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(04/23/14 2:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After getting swept in a road series against Northwestern Wednesday, the IU softball team (13-33-1, 4-13 conference) is looking to get back into the win column with a midweek showdown against the Louisville Cardinals (28-17, 9-6 conference).Last season, then-No. 11 Louisville defeated the Hoosiers 4-1.IU sophomore first baseman Kassi Farmer, who hit 2-for-3 against the Cardinals last season, said she is hoping to have a similar performance in this year’s game.“I remember hitting well against Louisville last season,” Farmer said. “I’m hoping to have the same type of success against them this season. I just have to stay relaxed at the plate and not think too much.”The Hoosiers offense struggled to take advantage of opportunities with runners on base, stranding a total of 20 in three games. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said even though the team has been hitting well, it has become a priority to start producing hits with runners in scoring position. “We really need timely hits,” she said. “We need to produce with runners in scoring position. If we execute, it will lead to more runs.”Senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo said the team has been focusing on driving pitches to the opposite field.“Against Northwestern we were most successful sending the ball to opposite field,” Saucedo said. “Focusing on that is going to allow us to be more successful at the plate.”Freshman pitcher Maryssa Becker leads the Cardinals pitching staff. In her 120.1 innings pitched this season, she has an ERA of 1.80 with 116 strikeouts. Opponents are only batting .212 off of her this year, the fifth-lowest opposing batting average allowed by a pitcher in the American Athletic Conference.Offensively, Louisville has one of the best lineups in the conference. The team’s cumulative batting average of .297 and 235 runs scored are both the second highest amounts in the conference.Louisville also has a knack for getting extra base hits. Of 357 total hits, 32 percent have gone for extra bases, including a conference-high 73 doubles. Louisville senior second baseman Katie Keller’s .515 on base percentage is the top in the conference and 44th nationally. Her .398 batting average, 38 runs scored and 15 doubles all rank within the top three in the conference. The Cardinals will be matched up with an IU pitching staff that gave up 15 runs in the last series, 13 of which were earned runs. Gardner said the key to neutralizing Louisville’s offense will be early run support for the pitching staff and limiting errors.“We have to play clean defense,” Gardner said. “That is critical. We need to get off to a good start for our pitchers. We need to play a clean game and play our type of game.”
(04/21/14 3:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers’ struggles in Big Ten play continued during the weekend. After splitting a midweek doubleheader with Ball State, the IU softball team (13-33-1, 4-13) was swept in Evanston, Ill., by No. 25 Northwestern (27-11, 9-6). The loss gives IU an 0-11 record this season against ranked opponents.Despite the weekend results, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she was encouraged by the team’s performance in the last two games. “That is the number 25 team in the country, and we competed with them all weekend,” she said. “We really battled. I’m very happy with how we competed this weekend.”In the first game of the series, Northwestern’s bats were too much for IU as they fell in six innings 8-0. Northwestern drove its first run across the plate in the bottom of the second inning.Facing a 2-2 count with one out, Northwestern junior infielder Anna Edwards hit a solo home run over the left field wall. After a scoreless third inning, Northwestern found the scoreboard again in the fourth, this time pushing two across to extend the lead to three runs. Following a double in the bottom half of the fifth from Northwestern senior infielder Mari Majam that drove in one run, senior infielder Marisa Bast took the fifth pitch of her at bat.The hit went over the left field wall for a two-run home run, giving the Wildcats a six-run lead. A pair of Northwestern RBI singles extended the lead to eight, which ended the game due to the NCAA run rule. IU didn’t register a hit until the top of the fourth in the second game, when freshman outfielder Natalie Lalich reached after a bunt to second base. It was the first of just two hits off of sophomore pitcher Kristen Wood. The Hoosiers were unable to take advantage of opportunities with runners on base in game two, stranding eight in the 4-2 loss. “We have to execute,” Gardner said. “We need to control what we can control. We have got to find a way to get timely hits when we have runners on base.”In the bottom of the first frame, Bast hit her second home run of the weekend, this time a solo shot to center field after facing a full count. With two outs in the top of the third, Northwestern scored three runs off of three consecutive doubles, giving them an early four-run advantage. In the top of the sixth, IU scored the first runs of the weekend. With the bases loaded, senior third baseman Shelby Gogreve was walked, bringing in sophomore utility player Alyssa Rosati. IU scored again on the next at-bat after a wild pitch. Sophomore second baseman Kassi Farmer scored from third. In the third game of the weekend Sunday, the Hoosiers lost 3-2 off of a walk-off single. The Wildcats’ offense struck first, sending two runners across the plate to give them a two-run lead in the bottom of the second inning. In the top of the fifth inning, IU knotted the game at two highlighted by a RBI-triple off of the bat of senior third baseman Shelby Gogreve. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, senior catcher Paige Tonz hit a 2-0 offering centerfield, driving the game’s winning run. “It was unfortunate that we lost, but we battled,” Gardner said. “It was the best the team played all weekend.”
(04/18/14 2:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After splitting Wednesday’s doubleheader with Ball State, the IU softball team (13-30-1, 4-10) will travel to Evanston, Ill., to take on Big Ten foe Northwestern (24-11, 6-6 conference).IU Coach Michelle Gardner said in order for the team to be successful, it is going to have to limit the Wildcats’ big hits. “We have been giving up big hits at inopportune times,” Gardner said. “We need to focus on the task at hand, which is not allowing extra base hits.”Gardner said Northwestern’s offense is similar to that of Ball State.The Wildcats’ team batting average of .325 ranks the team 16th in the statistic nationally, three slots ahead of Ball State.After facing a Ball State lineup that has six players with a batting average above .300, IU will have to go against an even more efficient Northwestern offense. Northwestern has seven starting players with an average above .300. The team averages six runs per game and ranks third in the conference in total runs with 233. The offense is led by sophomore infielder Brianna LeBeau and senior infielder Emily Allard, who each have a .389 batting average. They are tied for the 10th-highest batting average in the conference.Allard also has 22 steals, the highest amount for an individual player in the conference. The last time IU junior pitcher Lora Olson pitched was during the first game of the Ball State doubleheader. She pitched a complete game, allowing just two earned runs on two walks and five hits. She said in order to see a similar performance against the Wildcats, she will need to mix her pitches and keep batters off balance. “I need to stick to the plan I had against Ball State,” Olson said. “Hit my spots, mix my speeds and keep hitters guessing. I need to use my pitches evenly and not get into a pattern.”In the circle, Northwestern has one of the highest team ERAs in the conference at 4.14. Sophomore pitcher Kristen Wood has become the ace of the pitching staff. Through 117.1 innings pitched, Wood has an ERA of 3.94 and has struck out 150 of the 444 batters she has faced. IU will need to continue swinging like it did against Ball State. The Hoosiers accounted for 20 hits in Wednesday’s doubleheader. Although the Hoosiers were able to get on base, the team wasn’t able to bring runners across the plate. IU left 13 runners on base in Wednesday’s games and drove in six total runs. Olson said driving in runners and limiting errors will be important against Northwestern.“We really need to play clean defense and deliver timely hits,” Olson said. “We need to stick to our game plan.”
(04/17/14 2:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team (13-30-1, 4-10 conference) won the first game of Wednesday’s double-header against in-state rival Ball State (24-15, 4-2 conference), but fell victim to a big hit during the final inning of the second game. With runners at first and second base, Ball State second baseman Emily Dabkowksi hit a three-run home run to left center field, solidifying the 6-3 victory.After the series split, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she was impressed with how her team hit. “We really hit the ball well today,” Gardner said. “I think we had good pitching, although we gave up some hits. I’m proud of the team. They really came out and played.”IU won the first game 3-2.In the bottom of the third inning, IU pushed three runs across the plate. Freshman second baseman Erin Lehman started the rally, reaching first after a hit to right field. Following junior centerfielder Brianna Meyer’s walk, senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo sent a bunt to the circle. After an error on the throw to first, Lehman scored from third base. On the following at-bat, Saucedo stole her 15th base of the season. When Ball State catcher Shelbie Scamihorn made the throw to second, the ball went past the glove of sophomore shortstop Selena Reyna, which allowed Meyer to score from third. With Saucedo on second, freshman first baseman CaraMia Tsirigos hit a single to right field, driving in Saucedo to give IU a three-run lead. Ball State struck back in the top of the fourth. After the Cardinals’ left fielder Jennifer Gilbert reached first on a fielding error, third baseman Audrey Bickel hit a two-run home run to left field, cutting the IU lead to one run. With two outs and a runner on first and second in the top of the sixth, IU junior pitcher Lora Olson used a four-pitch at-bat to get out of the jam. “At that point, I had a lot of innings under my belt,” Olson said. “I was in a groove and made sure to keep hitting my spots. I went at each batter like I did in the early innings.”Both teams were held scoreless in the final two innings. Olson threw her fourth complete game of the season, striking out five batters while allowing just one earned run. With the win, her record moves to 5-13 this season. Leaving runners on base plagued the Hoosiers during the second game. In the loss, IU stranded six runners.Ball State used the fourth inning to blow the game wide open. The offensive onslaught began with a single off of Dabkowski’s bat that went past a diving Saucedo. Gilbert stepped up to bat following Dabkowski, hitting a two-run home run over the left field wall. After a Bickel double off of the left field wall, Scamihorn sent a ball to shallow right field. Bickel scored on the play off of a fielding error. In the next half inning, IU began to chip away at the lead. With two outs, IU sophomore catcher Kelsey Dotson sent the first pitch of the at-bat over the left field wall, reducing the Ball State lead to two runs. The solo home run is Dotson’s fourth of the season. Right fielder Natalie Lalich started the bottom of the fifth inning with an infield single. On the next at-bat, Meyer drove a ball down the left field line for an RBI double, cutting the deficit to one run. Facing a full count with two outs, designated player Michelle Huber beat out a throw for an infield single, driving in Meyer to tie the game. The Hoosiers had an opportunity to gain the lead in the top of the sixth. After senior left fielder Jenna Abraham reached base on a single up the middle, she was thrown out attempting to steal second base for the first out of the inning. After preventing IU from scoring in the sixth, the Ball State offense used a three-run seventh inning to officially put the Hoosiers away.The Hoosiers will be back in action when they travel to Northwestern (24-11, 6-6 conference) for a three-game series.
(04/16/14 2:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team (12-29-1, 4-10) returns to action in a Wednesday doubleheader after coming off of a dramatic win to end the weekend series against Penn State. IU will face the leader of the West division of the Mid-American Conference, Ball State (23-13, 4-2). The Cardinals are on a three-game winning streak after going 3-1 in last weekend’s series against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said the key to playing Ball State is controlling the tempo.“If they get people on, we need groundouts or strikeouts,” Gardner said. “We really need to control the tempo of the game.”The last time the two faced off, Ball State won 5-2, something IU junior pitcher Lora Olson remembers well. “I remember from facing them last year that they have a very potent lineup,” Olson said. “This is nothing new for us. We’ve played some pretty good teams this season. We need to keep them off balanced, mix our speeds and hit our spots.” Ball State has the 19th-highest team batting average in the country and five hitters in the lineup have an average above .300. As a team, it has more home runs (42) and have driven in more runs (204) than any team in its conference. The team’s most productive hitter, sophomore outfielder Briana Evans, has the highest batting average in the MAC at .409. Senior outfielder Jennifer Gilbert not only has the conference’s third highest batting average at .405, but she also leads the MAC in home runs (15) and runs batted in (45).Ball State’s pitching staff has a cumulative ERA of 4.33, and it is allowing an opponent batting average of .314. The Hoosiers can expect to face sophomore right-handed pitchers Kelsey Schifferdecker and Nicole Steinbach. They have a combined ERA of 4.05 and a total of 112 strikeouts.Ball State will be facing off with an IU offense that has been productive in recent weeks. Sophomore first baseman Kassi Farmer played a large role in Sunday’s win against Penn State. She had a career-high four hits in five at-bats, and she also drove in a career-high five runs. “I need to do what I did Sunday,” Farmer said. “I was feeling good. I went to the plate relaxed and didn’t think too much.”Farmer said if the team comes out on offense like they did Sunday, they have a good chance at being successful. “We need to play like we did on Sunday,” she said. “We had an attacking mindset and to attack early. We were stringing hits together.”IU has also received a boost on offense from the return of CaraMia Tsirigos. Tsirigos, who was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week March 18, missed 11 straight games with a hand injury before returning for the Penn State series. In her first series back, Tsirigos batted 3-for-8 and had a key solo home run in Sunday’s game. In the second game of the Purdue series, Gardner decided to change her leadoff hitter for the first time in 35 games. She moved senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo to the second slot while moving junior outfielder Brianna Meyer to leadoff.In the seven games since the change, both have seen a slight bump in production despite a small sample size. Meyer’s batting average in the leadoff spot is .400 as compared to her .242 in the second position. Saucedo, who has the highest batting average on the team at .342, batted .327 at the leadoff position. After the switch, she has an average of .416. Gardner said she made the switch because of Meyer’s patience to take pitches, but she is very pleased with the production she has seen from both players. “We made the change because Brianna takes more pitches,” she said. “Breanna tends to swing at the second or third pitch while Brianna tends to work deeper into the count. I’m happy with how the change has worked out.”
(04/15/14 2:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the first Big Ten game of the 2012 season against Ohio State, IU scored two runs to decrease the Buckeyes’ lead to one run. The team was looking to get three quick outs and to return to the plate in order to continue the comeback attempt.With a runner on first in the bottom of the sixth inning, IU senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo set to go through a routine out. Saucedo said the batter bunted to former IU first baseman Amanda Wagner, nicknamed Wags.“Wags threw it to me at second and my foot was in front of the base when the girl slid into second,” Saucedo said. “Her slide fractured three bones in my foot.”The injury didn’t require surgery, but she was in a walking boot for four months. By the end of the season, she was back to running and fielding ground balls.Heading into 2013 — her senior year — Saucedo was looking to return and build on her strong performance from the previous season. In the 28 games before her foot injury, she registered nine multi-hit games, had a .319 batting average and scored 18 runs. Against Ohio’s Miami University in the sixth game of the year, Saucedo felt a slight pain in her knee while attempting to take second base on an overthrown ball. “There was an overthrow at first, and I turned to run to second,” she said. “When I rounded the base, my knee gave out.” Saucedo said she didn’t feel a pop in her knee, and she was able to walk off of the field under her own power. The next day, the training staff informed her that she had a partially torn ACL.“I was able to keep walking on it for two weeks,” she said. “I ended up also tearing my meniscus after practice while fielding ground balls. The meniscus was definitely more painful than the ACL.”***After her surgery, Saucedo spent every day from February to July working with three members of the training staff to return to full health. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said Saucedo worked hard every day to get back onto the field.“She worked so hard to come back,” Gardner said. “She was very diligent with her rehab. As soon as she was able, she was in the cage taking extra cuts. Even when she couldn’t practice full, she was out there doing everything she could to help the team.” After she regained the ability to run at full speed in July, Saucedo was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA and decided to return to Bloomington.Gardner attributed Saucedo’s return to her competitiveness.“She’s so competitive,” she said. “She could’ve forgone her fifth year, but she really wanted to play.” Despite suffering three serious knee injuries in a two-year span, Saucedo said she was more than ready to make her return.“I wasn’t nervous to return at all,” she said. “After missing two years, I couldn’t feel anything but excited. I was so eager to get back out there.” Despite Saucedo’s excitement to return, others in the clubhouse were both nervous and anxious to see her comeback, including Gardner.“As a coach, there’s a fear factor,” Gardner said. “There is a hope that she doesn’t get hurt again. She wanted to be here and compete with her team. She’s worked so hard to get back. It is truly amazing to see.” ***As a lifelong athlete. Saucedo never suffered a serious injury before 2012. The only time she ever broke a bone was in a minor snowboarding accident her freshman year of high school. “I broke my wrist snowboarding,” Saucedo said. “Other than that, I’ve had no serious softball injuries.”Prior to the injury during her junior season, Saucedo already secured her name in the program’s history books. She became just the second player to ever lead the team in hits during her first two seasons. The task had not been done since Dianna Christiansen did so in 1977 and 1978. Despite three serious injuries in two seasons, which limited her to appearing in 34 of a possible 109 games, Saucedo picked up where she left off. She started and played in 41 games this year, and she currently is fourth in the Big Ten in stolen bases with 14. With a .342 batting average, 50 hits and 24 runs scored this season, she leads the team in all three categories. Saucedo registered her 200th career hit April 9 against Michigan State. The injuries haven’t changed the way Saucedo competes on the field. The only thing that has changed is her view on playing the game. “I appreciate it more,” she said. “Every time I’m on the field I really take it in and leave all that I have on the field. Every game. Every inning.”
(04/14/14 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After dropping the first two games of the weekend series, the IU softball team (12-29-1, 4-10) defeated Penn State (12-23, 5-7) in extra innings during the final game of the series. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she was happy with Sunday’s victory but sees room for improvement.“I’d like for us to not give up as many runs,” she said. “I am happy with the way that the team continued to compete in all three games.” IU lost 4-1 to Penn State Friday. Senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy started in the circle, but she was unable to match her strong performance from Wednesday. After allowing four runs on two hits, highlighted by a triple on the first at-bat from Penn State center fielder Lexi Knief, she was pulled after a third of an inning. Sophomore pitcher Brooke Boetjer came in to relieve Murphy and retired the last two batters to end the inning. She would go on to strike out 10 batters, a career high. Though Boetjer said she knew she was approaching a career high in strikeouts, she was focused on helping the team win.“I knew I was close, but I wasn’t thinking about it,” she said. “I just wanted to shut them down so we would have a chance to fight back. I wanted to do better at moving the ball in the zone today.” Penn State took the second game 2-1. The Hoosiers were unable to take advantage of opportunities with runners in scoring position in the early innings. In the bottom of the second, IU loaded the bases with one out. They stranded three after a strikeout by Meyer and a fly out off the bat of redshirt senior infielder Breanna Saucedo.The Hoosiers scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth frame. Meyer hit a fly ball to deep left field that resulted in an RBI double and scored second baseman Erin Lehman.After a pitching change, Boetjer allowed a base hit to Hatfield, which gave the Nittany Lions the runs they needed to win the game. Penn State would hold off IU in the final two innings. IU won Sunday’s game 8-7. The Hoosiers’ offense put runs across the plate early.With two runners on base, first baseman Kassi Farmer hit a three-run home run to left center field to give IU the early lead. Saucedo stole her 14th base of the season before scoring on the home run. In the next three innings, Penn State scored seven runs, building a 7-4 lead.Facing a 2-1 count with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Farmer hit an RBI single to left field to tie the game at seven. Farmer’s career day wasn’t done.After both teams were unable to score in the seventh, Farmer hit a walk-off single to center field. The single was her fourth hit of the day and her fifth RBI, both career highs. “I struggled yesterday, and I just wanted to help the team get a win after two tough losses,” Farmer said. “I had a good round of batting practice before the game, and I knew if I had good contact everything would work out.”
(04/11/14 3:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After splitting a mid-week doubleheader Wednesday with Michigan State, the IU softball team (11-27-1, 3-8) will play Penn State (10-22, 3-6) at home for a weekend series. IU Coach Michelle Gardner was impressed with the team’s late comeback attempt in the first game of that series, which IU lost 5-3. “We came up too little too late,” Gardner said. “The good thing is that we came back and did the things in the series that we needed to do to be successful.”IU senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy said she is encouraged by what the team has been doing during the past week.“The team is coming together,” Murphy said. “We are putting all three aspects of the game together — hitting, pitching and defense. We are peaking at the right time.”She is coming off of a strong performance against the Spartans. She struck out 13 batters, the most by an IU player since the 2011 season. Murphy said she has been trying to improve in every game this season. “I’ve made pretty big strides since preseason,” she said. “All that I can ask of myself is to continue to improve my game in all aspects.”Gardner thinks Murphy’s previous work against Michigan State will be key this weekend. “Meaghan’s performance will be huge moving forward,” Gardner said.Murphy and the IU pitching staff will face the Penn State offense that doesn’t strike out often. Through 32 games, Penn State batters have been struck out just 134 times, the lowest in the Big Ten. Although they have shown good plate discipline, the Nittany Lions have the fourth-lowest batting average in the conference and have also registered the third-lowest amount of hits. They will match up with an IU pitching staff that has given up the most runs and hits in the Big Ten. Despite the team’s struggles on offense, Penn State has one of the statistically best hitters in the conference. Sophomore outfielder Lexi Knief currently leads the conference with four triples, and her .392 batting average is the ninth highest that the conference has to offer. She has also scored 30 runs. Defensively, errors continue to be an issue for the Hoosiers. They lead the conference in the category with 58 errors, including four errors in two games against Michigan State. Despite 33 steal attempts, the Hoosiers have allowed just 23 stolen bases. Only four teams in the conference have allowed fewer steals than IU. Offensively, IU will be opposed by a Penn State pitching rotation that has the highest earned run average, 5.91, in the conference. IU senior left fielder Jenna Abraham has been crucial to the team’s offensive attack all season. Abraham hit her third home run of the year against Michigan State — her second in five games — and also has the fourth-highest on-base percentage of the team at .382. In order for the team to replicate the recent success, Abraham said she thinks the team needs to be patient and relaxed at the plate. “We have some good players on this team, and sometimes we try too hard to do well,” Abraham said. “We need to do what we do best. Not press so much, and be relaxed at the plate. We need to score first, compete and win.”
(04/10/14 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the Big Ten Network in place to broadcast a mid-week conference doubleheader, the IU softball team (11-27-1, 3-8) took the field on a 62-degree afternoon to face off against the Michigan State Spartans (9-25, 2-9).Michigan State won the first game, but IU responded with a strong performance in game two to split the series. The Hoosiers made a late comeback effort, but the Hoosiers ultimately fell to Michigan State in game one 5-3. Despite the loss, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she was happy with the team’s performance. “We only gave up three earned runs,” Gardner said. “When you give up three earned runs, you should win the game. We were hitting well and battling, but we made some costly errors.”After IU sophomore pitcher Brooke Boetjer retired the first two batters of the game, the Michigan State offense came to life. Spartans freshman third baseman Sarah Gutknecht started the rally, sending the seventh pitch of the at-bat off of the right field wall for a double. In the next at-bat, left fielder Kassidy Kujawa hit a double to right field to drive in the first run of the game. Right fielder Stephanie Sanders stepped up to the plate and hit a ground ball down the left field line to drive in Kujawa, the second run of the inning. All three hitters reached base while facing 2-2 counts. After two Spartan runs to begin the game, both offenses failed to drive in a run until the bottom of the third frame.On the first at-bat of the inning, IU freshman second baseman Erin Lehman took first base after getting hit by a pitch. Lehman advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman outfielder Kayla Mathewson, followed by a shot by IU junior center fielder Brianna Meyer over Gutknecht’s outstretched glove. Lehman scored, and Meyer legged out a triple on the play. IU struck again with an out in the bottom of the fourth inning.Sophomore catcher Kassi Farmer hit a single up the middle, followed by a sacrifice bunt from senior third baseman Shelby Gogreve to advance Farmer to second. Sophomore designated player Michelle Huber stepped up to bat with two outs and a runner in scoring position. She hit a double to left field, driving in Farmer to tie the game at two. With two outs in the top of the sixth, Michigan State regained the lead. Spartans outfielder Ellie Stoffer hit a ground ball just past Lehman’s outstretched glove to drive in catcher Lindsey Besson. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, a walk sent in the third run of the game for IU. IU sophomore catcher Kelsey Dotson stepped up to bat. Dotson, who hit a walk-off grand slam against Ohio State, couldn’t repeat the late-game heroics and struck out to end the game. After the first game, Gardner wanted to make some changes. She moved Huber from seventh in the lineup to fourth. Huber went 1-for-4 in her new spot, including a key RBI in the second inning. The Hoosiers won the second game 7-3 behind a 13-strikeout effort from senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy. Murphy’s 13 strikeouts were the most by an IU player since the 2011 season.“It feels good,” she said. “I’m just sticking to my game plan. Sticking to the corners, moving the ball up and down and side to side. It feels good.” Gardner said she was happy to see Murphy playing so well.“She was dominant tonight,” Gardner said. “Thirteen strikeouts is huge, no matter who you’re playing. She did exactly what I knew she could do. I was thrilled for her.”The IU offense started early, scoring five runs in the first two innings. With Meyer on first base, senior left fielder Jenna Abraham stepped up to the plate.Facing a full count, Abraham hit a two-run shot to left field for third home run of the year.“I’m relaxed and doing what I do,” Abraham said. “If the ball is there, I’m swinging at it. She threw me a high pitch, so I swung.”After Murphy held Michigan State hitless for the second straight inning, IU extended the lead to five runs. With one out and runners on second and third, IU senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo drove in two with a single to right field. After Saucedo earned her 13th steal of the season and Abraham was walked, Huber hit her second RBI of the day. Her double to left field drove in Saucedo. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Hoosiers went deep again. With Farmer on first, Dotson hit a shot to left field. It was her third home run of the season and first since her grand slam against Ohio State. Michigan State put its only three runs of the game on the board in the top of the sixth, highlighted by a two-run home run from right fielder Stephanie Sanders.IU will look to build on its game two win with a three-game series against Penn State this weekend.“The team is coming together,” Murphy said. “We are putting everything together. Hitting, pitching and defense. We are peaking at the right time.”
(04/09/14 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a weekend in which IU’s pitching staff allowed just 10 runs in a series with Purdue, the lowest in a series since conference play began, the Hoosiers (10-26-1, 2-7 conference) play Michigan State (8-24, 1-8 conference) in a Wednesday double-header at Andy Mohr Field. Michigan State is currently on a five-game losing streak, and has also lost nine of its last 10 games. The Spartans’ lone conference victory came against Purdue on March 30. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said the team is feeling good heading into the midweek clash with the Spartans after the Sunday victory against Purdue.“Winning Sunday was huge for us,” Gardner said. “I really feel like we are in a good place going into tomorrow. As long as we take care of our business and do the things we did over the weekend, we have a good chance at being successful.”IU senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo said the team is excited to return to the field Wednesday.“After our win against Purdue, our team is ready to get out there,” Saucedo said. “We are anxious to show everyone what we can do. We can win and play as a team and make it happen. We are excited.”IU will face a Spartan offense that is statistically one of the worst in the Big Ten. Michigan State has a team batting average of .222, the lowest in the conference. The team’s 173 hits are also the lowest amount in the Big Ten. Spartan run production has come seldom, especially during the current 10-game stretch. The team has put 105 runs on the board this season, the second-lowest amount in the conference. They are averaging 3.4 runs per game in the last 10 games, which is slightly higher than the 3.1 IU has been averaging in that same span. Spartan freshman infielder Sarah Gutknecht has been a bright spot in the lineup this season. Her 25 hits, seven doubles, six homeruns, 23 RBIs and .532 slugging percentage all lead the team. Gardner said the team has carefully prepared for Gutknecht.“We aren’t going to let her hurt us,” Gardner said. “We’ve looked at the charts and the scouting reports, and we are going to have to make some decisions. We could pitch around her, if we need to. It really depends on the situation.” Other teams have begun to follow that lead. Gutknecht has been walked 12 times this season, the third-highest amount on the team. Michigan State’s offense could benefit from a struggling IU pitching staff that is allowing 5.33 earned runs per game, the second-highest ERA in the conference. Part of the high number of runs allowed by IU could be attributed to a conference-high 54 fielding errors this year. Michigan State has had struggles in the circle this season as well. The pitching staff has allowed 193 total runs, including a team ERA of 4.74, both the third highest in the conference. The Spartans struggle to strike batters out, fanning just 106 batters. Since the series against Ohio State, IU’s offense has started putting together hits more frequently. The team has strung together 46 hits since March 28, the highest amount of hits they have accumulated during a stretch this season. Saucedo said aggression at the plate has led to the improvement. “Our coaches are doing really well at making us be aggressive,” she said. “They are giving us opportunities to make things happen. They are being more aggressive, which has led to our batters following up each other.” Saucedo currently ranks fourth in the conference in stolen bases with 12 and will face a Michigan State defense that has allowed 30 stolen bases.Gardner said she wants to see the team work up the pitch count.“We’re not pressing at the plate as much in the past couple weeks,” she said. “We need to continue to do that and see pitches.”
(04/07/14 4:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Weeks after doctors declared him in critical condition and placed him in a medically induced coma, IU freshman wide receiver Isaac Griffith is back on campus, attending classes and beginning the early stages of his return to the football field. “I feel great,” Griffith said Saturday as he faced the media for the first time since a swimming accident in Sarasota, Fla. “I feel really good, actually. I’m ready to get back whenever I can.”Griffith, along with his parents Shannon and Kim, and teammates Nick Stoner and Ty Smith, opened up about the accident that occurred during spring break. Griffith and Stoner had traveled to visit Smith in Sarasota from Orlando, Fla. At about 6 p.m. March 17, Griffith, Stoner, Smith and friend Mitch McCune decided to go the beach.“Nick and Isaac came down for the day, and we were dead set on getting into the water,” Smith said. “That’s why they came. It was important for us to get into the water.”Smith said when they went to the beach, there were no red flags signaling visitors not to swim. Griffith said the water was calm and they waded waist-deep into the ocean.Shortly after the men entered the water, the waves began to grow. “The waves started picking up and getting higher and higher,” Griffith said. “That was when I got pushed out.”Griffith said he started to panic when, despite his efforts to swim back to shore, he began to get swept out farther. “I realized I was in trouble when I was being thrust out farther than I wanted to in the water,” he said.When the waves began to pick up, Stoner and Smith both decided to head back to shore. “Ty and I were in the water and we started to get beat up a little bit,” Stoner said. “That’s when we decided that we needed to get out of there.”When Stoner and Smith exited the water, the choppiness of the waves made it difficult to see Griffith and McCune. At that point, Stoner jumped onto the lifeguard tower to locate them and make sure they weren’t in danger.Stoner tried to signal to Smith where Griffith was in the water. Smith re-entered the water in an attempt to make sure they weren’t in immediate danger. “My mom was a lifeguard,” Smith said. “She said you’re not supposed to send yourself into their situation. Once I figured out he was in danger, I was the last thing on my mind. I just wanted to make sure that he was OK.”Once Smith reached them, McCune was holding Griffith in water that appeared to be waist high. “I was running to them,” Smith said. “That’s how deep the water was.”As Smith and McCune began to perform CPR, Stoner ran back to the hotel room to call an ambulance. Once at the hospital, Griffith was placed in a medically induced coma. After he spent two days in a coma, the doctors woke him up.Griffith’s parents were surprised at the short amount of time it took for Isaac to wake up. “We were kind of, in some ways, caught off guard with how quickly they brought him out,” Shannon, his father, said. “We were under the impression it was going to be a little bit longer. They were astonished at how good of shape Isaac was in.”Griffith said his first memory was a man standing at his bed shaking him, telling him it was time to wake up.“He was the one who got me out of the coma,” he said. “He was with me 24/7 when I was in my coma. I remember waking up and wondering where I was and what was going on.”Three weeks later, Griffith said he is anxious to get back to practicing, but it could take some time for his body to get readjusted.He said he has been jogging about 30 minutes every day and has recently returned to the weight room. The training staff currently has him lifting sets with higher reps and low weight to rebuild his strength.If his rehabilitation goes well, Griffith said he hopes to be able to fully participate by the time fall camp rolls around. “I’m ready to get back whenever I can,” he said. “I’m letting the doctors, strength staff and coaches make that determination on when I’m ready to go full speed. “I’ve been told that when I’m good enough over the summer, they are going to monitor me and make sure I’m back at full health by fall camp.”Kim, Isaac’s mother, said she is anxious to see her son back on a football field. “I’m so anxious to see him play,” she said. “I’m going to be there waiting for him to walk onto that field.”
(04/07/14 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team (10-26-1, 2-7) looked to earn its second conference victory of the season this weekend against Purdue (20-18-1, 7-2). After dropping both games in Saturday’s doubleheader, IU secured a 5-2 victory Sunday.IU Coach Michelle Gardner made a point in practice last week to limit the opposing run production. The team did that this week, allowing 10 runs in the series — the lowest amount of runs allowed in a weekend series since conference play began. Gardner attributed the success against Purdue to IU’s pitchers keeping the ball down in the zone.“We’ve been working on keeping the ball down,” Gardner said. “Other than a few pitches, I think we did a good job with it this weekend.”Purdue got off to a hot start offensively in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader and won 4-1. With Purdue senior right fielder Andie Varsho on third, center fielder Lindsey Rains on second and first baseman Ashley Burkhardt on third, senior catcher Danielle Fletcher stepped up to the plate. With one out, Fletcher drove a ball to left field for a grand slam, giving Purdue an early 4-0 lead.Purdue sophomore pitcher Lilly Fecho earned the win, pitching a complete game while allowing just four hits and one earned run. She also struck out four of the 29 batters she faced. In the second game of the afternoon, Purdue won again 4-1.Gardner decided to make a change in the leadoff spot in an attempt to increase the opposing pitch count. IU junior center fielder Brianna Meyer was moved from the second spot to leadoff, and senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo was moved to the second spot in the lineup.Gardner said the change was made because of Meyer’s plate discipline.“Bri tends to take more pitches,” she said. “We decided to make the change and to see more pitches, and it worked.”Meyer said that although she has batted in the leadoff position in the past, it felt a bit different doing it over the weekend. “It was a bit different, but I really liked it,” Meyer said. “It gave me a little more confidence.”She hit a single to second base on the first at-bat of the game. Both teams were held scoreless until the third inning.In the top half of the frame, the Hoosiers drove in the first run of the game when senior left fielder Jenna Abraham hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive Mathewson across the plate.With Varsho and freshman shortstop Kristen Hoppman on base, senior infielder Tori Chiodo hit a three-run home run to center field to give Purdue a 3-1 lead. After IU was unable to register a hit in the top of the fourth, Purdue struck again in the bottom of the inning when freshman Katy McJunkin scored from third on a wild pitch. Senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy got the start for IU. She pitched four complete innings allowing five hits and four runs.After losing the first two games of the weekend, IU defeated Purdue 5-2 in dramatic fashion in Sunday’s game. The Hoosiers struck first in the top of the opening frame. Abraham hit a sacrifice fly to center field, driving in Meyer in the process. After going two innings without scoring, Purdue scored its only two runs of the game in the home half of the third. A double to right field by Fletcher drove in Chiodo and Rains.After being held scoreless in four straight innings, IU tied the game when Meyer hit a solo home run to right field. In the top of the final inning, Meyer’s strong offensive output continued. Following a Gogreve solo home run to left field, Meyer hit a single up the middle of the field to drive in two runs.Murphy would hold Purdue scoreless in the home half of the frame to give IU its second conference victory of the season. Meyer, who went 2-for-3 and also drove in three runs while scoring two, said that it felt good to get back into the win column. “It feels so great,” she said. “We didn’t win all of the game, but we did respond with one on Sunday. It means a lot. We fought hard.”
(04/04/14 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a tough start to the Big Ten season, the IU softball team (9-24-1, 1-5) will head to West Lafayette this weekend for a showdown with in-state rival Purdue (18-17-1, 5-1). The Hoosiers will deal with a very potent Boilermaker offensive attack Friday through Sunday. Purdue currently ranks third in the Big Ten in batting average at .312 and leads the Big Ten in hits with 301. Senior outfielder Andie Varsho has provided a spark for the offense, putting up the second-highest batting average in the conference at .486. She also leads the conference with 54 hits. With an offense as dangerous as Purdue’s, pitching is going to be an important factor in determining IU’s success over the weekend.Despite her struggle against Ohio State, allowing five earned runs without recording an out, IU senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy will look to build on her solid performance from Tuesday. Against Indiana State, Murphy pitched two full innings without allowing a single hit or walk. Murphy credits her improvement to a change in the way that she approaches the game. “I’ve changed my mindset a little bit,” Murphy said. “I’ve put whatever happened in the past in the past, and I’m going out in the circle with a fearless mindset. It allows me to throw the game that I know I’m capable of throwing.”IU softball Coach Michelle Gardner has placed an emphasis on slowing down the high-powered Boilermaker offense.“We need to hold their runs down,” Gardner said. “It’s been our nemesis. We have to play our game and limit run production.” The Boilermakers have been dangerous on the base paths. They have 46 steals this season, which trails only Wisconsin in the conference. “One thing about Purdue is that they are going to run on you,” Gardner said. “They are going to make (IU catcher Kelsey) Dotson throw, which is something that she has proven she can do.” Dotson exhibited this against the Sycamores, throwing out two runners as they attempted to steal second base. Purdue also is a strong pitching team. They have the fourth lowest earned run average in the conference (2.76), but teams have shown the ability to get hits off the pitching staff. The Boilermakers have allowed 230 hits this season, the fourth highest amount in the conference. This could bode well for an IU offense that racked up 10 hits in Tuesday’s game against Indiana State. Gardner noted that the team has been putting hits together in recent games. “We really need to keep hitting,” she said. “We’ve been hitting a lot better lately. It’s been encouraging.” IU senior left fielder Jenna Abraham, who hit her second home run of the season Tuesday, said the team is focusing on the positive things they have done offensively.“We are leaving the negatives behind,” Abraham said. “We are building on the positives heading into the series against Purdue.” Abraham said the renewal of a rivalry, such as the one with Purdue, is going to further motivate the team.“There’s always extra motivation when we play Purdue,” Abraham said. “We want to really take it to them.”
(04/02/14 3:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After going 1-2 in last weekend’s conference home opener, the IU softball team went into Tuesday’s game with Indiana State looking to get back into the win column. Despite a comeback attempt in the final inning, IU fell to Indiana State 7-5. The loss was the third straight and also the sixth in the last seven games for the Hoosiers. After the loss at home, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she was encouraged from what she saw in relief from senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy, who didn’t allow a hit in two innings.“Her performance was huge,” Gardner said. “She came out and dominated. I really liked what she was doing out there.”Indiana State’s offense got started early, driving two runs across the plate in the top of the first inning. Senior utility player Morgan Allee reached base after being hit by a pitch on the second pitch of the day. ISU junior utility player Megan Stone drove in Allee with a double off of the right field wall. Two at-bats later, the Sycamores struck again when sophomore right fielder Alexa Cavin hit a ground ball just outside the glove of diving IU senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo.As the ball rolled passed Saucedo, the Sycamores had time to score freshman catcher Brooke Riemenschneider.With runners on the corners, IU escaped a jam when sophomore catcher Kelsey Dotson threw out Cavin in an attempt to steal second base. After IU junior center fielder Brianna Meyer became the first Hoosier of the day to reach base on a walk, Dotson drove a pitch to left field to get an RBI single.Dotson’s timely hit brought the Hoosiers closer to the Sycamores, cutting IU’s deficit to one run early on in the game. But in the next half inning, Freshman Sycamores left fielder Rylee Holland hit a ground ball and beat out a Saucedo throw to first, driving in junior pitcher Yvette Alvarez in the process. In the home half of the second frame, senior third baseman Shelby Gogreve hit a fly ball to Cavin in right field. During the play, Cavin appeared to lose the ball in the glare of the sun, which resulted in sophomore first baseman Kassi Farmer scoring from second on the play as the ball hit the ground.As Farmer scored, Gogreve was thrown out attempting to stretch her double into a triple. After Boetjer allowed a triple to ISU center fielder Erika Crissman, Gardner brought in IU junior pitcher Lora Olson in for relief, but the change couldn’t slow down the Sycamore’s offensive output. Crissman scored shortly after the change off a bunt off the bat of Holland, which was the first of two ISU runs in the inning.The Hoosiers were able to get back onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when Farmer sent a flyball to deep center field, driving in sophomore right fielder Natalie Lalich in the process.After going scoreless in the fifth, Indiana State’s bats reemerged in the top of the sixth inning. After Riemenschneider and Stone reached base on a single and double respectively, senior third baseman Shelby Wilson hit a pitch to right field to give the Sycamores a 7-3 lead. IU senior left fielder Jenna Abraham hit a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Hoosier’s comeback attempt fell short. The home run was Abraham’s second of the season, which was something she was excited about. “I’m not really one to hit the long ball,” Abraham said. “I’m usually not swinging for the long ball. I usually just try to get base hits so when that happens it feels good.”While one streak continued for the Hoosiers, another ended. Saucedo, who came into the game with a 10-game hitting streak, went 0-for-3 on the day, ending her hitting streak. IU now has a 9-24-1 record as they head into West Lafayette for a weekend series with the Purdue Boilermakers.
(04/01/14 1:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a tough series during the weekend against Ohio State, the IU softball team is set to take on the Indiana State Sycamores at 5 today at Andy Mohr Field. The Sycamores are off to a 17-14 start this season. They went 1-2 in a series against Illinois State last weekend. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said pitching will be key for the Hoosiers’ success today. “We need to be a whole lot better in the circle,” she said. Pitching was an issue for IU during the final two games of the Ohio State series. The IU pitching staff allowed 17 earned runs in 10 innings of play during those games. Most of those runs were allowed in big innings. IU allowed seven runs in the third inning of Friday’s win and nine in the first inning of the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. IU junior pitcher Lora Olson said in order for the team to be successful, they will need to focus on the smaller things. “We know every team we play will be tough, no matter where their season is going,” Olson said. “We are going to have to come out and play Indiana softball every time out. It’s going to take every single person on the team to win. We need to stay positive and keep each other out. We need to win pitches, outs, innings and then games.” Errors continue to be an issue for IU, with 50 for the season so far and five in the Ohio State series alone. The team has seven more errors than the second-closest team in the category, Purdue, with 43. It won’t be getting much easier for the Hoosiers as they face an offensive attack led by Indiana State freshman utility player Kassie Brown, who has a .396 batting average and an on-base percentage of .431 in her 21 games played. IU will also attempt to contain senior utility player Morgan Allee, who leads the team with an on-base percentage of .474. Allee is also a threat when she gets on base, stealing 22 bases on 27 attempts this season. From an offensive standpoint, IU will need senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo to continue to play at a high level. Against Ohio State, Saucedo recorded a hit in every game, extending her hitting streak to 10 games. Saucedo stole her 12th base of the season Sunday, which gives her the fourth-highest total in the Big Ten. “Bre has been playing very well,” Gardner said. “She’s really coming along, and she has been a huge factor for us.”
(03/31/14 4:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Heading into the first game of a three-game series against Ohio State, IU softball Coach Michelle Gardner knew that earning the team’s first Big Ten victory of the season was going to be a challenge. What Gardner didn’t know was that the Hoosiers would do it by scoring 11 runs during the last three innings to overcome a seven-run deficit in the first game of a doubleheader that culminated in two IU losses.Ohio State junior pitcher Olivia O’Reilly began the game with a strong pitching effort, retiring the first five IU batters of the game, four of which by strikeout. IU and Ohio State went into the third inning still in a scoreless game, but that wouldn’t last for long. During the third inning, Ohio State drove in seven runs, led by a two-run home run from sophomore third baseman Jesse Machovina. After the Ohio State offensive outburst, Gardner told the team one thing.“Just keep battling,” she said. “I told them to focus in at the plate and to put some hits together.”The Hoosiers did just that, ending O’Reilly’s no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth inning with a single from IU sophomore first baseman Kassi Farmer. After stealing second base and advancing to third after, IU sophomore catcher Kelsey Dotson reached base with a single. Farmer scored IU’s first run of the game. In the bottom of the sixth inning, bases were loaded.Farmer hit a triple to right field, cutting the Hoosiers’ deficit to three runs. Farmer said she knew that with the bases loaded, she was going to have an opportunity to get a hit.“With the bases loaded, I knew there was no chance that they were going to walk me,” Farmer said. “I knew that they were going to attack the zone based off of my previous at-bats. I put it in the corner, and ended up being safe at third.”On the next at-bat, Dotson stepped up to plate and hit a double to right center field, driving in Farmer. Freshman outfielder Kayla Mathewson hit a single to the gap in left center field to drive in Dotson, cutting the deficit to just one run. Facing a one-run deficit in the top of the final inning, senior infielder Breanna Saucedo singled to left field to extend her hitting streak to eight games.With Saucedo at third, IU freshman outfielder Natalie Lalich hit a ground ball between second and third base. Ohio State’s shortstop opted to make the throw home, but it wasn’t in time. Saucedo’s score tied up the game. With runners on second and third, Ohio State decided to intentionally walk Farmer.After the walk, Dotson came up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Dotson battled, hitting multiple foul balls on her way to facing a two-two count. On the next pitch, Dotson hit a shot to left field that resulted in a walk-off grand slam. Stepping up to the plate after an intentional walk, Dotson said that she was eager to get a chance to solidify the win for IU.“I was excited to get the opportunity,” Dotson said. “When I got the hit, I knew immediately that the ball was going out of the park.”In the second game of the weekend, Ohio State defeated IU 12-2 in five innings.Ohio State’s offense got off to a hot start, registering nine runs and nine hits in the first inning. The Buckeyes sparked the nine-run effort with four extra-base hits, including a two-run home run.On a Lalich grounder to short in the bottom of the first frame, Jenna Abraham beat a throw home to score IU’s first run of the day. In the top of the second inning, junior Caitlin Conrad registered her third hit of the day, reaching third after Ohio State designated player Melaina Saalfeld scored the 10th run of the afternoon. After IU was unable to get anything going in the bottom of the second frame, Ohio State scored two more runs off of a Machovina single to right field. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Saucedo drove in sophomore utility player Alyssa Rosati. Saucedo’s single extended her hitting streak to nine games. The final game of the weekend went similarly as the second as the Hoosiers fell 10-2 in five innings. After both teams were held scoreless in the first frame, Ohio State’s offense poured in four runs in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the third inning, Saucedo hit an in-field single to extend her hitting streak to ten games. After reaching base, Saucedo stole her 12th base of the season. In the top of the fourth inning, Ohio State center fielder Taylor Watkins hit a solo home run over the left field wall. After a runner reached base, junior infielder Evelyn Carrillo hit Ohio State’s second home run of the inning, giving them a seven-run lead. Ohio State scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning and IU responded by scoring two runs off of a double from centerfielder Brianna Meyer. The Hoosiers now have a record of 9-23-1 on the season, including 1-5 in the Big Ten. IU will take on Indiana State at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Andy Mohr Field.
(03/28/14 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team is looking for its first conference win in a three-game home series with Ohio State this weekend after starting the Big Ten season 0-3. The Buckeyes currently have a 15-14 record, including a 3-0 mark in Big Ten play. IU will face a tough Buckeye pitching rotation that includes junior pitcher Olivia O’Reilly, who currently has the ninth lowest earned runs average in the conference. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said putting everything together offensively is going to be extremely important against Ohio State.“We had a good weekend hitting the ball against Michigan,” Gardner said. “We were hitting better than we have been and we hit tough pitches, but we need to put it all together. We need to be able to score runs after getting hits, which is where we struggled last weekend.”Sophomore infielder Kassi Farmer, who is currently tied for the third-most home runs in the Big Ten with six, said finding holes in the defense will play a large role in how effective IU’s offense is against the Buckeyes.“We are on the right track,” Farmer said. “We hit the ball really well last weekend but we still struggled to get on base. We need to find holes in the defense and find ways to get on base. If we stick to the game plan things will start going our way.”Senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo has also played a role in the Hoosiers’ improved offense.Saucedo is looking to extend her seven-game hitting streak, a streak she has built from coaching and having confidence at the plate.“For me, I just go up to the plate relaxed,” Saucedo said. “My coaches have taught me all they can. I’ve put in the hours in practice and I know that when I step up to bat that I can hit the ball and get on base.”Saucedo, who currently has an on-base percentage of .365, is also a threat when she is base running. She has 11 steals on 13 attempts, which leads the team and she is fourth in the Big Ten in steals. Gardner said Saucedo’s performance has been valuable to the team.“Bre has been playing very well,” she said. “She’s really coming along and she has been a huge factor for us. Her effort and aggressiveness is just a part of what makes her so good.”Pitching will also be key for the Hoosiers against an Ohio State offense that has a team batting average of .280 and gets extra base hits on a consistent basis. Of the team’s 211 hits, 34 percent of them resulted in either a double, triple or home run. Limiting these opportunities is something that Gardner has been focusing on in practice this week.“We need to limit their big hits,” Gardner said. “We have been giving up big hits at inopportune times. We need to focus on the task at hand, which is not allowing extra base hits.”Errors have also continued to be an issue for the Hoosiers this season. They have 45 fielding errors throughout 30 games, which is the highest amount in the Big Ten. Farmer believes if the team can limit the mistakes on defense, it will prevent run production from Ohio State.“We need to play clean ball,” Farmer said. “When we commit errors, they usually lead to runs. If we limit our errors, it is going to increase our chances of winning.”
(03/24/14 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU softball team went 3-5 in the last 10 days, including 0-3 in the Big Ten opener in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Hoosiers now have a record of 8-21-1, including 0-3 in conference play. IU will be back in action next week at home in a three-game series with Ohio State.Although IU struggled at the start of conference play, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she is encouraged by some of the things that she saw in the team. “This team is much better than our record,” Gardner said. “We didn’t want to start the Big Ten off this way, but the team never quit battling.”During the first day of the Hoosier Classic, IU swept University of Illinois-Chicago and Toledo. Freshman second baseman Erin Lehman led the offensive attack during the first game of the weekend against UIC.With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning, Lehman hit a triple to clear the bases. Junior outfielder Brianna Meyer brought Lehman in to score on the next at-bat. In the 5-2 victory over Toledo, sophomore first baseman Kassi Farmer hit two home runs for the second time this season. Her first multi-home run game was against San Jose State on Feb. 8. Farmer is the third player in program history to hit multiple home runs in a single game two or more times. Senior pitcher Meagan Murphy struck out a season-high eight batters in five innings against Toledo. On the second day, IU defeated Wright State in the first game of the doubleheader. Against Wright State, freshman first baseman CaraMia Tsirigos and senior shortstop Breanna Saucedo led the offensive effort. Tsirigos hit a three-run home run during the first inning, while Saucedo put together her sixth multiple hit game of the season. Despite a 10-9 loss in the second game against UIC, IU sophomore infielder Michelle Huber scored four runs for a career-high. The Hoosiers found themselves with a one-run deficit heading into the top of the seventh inning.In the final inning, UIC scored three runs, just enough to solidify the win. UIC ended IU’s six-game winning streak, which was the longest streak for the Hoosiers this season. Tsirigos, who was named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week due to her performance in the Hoosier Classic, finished the weekend hitting 3-for-6 and reached base in every game she played in. Tsirigos also hit a home run and drove in five runs. Gardner said Tsirigos is starting to develop into a threat in IU’s lineup. “It’s a great honor to have someone named Freshman of the Week,” Gardner said. “CaraMia is very talented and it took her a little while to get adjusted, but she is going to do some great things for us.”In a mid-week game Tuesday against No. 8 Kentucky, both teams were scoreless heading into the top of the fifth inning. With two outs, Kentucky junior catcher Griffin Joiner hit a three-run home run to give the Wildcats the first lead of the game. The Wildcats would go on to score two more runs to give them a 5-0 victory. Friday, IU opened conference play with a doubleheader against No. 6 Michigan. Despite registering six hits, the Hoosiers fell to the Wolverines 8-0 in six innings.In the second game, Michigan defeated IU 9-1 in just five innings. Saucedo registered another multiple-hit game, and she also hit a triple to drive in IU’s only run of the afternoon. In the final game of the Big Ten series opener, Michigan defeated IU 12-3 in six innings. The Hoosiers started sophomore pitcher Brooke Boetjer, who is normally a relief pitcher. Freshman outfielder Natalie Lalich drove in two runs on a single in the top of the first inning. Sophomore catcher Kelsey Dotson also got involved on offense, hitting a solo home run in the top of the second inning. Saucedo extended her hitting streak to seven games. Gardner attributes to her finally getting into a rhythm after returning to the team from an injury last season.“She’s getting comfortable and coming into her own,” Gardner said. “She’s playing great.”
(03/14/14 1:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Heading into the home opener with a three-game winning streak, the IU softball team is set to open the season at Andy Mohr Field from March 14-16 in the Hoosier Classic. IU will play University of Illinois at Chicago and Toledo on March 14, Wright State and UIC March 15, and will wrap up the weekend March 16 with a rematch against Wright State.The Hoosiers look to extend their winning streak, which includes victories against Boise State, Valparaiso and Weber State at the Spring Hill Suites Invitational last weekend. IU Coach Michelle Gardner said the team’s energy last weekend has been a big part of the turnaround.“We took ownership,” Gardner said. “The team came out with energy and enthusiasm that I haven’t seen yet this year. It has really made a difference.”IU senior infielder Shelby Gogreve said team unity has been a big factor in the improvement of the team.“We are feeling really good right now,” Gogreve said. “Coming off of some wins, we have good chemistry right now. Our cohesion as a team has been a big factor.”The UIC Flames started the season with a 2-11 record and haven’t played a game since Feb. 23. The team’s last nine games have been cancelled or delayed. Pitching has been an issue in the games the Flames have played.The pitching staff has an earned run average of 5.23 and allows an opposing batting average of .307.Although UIC offense has struggled to get hits with a team batting average of .234, senior infielder Jacki Fletcher has been a bright spot in the batting order.Fletcher leads the team in batting average (.514), hits (19), total bases (21) and slugging percentage (.568).Wright State has also struggled early in the year, starting with a record of 2-13, including 0-5 in road games.The Raiders also lost six of the last seven games. Its pitching staff has a 5.80 ERA while allowing an opposing batting average of .356.The batting lineup hasn’t provided much support, with only 1.52 earned runs per game while maintaining a .189 batting average.Toledo has a 7-13 record, which is the best out of the three teams IU is set to face this weekend. Freshman starting pitcher Emily Anderson leads the team with a 2.33 ERA and 88 strikeouts. The rest of the pitching staff has combined for just 11 strikeouts. Unlike the other two opponents, the Rockets are consistent hitters. The team has a batting average of .279.Freshman utility player Chandler Rice leads Toledo’s offense with a batting average of .369 and an on-base percentage of .444.In order for IU to continue its winning streak, Gardner said the team needs to play similar to the way it did last weekend.“We need to take things one game at a time,” Gardner said. “We also need to bring the same energy that we did last week in Boise.”Gogreve said winning is the one thing the team has in mind.“We are ready to continue to win games,” Gogreve said.
(03/12/14 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When IU junior softball pitcher Lora Olson was growing up, softball was a family affair.“I started playing when I was five,” Olson said. “It really was a family thing.”Both of Lora’s older sisters, Anna and Sara, were on softball teams and were constantly traveling for tournaments.Olson said even if she wasn’t playing in a game, she was consistently around the sport because of them.“I was always at a softball field with my family,” she said. “I couldn’t even tell you how many games I’ve seen in my life. Every weekend I was traveling throughout the country watching my sisters play, even if I didn’t have a game.”Anna, the oldest of the three sisters, was a highly decorated player at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Ill., before attending IU.At the time, she graduated from high school with the program record for most RBIs in a single season and was named Player of the Year by the Chicago Star.During her junior year at IU, Anna was selected for the Big Ten All-Conference Academic Team. Lora’s other sister, Sara, graduated with a highly decorated career at IU. She finished fifth on IU’s all-time home run list and sixth on the career list for RBIs.Sara was named to the Big Ten All-Conference team as a senior at first base, despite playing her first three seasons as pitcher. Lora said her sisters coached her throughout the early part of her softball career. “I never got to play with them because of our age difference,” Lora said. “Because of that, they both coached me. Since Sarah is a pitcher, it was cool to relate to someone in the house and get feedback right away. It was valuable to me and it really helped me grow as a player.”Pitching and hitting techniques weren’t the only thing that Lora learned from her sisters. She said their work ethic and constant desire to succeed helped make her the player she is.“The thing about softball is that you get what you put into it,” Lora said. “I got to learn that by seeing both of them work hard every single day. Seeing them fight through trials and tribulations really helped shape the player and person that I am today.”IU Coach Michelle Gardner, said Lora has a lot of similarities to Sara, including her competitive edge.“They are both team-first players,” Gardner said. “Also, they both are extremely competitive.”Although sibling rivalries sometimes form between athletes in the same family, Lora said they never experienced anything like that. She said the only time they ever competed directly against each other was in hitting contests at a park close to their home.“We would have competitions at parks and see who could hit the furthest,” she said. “That was about it. Unfortunately, I was usually the one who lost because I was the youngest.”Nearly three years ago, Lora had no idea that she would attend college in Bloomington, like both of her sisters.Lora originally committed to play for the University of Wisconsin.“I committed to Wisconsin my junior year of high school,” she said. “Wisconsin is a great school. At that point in my life, I thought that was really what I wanted.”All of that changed when Wisconsin parted ways with then-coach Chandelle Schulte, who heavily recruited Lora in high school.Schulte was replaced by Brent Vigness, who also recruited Lora during her high school career, but he left Wisconsin nearly a week after being named coach.The coaching changes led to Lora’s choice to re-open her recruitment.“After the coaches left, I had to rethink my decision,” she said. “It was stressful. At that point, most players are committed and most teams have enough pitchers.”She had scholarship offers from many schools including Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida State. Lora said though she seriously considered attending Georgia Tech, Gardner recruited her — which led to her signing with the Hoosiers shortly before her senior year of high school. “Throughout the time it took Wisconsin to find another coach, I began to consider other programs,” Lora said. “Coach Gardner continued to recruit me heavily. At that point, I realized that everything happens for a reason.”Gardner said when Lora decided she would no longer attend Wisconsin, she knew Lora was the perfect fit for the program. “When Wisconsin made the coaching change, Lora began to look at other options,” Gardner said. “It worked perfectly for the program and for her to come here.”Lora said though her sisters played for the program, they never tried to influence her decision. “They never tried to persuade me,” she said. “I was just working hard and trying to be seen by as many programs as I could, and they understood that. They really just wanted me to be happy.”Despite Lora almost ending up at another Big Ten school, she said IU is the right place for her.“I figured out that IU was where I really wanted to be,” she said. “I know I made the right decision.”