IU Softball

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Copeland led off our 1st inning with a HR and the game was over.  Hoosiers crush Ball State 14-1 pounding out 15 hits in a run rule shortened game.  Wilkison and Minnick each had 3 hits and Minnick the night's RBI leader with 3 followed by VanBrandt and Wilkison each with 2.  Copeland started and went 4 innings limiting the Cardinals to 3 hits and she didn't walk a single batter.  Seems like she's had some control issues over the past couple of weeks so this was a really encouraging outing for her.  Berry took over in the 5th and struggled hitting 2 batters and walking a third to load the bases with 2 outs.  She then hit her 3rd batter of the inning to score BSU's lone run of the game and Copeland re-took the mound.  A fly ball to cf ended the game.

This coming weekend we host Oregon.  The Saturday game is scheduled for a 1:00 start and is Senior Day.  

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

It's Little 500 weekend and our softball team (30-13) (8-8) hosts #7 Oregon (41-5) (14-2).  All 3 games televised on B1G+

• Friday @ 6:00
• Saturday @ 1:00   Senior Day
• Sunday @ 1:00

Preview

Radio

Live Stats

Next weekend we're at PUke for the final weekend of B1G regular season play.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

After a weather delay, Oregon went on to pound out a 10-4 win.  Hoosiers scored 3 in the 1st and only 1 more the rest of the way and were limited to 6 hits.  I commented after the last game that Copeland had a strong outing on the mound which was encouraging since it seemed she'd been struggling.  Not last night.  She started but only lasted 2.2 innings allowing 4 hits and issuing 9 BB plus hitting 2 batters.  She was charged with 7 of Oregon's 10  runs.   VanBrandt with 2 hits accounted for 3 of our runs with a first inning HR.

Taylor Minnick became the all-time doubles leader in program history.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Oregon is ranked #7 for a reason.  They won today's game 9-1 as we managed just 6 hits off Oregon pitching.  On the flip side, they got 11 hits of which 4 were extra bases.  Reyes started and didn't make it out of the 1st inning giving up 5 runs on 6 hits.  Try to salvage the final game of the weekend tomorrow.

[OliviaPope40 7,494]

2 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Oregon is ranked #7 for a reason.  They won today's game 9-1 as we managed just 6 hits off Oregon pitching.  On the flip side, they got 11 hits of which 4 were extra bases.  Reyes started and didn't make it out of the 1st inning giving up 5 runs on 6 hits.  Try to salvage the final game of the weekend tomorrow.

Oregon has always been a good team.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

IU women get swept by Oregon losing today's game 9-7.  We trailed 8-2 going into our 6th where we scored 3 but Oregon got another run in it's 7th and we could only get 2 more in our final at bat.  Oregon torched 3 Hoosier pitchers for 17 hits with Copeland getting the worst of it.  She pitched 4.1 innings and allowed 4 runs on 11 hits.  We got 12 hits of our own mostly coming from the bottom of the order.  Bird had 3 and Wilkison and Strader each with 2.  Bird had 4 RBI.

No mid-week game.  Next weekend is the B1G regular season ending series at West Laffy.  PUke (26-20) (8-11).  All 3 available on B1G+.

Live Stats

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Women (30-16) (8-11) are being vaccinated this morning in advance of tomorrow's trip to West Laffy for the regular season ending series with the Toiletmakers (27-20) (8-11) and 12-2 at home.  All 3 games televised on B1G+

Live Stats

Friday @ 5:00

Saturday @ 2:00

Sunday @ 1:00

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

What a game to open the weekend.  Hoosiers get a 5-3 win in 9 innings.

A true pitchers duel to open the weekend series.  Hoosiers held a 3-1 lead on just 4 hits going into PUke's 7th with Copeland hurling a 2-hitter.  Unfortunately, a couple of PUke hits, a passed ball, a wild pitch and it was a 3-3 game going into the 8th.  PUke loaded the bases in its 8th with 2 outs but a ground out ended the threat.

In our 9th, a Wilkison sac fly and a Strader single made it 5-3 and Copeland who went the distance set the Toiletmakers down in order to preserve the win.   She gave up 5 hits and walked 6.  Hoosiers finished with 7 hits with Mitchell and Strader each getting 2.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Saturday's start time has been moved up to 1:00.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Another schedule change due to Sunday's weather forecast.    Teams will play a doubleheader today with the first game scheduled for 1:00.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

PUke takes today's first game 2-0 as pitching has dominated the first 2 games of the series.  In today's game both teams were limited to 5 hits.  Berry started for IU but PUke scored both of its runs in the 1st and Hess pitched the rest of the way holding the Toiletmakers to 3 his and a single BB in 5 innings.  Our 5 hits were scattered throughout the lineup as Gosset pitched a complete game for PUke.   

Today's second game expected to start at 4:00 and the winner gets the full point in the Governor's Cup competition.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Hoosier bats woke up and pounded out 10 hits in a run rule shortened 10-2 win over PUke winning the weekend series and securing a full point in the Governor's Cup competition.  Copeland pitched all 5 innings limiting PUke to 2 hits; she walked 3.    Copeland, Bird & Wilkison each with 2 hits.  Wilkison had 3 RBI; Bird had 2.  The Hoosiers now lead the Cup competition 10-7 securing no worse than a tie. 

Hoosiers finish the regular season (32-17) (10-12).  B1G tournament starts Wednesday in West Laffy.  With most teams playing tomorrow, the bracket won't be available until late on Sunday.

https://bigten.org/sb/article/blte6fa976428e29245/

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

No. 10 seed Indiana will begin the 2025 Big Ten Tournament against No. 7 seed Washington on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2025/5/4/softball-placeholder-softball-big-ten-tournament

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Reminder B1G Tournament opens today with the Hoosiers vs. Washington at 1:30 on BTN TV.  You can access the tournament bracket and box scores at the link below.  

https://bigten.org/sb/article/blte6fa976428e29245/

Radio

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Hope Copeland buys Wilkison a beer tonight after this catch in the 1st inning.   Hoosiers hanging on to a 1-0 lead with Washington batting in the 5th.

https://x.com/i/status/1920187868267385205

[CSP 12,136]

Great win

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Great way to open the B1G tournament.  Copeland throws a complete game 2-hit shutout.  She walked 5.  Hoosiers only 5 hits of their own but smart base running and a double by Mitchell got the job done.  Women will face UCLA on Thursday.  1:30 scheduled start.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

Another great defensive play by the Hoosiers today.

https://x.com/i/status/1920207820454023649

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 92,001]

UCLA scores the winning run in the bottom of the 7th.  2 singles, a walk and another single and that was the ball game.  After yesterday's excellent pitching performance, Copeland opened the game on the mound but gave up 3 runs in the first inning.  Hess came on and pitched 3.2 innings allowing 4 hits and 1 run.  Copeland returned to the mound but just didn't have it today.  We had 7 hits with Copeland and Minnick each getting 2.  Minnick had 2 RBI

[Aaron 4,577]

I think IU is one win short of making NCAA Tournament. Needed one more Big Ten win to be at .500 in conference or one more signature win out of conference or Big Ten Tournament.

Hope I am wrong. RPI is there at around 40, but lack of quad one wins and being one game short of .500 in league is a double whammy against them that I think is to much to overcome. 

The offense had its best season ever. However, for some reason (don't follow program close enough to know) Copeland's ERA was a whole run worse than her previously three yrs in 4's rather than 3's canceling out an already elite offense getting even better.   

Overall program is best its ever been. However, that slightly worse pitching with same player cost them them a game or two and likely keeps them just short of being as good as last two and the difference between being in and out of NCAA's likely after two straight appearances.