IU Softball

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,154]

UGH!

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

I would not be surprised if Michelle Gardner gets fired at the end of the year. She has not been consistent in her time at IU failing in the conference tournament and not able to make the NCAA tournament. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,154]

16 minutes ago, OliviaPope40 said:

I would not be surprised if Michelle Gardner gets fired at the end of the year. She has not been consistent in her time at IU failing in the conference tournament and not able to make the NCAA tournament. 

Fred's been practicing his firing technique these past several months!   LOL

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

1 minute ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Fred's been practicing his firing technique these past several months!   LOL

I have heard some things about her from former players that I know and there was that incident a few years ago. 

[ccgeneral 38,084]

Indiana Softball (17-21, 3-6 Big Ten) returns to Andy Mohr Field for the first time since March 25 to host in-state foe Purdue (15-26, 4-5 Big Ten) in a Tuesday doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and both games will be televised live on Big Ten Network. 

Preview

Live Stats

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana Softball (18-22, 4-7 Big Ten) heads to Columbus, Ohio this weekend to take on No. 25 Ohio State (24-10, 8-3 Big Ten). The series marks the third straight weekend Big Ten road trip for the Hoosiers. First pitch of the series is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. All three games will be streamed on BTN Plus.

SERIES SCHEDULE
Game One - Friday, 6 p.m.
Game Two - Saturday, 2 p.m.
Game Three - Sunday, 1 p.m.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes, who are Indiana's sixth ranked opponent of the season, are coming off a Wednesday doubleheader split at Penn State and sit at an 8-3 Big Ten record. Last weekend, they dropped the first two games against Michigan before winning the series finale. Ohio State's other conference series have resulted in sweeps of Rutgers and Maryland.

Ohio State is hitting .302 as a team with eight everyday batters averaging .300 or better led by a .407 mark from Lilli Piper, which is seventh best in the Big Ten. Piper has 46 hits on the year with 32 runs and 39 RBI.  Alex Bayne leads the team in homers with 11 while Piper has 10 as Ohio State's 42 home runs is tied for first in the Big Ten.

In the circle, the Buckeyes have a team ERA of 2.36 and have primarily used a four-pitcher rotation. Shelby Hursh (2.35 ERA, 9-4, 80.1 IP) has logged the most innings, followed by Lena Springer (2.50 ERA, 8-3, 64.1 IP).

IU and Ohio State's last series came in 2016 at Andy Mohr Field. Indiana won the first game in eight innings before Ohio State took game two. In the rubber match, Michelle Huber hit a sixth-inning grand slam to lead Indiana to a 5-3 win and the series victory.

LAST TIME OUT
Indiana hosted Purdue on Tuesday, splitting the doubleheader with the Boilermakers. IU won the first game, 4-0, behind a complete game shutout by sophomore Tara Trainer. The Boilermakers battled back late to take the final game, 2-1.

JENKINS, LACEFIELD SHINE AGAINST PURDUE
• Freshman Gabbi Jenkins had a big day at the plate on Tuesday against Purdue. In the first game, she collected a hit, run and a walk before a 4-for-4 showing in game two. The four hits tied her career high.
• Fellow freshman Katie Lacefield also had a career outing against the Boilermakers. In Indiana's 4-0 win, she was responsible for bringing in three runs, a career best in RBI. Lacefield earned a bases-loaded walk and a two-run double in the victory.

SEEING DOUBLE
• After picking up three more doubles on Tuesday, the Hoosiers now have 58 on the season, which is tied for second in the Big Ten.
• Indiana's out-doubling its opponents 58-46 this year
• IU's 1.45 doubles per game average is 43rd in the country.
• The Hoosiers finished the 2016 campaign with 69 doubles, which was fourth all-time in program history. 
• Junior Taylor Uden leads the way with nine doubles, while Lacefield, senior Erin Lehman, juniors Aimilia McDonough and Rachel O'Malley each have seven on the season.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• IU has knocked 21 home runs this season, led by seven from Tsirigos and six from Uden. Tsirigos has tied her career high from a year ago, while Uden's previous best was five. Tsirigos currently has 24 career home runs, tied for seventh most in a career at Indiana.
• Tsirigos twice homered in the Friday contest at No. 7 Minnesota, setting a new career high for home runs in a game and marking the first time since May 7, 2016 that a Hoosier has done so.
• Last season, the Hoosiers finished the year with 26 homers.
• Indiana's 121 walks this year is fourth in the Big Ten. Tsirigos leads the team with 23, which ranks 89th in the country, while freshman Katie Lacefield has 20. Tsirigos' 103 career walks is third all-time at IU.
• Speaking of Tsirigos, she is hitting a team-best .440 in Big Ten play. In those 11 games, she has 11 hits, 14 RBI, six runs and five homers.

TRAINER'S STRIKEOUT RANKINGS
Tara Trainer has 137 strikeouts on the year, good for 33rd nationally and third in the Big Ten.

A season ago, the righty, who was named No. 21 on Fastpitch News' Preseason Top 50 NCAA Softball Pitchers List, set the Indiana freshman strikeout record with 183.

Trainer has tossed 12 complete games so far this year, doubling her number from 2016.

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/4/13/softball-hoosiers-head-to-no-25-ohio-state-this-weekend.aspx

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Indiana Softball (18-23, 4-8 Big Ten) dropped Friday's series opener to No. 25 Ohio State (25-10, 9-3 Big Ten), 2-0. Indiana's two hits came from junior Rebecca Blitz and senior CaraMia Tsirigos, while sophomore Tara Trainer tossed her 13^thcomplete game of the season, surrendering just five hits.
 
Shelby Hursh also went the distance for Ohio State in the circle, walking five and striking out five.
 
Blitz knocked a single to center and Tsirigos walk to put two on in the first inning, but a lineout ended the frame.
 
In the home half of the opening inning, Ohio State earned a trio of walks to load the bases with two outs. Second baseman Erin Lehman made a diving catch on a blooper that looked ready to fall to the left of the bag, getting the Hoosiers out of danger.
 
However, the Buckeyes jumped to a 1-0 lead in the following inning on an off-the-wall double by Anna Kirk to plate Andi Farrah.
 
Blitz and Tsirigos both reached for a second time on walks in the third and fourth respectively, but Indiana couldn't capitalize.
 
A solo shot by Ohio State's Becca Gavin doubled the Buckeye lead in the fifth inning as she homered to left field. The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten with 43 homers on the season.
 
Junior Aimilia McDonough led off the final inning with a walk, but she was left on to end the game.
 
IU and Ohio State return to action on Saturday with first pitch coming at 2 p.m. on BTN Plus.

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/4/14/softball-indiana-shut-out-by-no-25-ohio-state-2-0.aspx

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Behind 5.0 hitless innings from redshirt sophomore Emily Kirk, Indiana Softball (19-23, 5-8 Big Ten) defeated No. 25 Ohio State (25-11, 9-4 Big Ten) on Saturday, 3-1.
 
The victory was IU's first win against a ranked opponent since a two-game sweep of No. 24 Georgia Tech in 2013.
 
Kirk earned her first win of the year as she allowed just two runners on, one via a walk and the other a hit batter. She retired the first nine batters she saw before the hit batter. Sophomore Tara Trainertook the save, tossing the final 2.0 innings.
 
Junior Taylor Uden collected a pair of hits for the Hoosiers, while IU saw eight different batters pick up at least one base knock.
 
After trading 1-2-3 innings, freshman Gabbi Jenkins knocked a out-single in the third before stealing second base. Junior Rebecca Blitz walked to put two aboard for the Hoosiers before a walk to senior CaraMia Tsirigos loaded the bags. However, a groundout left them loaded.
 
Indiana broke the stalemate in the fourth with a two-out rally started by a walk to freshman Katie Lacefield. After freshman Bella Norton singled up the middle, senior Erin Lehman singled to right, plating Lacefield.
 
The Buckeyes put their first runner on of the day after Anna Kirk was hit by a pitch to start the fourth. She stole second and advanced to third on a flyout to right but the second flyout to Blitz at center left her on.
 
Blitz led off the fifth by reaching on a OSU fielding error before back-to-back one-out singles by O'Malley and Uden loaded the bases for the second time. Pinch hitter Nicole Lawvere delivered as she lofted a single to shallow center to score Blitz and extend the lead to 2-0.
 
Ohio State looked to respond in the bottom of the fifth as a walk, Hoosier error and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners. But Kirk forced a groundout to escape the inning.
 
Indiana tacked on another run in the sixth as Tsirigos took the first pitch she saw for an RBI single up the middle, bringing in Jenkins, who had reached on a fielder's choice.
 
The first hit of the day for the Buckeyes came on a one-out double to right by Alex Bayne off Trainer. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners, Emily Clark singled to put Ohio State on the board, scoring Bayne. However, right fielder Kayla Mathewson limited the damage as she made a pair of snags to get out of the frame.
 
Bri Betschel singled with two away in the seventh, but a groundout to Lehman at second secured the IU victory.
 
Indiana and Ohio State will wrap up the series on Sunday. First pitch has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to the weather forecast and will be carried on BTN Plus.

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/4/15/softball-iu-downs-no-25-ohio-state-3-1.aspx

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a game decided by home runs, Indiana Softball (19-24, 5-9 Big Ten) fell to No. 25 Ohio State (26-11, 10-4 Big Ten) on Sunday, 8-2. Seven of the game's 10 combined runs came off homers as Ohio State knocked five solo shots and Indiana's CaraMia Tsirigos had a two-run home run.
 
Tsirigos led the way with a 2-for-3 performance and a walk. Juniors Rachel O'Malley, Taylor Uden and Aimilia McDonough also collected a hit for the Hoosiers.
 
Ohio State picked up a solo homer in each of the first three innings as Alex Bayne, Ashley Goodwin and Lilli Piper all went yard to give the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth.
 
After junior Rebecca Blitz was hit by a pitch to start the fourth inning, Tsirigos homered to right center to cut the deficit to 3-2. It was Tsirigos' eighth home run of the season, the most on the team and a new career best for the senior.
 
O'Malley followed the home run up with a single before walks to freshman Katie Lacefield and McDonough loaded the bases, but back-to-back fielder's choices prevented IU from adding more runs.
 
The Buckeyes got one back in the bottom of the fourth as a two-out single by Anna Kirk plated Andi Farrah. In the following frame, OSU pushed the lead to 6-2 after scoring a pair of runs on a Hoosier fielding error.
 
Ohio State's final runs of the game came on back-to-back solo home runs by Bayne and Emily Clark in the sixth.
 
Sophomore Tara Trainer took the loss in the circle, giving up three earned runs and striking out two in 2.2 innings of work. Morgan Ray earned the win for OSU, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.
 
Indiana returns to action on Wednesday as the Hoosiers play host to Kentucky on 6 p.m. for the Think Pink game. Admission is free of charge.

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/4/16/softball-indiana-drops-series-final-to-no-25-ohio-state-8-2.aspx

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

Indiana Softball (19-24, 5-9 Big Ten) begins a four-game homestand this Wednesday as the Hoosiers play host to No. 20 Kentucky (26-13, 6-9 SEC) at 6 p.m. The game, which is Indiana's final non-conference contest of the season, will be streamed live on BTN Plus.

Admission to all Indiana Softball games is free of charge.

THINK PINK
IU will wear special pink jerseys on Wednesday night in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Night. In addition, the first 200 fans in attendance will receive a free pink Indiana t-shirt.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY
The Wildcats, who are Indiana's seventh ranked opponent of the season, are coming off a series against No. 3 Florida. Kentucky took game two on Saturday, beating the Gators 5-1. However, Florida secured the series on Sunday with a no-hitter and a 2-0 win.

Kentucky is hitting .278 as a team, led by a .346 average from Katie Reed, who has 46 hits, 17 runs and 13 RBI. Abbey Cheek is close behind, batting .330 with 37 hits, 21 runs and 27 RBI. Cheek leads the team in homers with seven on the year.

The Wildcats' pitching has shined this season a 1.96 team ERA, 27th in the country. Meagan Prince has seen the most innings, amassing a 1.45 ERA with a 13-6 mark in 121.0 IP. Erin Rethlake (1.66 ERA, 6-2, 59.0 IP), Shannon Smith (2.55 ERA, 6-3, 44.0 IP) and Larissa Spellman (3.33 ERA, 1-2, 40.0 IP) round out the UK pitching staff.

Indiana and Kentucky have played each of the last three seasons with the Wildcats winning all three. Last season, Kentucky defeated the Hoosiers in Lexington, 3-1.

LAST TIME OUT
The Hoosiers traveled to Columbus over the weekend to face No. 25 Ohio State. Indiana came away with a 3-1 victory in game two, marking the first win against a ranked opponent since 2013. However, Ohio State secured the series with an 8-2 win on Sunday.

Prior to the weekend series, the Hoosiers split a doubleheader with Purdue on Tuesday, April 11.

DEFENSE CONTINUES TO BE STRONG
• The Indiana defense once again had a strong outing in Columbus, making many impressive snags. IU is second in the Big Ten with its .965 fielding percentage, including a .979 mark in conference action. Last season, the Hoosiers finished with a .958 fielding percentage. 

TSIRIGOS MAKING HER MARK IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Senior CaraMia Tsirigos had another productive week at the dish. In Indiana's five games, she batted .364 with four hits, three RBI and a run while adding seven walks. Tsirigos knocked a two-run homer during Sunday's series finale at Ohio State, bringing her season total to eight, a new career high and most on the team.
• Tsirigos' 25 career home runs is tied for fifth-most in program history.
• Tsirigos also leads the team in walks with 27 and has 107 in her career, which is third in the Indiana record books. 
• In Big Ten action, Tsirigos is hitting .469 with 17 RBI, 15 hits, 13 walks, 7 runs and 6 homers.

KIRK'S BIG WEEK IN THE CIRCLE
• Redshirt sophomore Emily Kirk had a solid week in the circle for Indiana. She tossed her second complete game of the season against Purdue, taking a loss but surrendering just one earned run.
• Kirk took home the victory against the Buckeyes, throwing 5.0 hitless innings with the only two batters reaching via a walk and hit by pitch.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• IU has knocked 22 home runs this season, led by eight from Tsirigos and six from Uden. Last season, the Hoosiers finished the year with 26 homers.
• Indiana's 136 walks this year is fourth in the Big Ten. Tsirigos leads the team with 27, which ranks 61st in the country and third in the Big Ten, while freshman Katie Lacefield has 22. 
• Indiana now has 59 doubles on the year, which is third in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers finished the 2016 campaign with 69 doubles, which was fourth all-time in program history. 
• IU is out-doubling its opponents, 59-51
• Indiana's 1.37 doubles per game average is 62nd in the country.
• Junior Taylor Uden has 10 doubles, which ties her career high she set during her freshman campaign. Lehman and juniors Rachel O'Malley and Aimilia McDonough each have seven on the year.

TRAINER'S STRIKEOUT RANKINGS
Tara Trainer has 142 strikeouts on the year, good for 36th nationally and third in the Big Ten. For her career, she has 325 strikeouts which puts her eighth in Indiana program history.

A season ago, the righty, who was named No. 21 on Fastpitch News' Preseason Top 50 NCAA Softball Pitchers List, set the Indiana freshman strikeout record with 183.

Trainer has tossed 13 complete games so far this year, more than doubling her number from 2016.

TIME CHANGE FOR MICHIGAN STATE SERIES
• Indiana's game against Michigan State on May 5 has been moved up to a 4 p.m. first pitch.

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/4/18/softball-hoosiers-host-no-20-kentucky-on-wednesday.aspx

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

Behind complete game outings from sophomore Tara Trainer and redshirt sophomore Emily Kirk, Indiana Softball (21-25, 7-9 Big Ten) took both games of Friday's doubleheader against Maryland (9-32-1, 2-12 Big Ten) winning game one, 2-1, before shutting out the Terrapins, 5-0.
 
Indiana's pitching was backed up at the plate by junior Taylor Uden, who turned in a pair of multi-hit and multi-run performances to lead the bats.
 
Indiana 2, Maryland 1
Uden scored both of Indiana's runs in the first game of the day, including the game-winner in walk-off fashion as she was brought home in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by freshman Bella Norton.
 
Trainer struck out four Terrapins in the win, which was her 11^thvictory of the season and her 14^th complete game of the year.
 
The contest was largely a pitchers' duel between Trainer and Maryland's Madison Martin with the first hit for either team not coming until the third inning. Additionally, the game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth as the Hoosiers took a 1-0 lead. After Uden led off the fifth with a single to right, freshman Gabbi Jenkins put two on via a bunt single. A sacrifice bunt from junior Aimilia McDonough moved both runners into scoring position before Uden scored on a wild pitch by Martin.
 
Maryland tied up the game in the final frame as Sarah Calta knocked a two-out double to left center, bringing home Kassidy Cross.
 
However, the Hoosiers would end the game in the bottom of the seventh as Uden led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jenkins. A Maryland fielding error put runners on the corners with one out as senior Kayla Mathewson reached on the play. Norton brought in the decisive run as she sent a sacrifice fly to center and Uden slid around the tag at home.
 
Indiana 5, Maryland 0
The second game of the day featured the first complete game shutout of Kirk's career as she tied her career best with four strikeouts.
 
In addition to Uden's two hits and two runs, she also recorded a pair of RBI. Junior Rachel O'Malley put up a two-hit performance, adding a run and RBI while McDonough knocked two hits and brought in a run.
 
The Hoosiers started the scoring early as Uden sent a two-run homer to left center in the first, bringing senior CaraMia Tsirigos home. The shot was Uden's seventh homer of the season, continuing the career year for the Glendale, Ariz. native.
 
Maryland looked to quickly respond, loading the bases in the following inning with just one away. However, a strikeout by Kirk and a flyout to left got the Hoosiers out of the jam.
 
Indiana tacked on a run in the second, sparked by senior Erin Lehman's lead-off triple to right. She came home on a single by junior Rebecca Blitz to push Indiana's lead to 3-0.
 
IU added two more insurance runs in the fifth as O'Malley doubled to plate Uden, who had reached on a lead-off single, and McDonough singled to right center to bring O'Malley in.
 
Kirk followed up the offensive performance with her first clean inning of the game, retiring the Terrapins in order. Maryland's Juli Strange gave the team an opportunity to ruin the shutout in the seventh with a two-out double before Kirk's fourth strikeout closed the door.
 
Indiana and Maryland will wrap up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission to all Indiana Softball games is free of charge.

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/4/21/softball-strong-pitching-guides-dh-sweep-of-maryland.aspx

[ccgeneral 38,084]

^^ SWEEP!  WTG Hoosiers!

@IUSoftball:  HOOSIERS WIN! Blitz delivers with a single to left center, bringing home Thompson and giving Indiana a 2-1 victory!

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,154]

Four Hoosiers Honored with Big Ten Yearly Awards

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Big Ten announced yearly honors on Wednesday with the Hoosiers placing three on conference teams, led by senior CaraMia Tsirigos' selection as First Team All-Big Ten. Junior Rebecca Blitz earned Second Team All-Big Ten accolades for the second straight season while junior Rachel O'Malley was named to the All-Defensive Team. In addition, senior Erin Lehman was named Indiana's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
 
Tsirigos is the first Hoosier to be named to the First Team since Shannon Cawley did so in 2012. The designated player and two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree is currently hitting .301 this season with a .357 average in conference play. Tsirigos leads the team with eight homers on the year, with six of those coming in Big Ten action. With a career total of 25 home runs, Tsirigos is tied for fifth all-time in program history. Additionally, Tsirigos has drawn 37 walks in 2017, good for third most in the conference, with a 0.71 walks per game average that ranks 35^th nationally. The Atlanta, Ga. native sits at second all-time in career walks at Indiana with 117.
 
Wednesday's accolade is the latest in a series for Tsirigos, who was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor last month. In addition, she was tabbed as a CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team honoree.
 
For the second year in a row, Blitz is leading the team with a .338 average, 54 hits and 16 stolen bases. She is tied with Tsirigos for a team-high .357 average in Big Ten play, with 25 hits and 13 runs coming in conference games. For her career, the Birmingham, Ala. native has a .344 average, good for seventh in program history. Her 104 career runs is sixth in Hoosier history and makes her just the ninth player to score 100 or more runs in Cream and Crimson. In addition, her 60 stolen bases puts her fifth all-time at IU. Blitz continues to add to her decorated career, having now twice be named Second Team All-Big Ten, as well as two NFCA Second Team All-Region accolades.
 
O'Malley is the first Hoosier to be picked for the All-Defensive Team, which was instituted in 2013. The shortstop has added to her highlight reel this season while posting a career-best .958 fielding percentage, including a .977 mark in Big Ten play. The Elk Grove Village, Ill. native has played every game of the 2017 season with 52 starts.
 
Lehman earned her first Sportsmanship Award, which is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These students must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
 
Indiana opens up play in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday as the Hoosiers face Michigan State at 4:30 p.m. All games of the 2017 Big Ten Tournament will played at Wilpon Complex in Ann Arbor, Mich.
 

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

I'm sorry you guys I have been busy this week. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,154]

3 hours ago, OliviaPope40 said:

I'm sorry you guys I have been busy this week. 

If you don't step it up Olivia, we're going to "Glass" you!  

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

Indiana Softball sophomore Tara Trainer and senior CaraMia Tsirigos have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Third Team All-Midwest Region, the organization announced on Thursday.
 
It marks the first time since 2011 that IU has placed more than one player on an All-Region squad.
 
The accolade is the latest in a series this season for Tsirigos, who was named First Team All-Big Ten, as well as the winner of the Big Ten Medal of Honor. Tsirigos concluded her Hoosier career tied for fifth all-time in program history with 25 homers and second with 117 career walks.
 
This season, Tsirigos led the Hoosiers with eight home runs and 37 walks. In addition, she posted a .518 slugging percentage with 40 hits, 31 RBI and 16 runs.
 
Trainer once again had an impressive showing in the circle, collecting 173 strikeouts which is third in the Big Ten and 44^thnationally. For her career, the Lebanon, Ohio native has fanned 356 batters, which already lands her fifth all-time at IU. In 2017, Trainer recorded a 3.17 ERA with a 13-17 record.
 
A year ago, Trainer set the Hoosier freshman strikeout record with 183. She was named No. 21 on Fastpitch News' Preseason Top 50 NCAA Softball Pitchers List prior to the 2017 campaign.
 http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/5/18/softball-trainer-tsirigos-earn-nfca-third-team-all-region-honors.aspx

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Indiana Softball fell to Michigan State in the First Round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, 8-7. The Hoosiers carried a 7-4 lead into the sixth, but a four-run MSU sixth inning proved to be the difference maker.
 
The Hoosiers finished the 2017 campaign with a 23-31 mark, including a 9-14 Big Ten record.
 
Senior Erin Lehman and freshmen Katie Lacefield and Gabbi Jenkins each posted multi-hit games, while juniors Rachel O'Malley and Taylor Uden each plated a pair of runs. Lehman and Lacefield both added a pair of RBI.
 
The Spartans jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the first as Kaitlyn Eveland knocked a three-run homer to right center, plating Kelcey Carrasco and McKenzie Long.
 
A wild top of the second inning plated four Hoosier runs as Indiana took a 4-3 lead on four doubles and a single. Uden led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. She then scored the first IU run of the day as Lacefield doubled to right. With two outs, freshman Bella Norton and Lehman hit back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 3-3. Jenkins then put the Hoosiers on top on a single to center, plating Lehman.
 
The IU lead wouldn't last long however as Lexi White led off the frame with a homer to tie the game at 4-4.
 
After going quietly in the third, Indiana put two on the start the fourth as O'Malley was hit by a pitch and Lacefield reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt. A flyout moved O'Malley to third before Lehman sent a single through the right side to score her and give IU a 5-4 lead.
 
The Hoosiers added on their lead in the fifth, scoring twice with two outs. After Uden drew a walk, O'Malley put two on via a single to left. Lacefield then picked up her second RBI of the game on a single to right, scoring Uden. O'Malley was brought home on a single from junior Aimilia McDonough to left.
 
Michigan State's Eveland drew a walk to lead-off the home half of the fifth. However, a fielder's choice picked up the first out before Lehman and Uden connected for an inning-ending double play.
 
However, the Spartans would rally to put together a four-run sixth inning to take an 8-7 lead. Lea Foerster singled to plate White and make it 7-5 before a bases-loaded walk to Eveland made it a one-run game. In to pinch hit, Jordan Davis put MSU on top with a two-run double down the left field line.
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/5/11/softball-indiana-falls-to-michigan-state-in-big-ten-tournament.aspx

I know this is late but I'm trying to play catchup I've been busy the last few weeks because I just got a new job. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,154]

On 4/9/2017 at 5:16 PM, OliviaPope40 said:

I would not be surprised if Michelle Gardner gets fired at the end of the year. She has not been consistent in her time at IU failing in the conference tournament and not able to make the NCAA tournament. 

Good call Olivia.  

Michelle Gardner Resigns as Indiana University Head Softball Coach; Search For New Permanent Head Coach Underway

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass announced today that he has accepted Michelle Gardner's resignation as head coach of the Indiana University softball team. Gardner served as head coach for nine seasons beginning in 2009. A search for Coach Gardner's successor has begun.

"I want to thank everyone at Indiana University for the tremendous opportunity to be the head softball coach these last nine years," said Gardner. "I want to especially thank all of the players and staff who have helped me along the way. While I am excited for new opportunities, it has been an honor to coach at a great institution and wish the program all the best moving forward."

"We thank Michelle for her dedication and many contributions to Indiana University softball over these last nine years," Glass said.  "I have great respect for Michelle and wish her and her family well in all of their future endeavors."

Assistant coaches Mike Perniciaro and Ben Sorden will remain in their roles until a successor is named and determines whether to retain them. Perniciaro will serve as interim head coach, effective immediately. Senior Associate Athletic Director Scott Joraanstad will otherwise oversee the program until a new head coach is hired. That search will begin immediately and be led by Joraanstad.

[OliviaPope40 6,299]

26 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Good call Olivia.  

Michelle Gardner Resigns as Indiana University Head Softball Coach; Search For New Permanent Head Coach Underway

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass announced today that he has accepted Michelle Gardner's resignation as head coach of the Indiana University softball team. Gardner served as head coach for nine seasons beginning in 2009. A search for Coach Gardner's successor has begun.

"I want to thank everyone at Indiana University for the tremendous opportunity to be the head softball coach these last nine years," said Gardner. "I want to especially thank all of the players and staff who have helped me along the way. While I am excited for new opportunities, it has been an honor to coach at a great institution and wish the program all the best moving forward."

"We thank Michelle for her dedication and many contributions to Indiana University softball over these last nine years," Glass said.  "I have great respect for Michelle and wish her and her family well in all of their future endeavors."

Assistant coaches Mike Perniciaro and Ben Sorden will remain in their roles until a successor is named and determines whether to retain them. Perniciaro will serve as interim head coach, effective immediately. Senior Associate Athletic Director Scott Joraanstad will otherwise oversee the program until a new head coach is hired. That search will begin immediately and be led by Joraanstad.

My woking theory is that she knew that she was going to get fired and so she decided to make easier on everybody and decided to resign before she got fired. In her time there she hasn't done well in the tournament and she had some years where the overall records were not consistent and where they needed to be. I never really thought she did well recruiting wise because it seemed like she got very few Indiana players. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,154]

3 minutes ago, OliviaPope40 said:

My woking theory is that she knew that she was going to get fired and so she decided to make easier on everybody and decided to resign before she got fired. In her time there she hasn't done well in the tournament and she had some years where the overall records were not consistent and where they needed to be. I never really thought she did well recruiting wise because it seemed like she got very few Indiana players. 

Totally agree that she resigned because she saw the writing on the wall.  Old Fred's gettin' lots of practice in this hiring new coaches stuff!