try to work toward,” she said.Throughout all of her success, Melloh continues to stay motivated. The three-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Week still works toward her ultimate goal: the World Series.“It makes me stronger to work toward a bigger goal like winning the World Series, and I think this team is capable of doing that,” Melloh said.With all of the success this season, Gardner said the Hoosiers will only get better in the seasons to come now that they have seen they can all be successful.“All their expectations have gone up, so now they are going to expect more next year than they have this year,” Gardner said.
(04/21/11 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There is no sign of slowing down for senior pitcher Morgan Melloh and the IU softball team.The Hoosiers defeated Ball State 3-0 for their eighth-straight win as Melloh set the single-season strikeout record with 375.Melloh struck out 14 batters and pitched her 27th complete game of the season. The senior’s performance broke Amy Unterbrink’s previous mark of 370 punchouts in 1986. Melloh now stands at 23-14 and the Hoosiers improve to 28-15.The Fishers, Ind., native said she felt honored to be able to break a record that was held for so long.“I accomplished a goal and Amy Unterbrink set a high standard in pitching,” Melloh said. “She did an amazing job, and I felt like I was with her.”IU coach Michelle Gardner said she felt the record was a great thing for Melloh and for the program. She said the combination of Melloh and junior catcher Cassie Gogreve has been a huge key to success this season.“Cassie Gogreve has caught every inning that kid (Melloh) has thrown, and she does a great job behind the plate,” Gardner said. “Behind every great pitcher is a great catcher.” The Hoosiers once again were in a close game late, and once again they came out victorious, earning their eighth-straight win, a streak they have not reached since 2007. The Hoosiers improved to 18-9 on the season in games decided by three runs or less.Sophomore shortstop Breanna Saucedo said the team is finishing in close games better than it did earlier in the season.“I think there is a lot more confidence in our team,” she said. “I feel at the beginning of the season we were all kind of shocked that we were winning so many games and I think everybody, not just the team but other people on the outside, thought it was luck, and now that our streak has continued we all walk to the field with our heads held a little higher.”The Hoosiers have now won 13 of their 14 games at home. Saucedo said they can play with anybody, and the sky is the limit for Gardener’s team.“I think we got used to losing before, and now we’re expecting ourselves to win,” she said. “I think it will be a little more disappointing if we lose but that’s not going to happen.”
(04/20/11 11:08pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior softball pitcher Morgan Melloh broke the IU single-season strikeout record during a 3-0 victory against Ball State.Melloh struck out 14 Cardinal batters to give her 375 on the season, five more than the previous mark set by Amy Unterbrink in 1986.The win gives IU eight consecutive victories and a record of 28-15. Melloh is now 23-14 on the year.
(04/20/11 3:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team will welcome in-state opponent Ball State to Bloomington today before taking on conference rivals Michigan State and Illinois for four games during the next week. The Hoosiers have won seven straight games and will look to continue their hot play in Bloomington, where they have a 12-1 home record.The Cardinals will get a healthy dose of senior pitcher Morgan Melloh in the circle. Melloh, the three-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, has compiled a record of 22-14 with a 1.90 ERA and leads the nation in strikeouts with 303. Tuesday, she was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week.The Hoosiers will try to continue their hot hitting with the one-two punch of sophomore Breanna Saucedo and senior Sara Olson. The shortstop and first baseman have combined for 18 extra base hits, 37 RBI and a combined batting average of .354.Ball State comes into the contest touting a 27-16 overall record and a 7-3 conference record in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals will look to batter Melloh early and often as they have a team batting average of .323 and post six starting batters with at least a .313 average.— Dennis Glade
(04/18/11 2:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team swept Wisconsin in a two-game series during the weekend, capped by Amanda Wagner’s walk-off grand slam Sunday.The Hoosiers (27-15, 8-2) are now 12-1 at home and have won seven-straight games — 15 of their last 18 games overall.In game one, senior pitcher Morgan Melloh struck out 21 Badgers in eight innings, a career high and the third-most in a single game in IU history, as the Hoosiers got the 4-3 extra-inning victory.In game two, the Hoosiers squandered numerous chances, but trailed by only one run going into the bottom of the seventh. After the Badgers walked senior Sara Olson for the fourth time that day, Wagner finally made the Badgers pay with her third walk-off hit of the season, a grand slam to left field.“They’ve been walking her all weekend, so it’s kind of something I expected and I tried to mentally prepare myself for it, and my whole goal wasn’t to get the big home run, it was to hit Bre (Saucedo) in, and the fact that it happened to go out is even better,” Wagner said.Coach Michelle Gardner said she feels all the contributions from so many different players have been key to the overall success of the team in the last 18 games.“It’s a team effort no matter how you look at it. It can’t be just one person, it’s got to be everybody, and we’re getting good performances in the circle. Now some other people are coming through, which is exactly what we need to happen,” Gardner said.Despite numerous missed opportunities early in the game, the Hoosiers said they felt they still had a good shot to win the game. Wagner explained that the team members have a strong belief in themselves and that makes all the difference.“It’s a belief that we can do it and we can win,” Wagner said. “Whether it comes down to the first inning or the last inning, there’s always that belief that we can come out with the win.” Since completing its early season tournaments with a record of 12-12, Gardner said the team has really hit its stride and has showed incredible focus.“We’re finding a way to win ball games,” Gardner said. “It’s like they’re zoned in, and that’s what we needed to happen.”
(04/15/11 4:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU Softball team defeated Indiana State 5-2 Thursday afternoon to extend their win streak to five games and improve their record to 25-15 (6-2). The Hoosiers have won 14 of their last 16 games overall and improved to 10-1 at home. The Hoosiers welcome Wisconsin this weekend for a two game set.Sophomore pitcher Jessica Dobson started for the Hoosiers and went four and two thirds innings and gave up two earned runs before giving way to senior Morgan Melloh. The Hoosiers trailed 2-0 before junior Samantha Berenter’s three run homer in the fourth inning.Sophomore Amanda Wagner continued her hot hitting with a two-run double in the sixth inning to stretch the lead to 5-2. The double stretched Wagner’s hitting streak to four games and it was also the fourth straight game with an RBI.The Hoosiers are currently tied for second in the Big Ten with Illinois and sit only one game back of No. 2 Michigan.