IU Softball

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Already a schedule change due to expected bad weather.  Teams will play a doubleheader Friday starting at 2:00.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Ohio State takes game #1 of today's doubleheader 6 - 2.

A really rough first inning for Heather Johnson allowing 4 runs on 3 hits coupled with 2 Hoosier errors.  2 of the hits were a 2-run HR and a solo shot.  Johnson stayed on the mound thru the 2nd and 3rd innings allowing 2 more hits but no runs.  In the 4th a triple drove in an unearned O$U run and a sac fly O$U's 6th run with no outs.  Copeland relieved Johnson and closed out the 4th, 5th and 6th and set the Buckeyes down in order after taking the mound in all 3 innings.  In the 6th we got solo HR's from Benson and Ford for 2 of our 5 total hits in the game.  

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Hoosiers bounce back with smoking bats and take game #2 17-5 in a game shortened by the 10-run rule.

Cora Bassett with a 3-run HR in the 2nd.  Hoosiers scored 6 in the 3rd on a pair of 2-run HR by Copeland and Warick, an rbi single by Benson and another run on an O$U error. Scored another run in the 4th on a Farley triple.  In the 5th, Copeland with her 2nd HR of the game, this one a grand slam giving her 6 RBI and Minnick hit a 2-run HR to  make it 17-3.  OSU did score 2 in the bottom of the 5th but not enough to keep the game from ending early.

Macy Montgomery pitched all 5 innings giving up 5 runs on 4 hits and 3 BB.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Halfway thru today's game and the Buckeyes lead 4-2.    Bassett led off the first inning with a solo HR and we picked up our 2nd run in the 2nd inning but OSU got 4 in the bottom of the 2nd on a solo HR, an IU throwing error and a WP.  Copeland started but replaced by Montgomery with 2 out in the 2nd.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

After 5, OSU leads 5-2.  Game currently in a delay due to cold weather.  Don't ask me how this is happening since they've already played 5 full innings and I have no idea how they expect the temp to appreciably increase to re-start the game.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

And just like that, the temperature apparently rose and they've resumed play.  Weird, just weird.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Both teams scored solo runs in the 6th but we could only score 1 run in the 7th and go down 6-4.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

 For the second time this season, pitcher/infielder Brianna Copeland has earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Week Award, the conference announced Monday.

Copeland, a native of Pelham, Ala., hit .500 with five hits, one double, two home runs, six RBI and a 1.200 slugging percentage in the weekend series at Ohio State. Copeland also pitched 4.2 innings with a 1.50 era.
 
In the Hoosiers 17-5 over Ohio State on March 25, Copeland hit two home runs and recorded six RBI.
 
For the season Copeland is hitting .390 with 16 hits and four home runs.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Mid-week game with Kent State and we made it difficult but we pulled it out in 9 innings 14-11 to move to 18-8 on the season.

Macy Montgomery started and pitched 4 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits and 0 walks.  Natalie Foor came on in the 5th.  She faced 5 batters and gave up 2 runs (1 unearned) on 3 hits and was replaced by Heather Johnson.  Johnson finished the 5th and pitched a clean 6th but loaded the bases in the 7th with 1 out and Kent State having already scored a run courtesy of an IU error.  And another IU error made it 8-5 with the bases still loaded.  And then it became 8-6 with runners on 2nd and 3rd and then 8-7 with runners on the corners.  That was it for Johnson and Montgomery re-took the mound.  She got the first batter she faced to pop out but the next batter doubled to tie it up at 8 as Kent State scored its 5th run of the inning and that's where it stood as our Hoosiers came to bat in the bottom of the 7th but we meekly went down in order.  

In the 8th, we got the bases loaded with 1 out but Copeland struck out and Warick popped up and we squandered the opportunity.  Kent State got 3 in the 9th off a pair of doubles and a 2-run HR off Montgomery and she was replaced by Copeland.  We got all 3 back on a 3-run HR by Aaliyah Andrews.  We then got runners on 1st and 2nd and then Brianna Copeland unloaded her 3rd HR of the day and Hoosiers won 14-11.

We had 14 hits on the day.  Bassett went 3-4 with 3 RBIs including a 2-run HR.  Copeland hit a pair of solo HRs and a 3-run shot to win the game and she finished with 5 RBIs. 

Hoosiers will be on the road this weekend for a 3-game series with Wisky.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

In yesterday's game, Brianna Copeland became the first freshman in IU program history to hit 3 HRs in a single game and the team needed every one of them. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

The Indiana softball team will take on Wisconsin on the road this weekend.  
 
Date: Friday April 1-Sunday April 3
Location: Madison, Wis.
Stadium: Goodman Softball Complex

The Schedule
Friday April 1 at 4:00 PM ET
Saturday April 2 at 2:00 PM ET
Sunday April 3 at 2:00 PM ET

Twitter Updates: @IndianaSB
Live scoring
B1G Plus Video
 
Series History
Wisconsin leads the all-time series against Indiana 27-18. Last season the Hoosiers won two games against Wisconsin in Leesburg, Fla. The last 10 games have been fairly even with Wisconsin taking 6 of 10.
 
Scouting the Opponent
The Badgers come in with an 18-7 overall record and 3-0 mark in Big Ten play after sweeping Iowa in their opening Big Ten weekend. The Badgers outscored the Hawkeyes 32-9 over the three games. Wisconsin also has a win over #15/#12 Clemson this season in a 2-1 win in eight innings. The Badgers are led offensively by infielder Kayla Konwent, who is hitting .403 for the season with 27 hits. In the circle Maddie Schwartz has gotten most of the work with 82 innings pitched and a 2.05 era. Schwartz is 13-2 on the season.
 
Last Time Out
The Hoosiers beat Kent State in a nine-inning thriller 14-11. The Hoosiers trailed 11-8 going into the ninth inning. Aaliyah Andrews hit a three-run home run to tie it 11-11 and Brianna Copeland hit a three-run walk off home run for the win. Copeland hit three home runs in the game to become just the third player in program history to hit three home runs in a game.  
 
Stanton Earns 700^th Career Victory
With the Hoosiers 2-0 victory over Sam Houston State on March 19 IU head coach Shonda Stanton earned her 700th career victory. Stanton is in her 24th year as a head coach. Before arriving in Bloomington, she coached at Marshall for 18 seasons and is the winningest coach in Marshall history with 560 wins.
 
Copeland Freshman of the Week X2
Indiana pitcher/infielder Brianna Copeland was named Co- Freshman of the Week by the Big Ten on March 8. A look at her numbers at the Hoosier Classic March 4-5. Copeland went 2-0 in the circle with an era of 0.82 and 11 strikeouts. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with her first career home run and three RBI. Copeland earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor again this week on March 28. In the Hoosiers 17-5 win over OSU Copeland hit two home runs and hit .500 for the weekend with six RBI.
 
The Long Ball
The Hoosiers have already surpassed their home run total from a season ago. Indiana has 35 home runs through 25 games this season. Last year the Hoosiers tallied 28 home runs in 44 games.
 
Big Weekend for Bassett
Junior infielder Cora Bassett had a strong weekend March 4-5 against Western Illinois and Valpo. Bassett hit .750 on the weekend going 9-for-12 at the plate with a 1.417 slugging percentage and six RBI. Bassett hit two home runs and stole three bases.
 
Attacking the Next 60 Feet
The Hoosiers rank fourth among NCAA DI softball teams in stolen bases at 2.69 per game. Tatum Hayes ranks first in the Big Ten in stolen bases with 19 and 12^th in the NCAA. The Hoosiers have stolen 70 bases this season compared to 14 from their opponents.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

There was a schedule change and the teams will play a doubleheader today.

In the first game, Hoosiers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning with 4 hits and a Wisky error.  Big hit was a 2-run double by Taylor Minnick.  Heather Johnson on the mound.  We couldn't stand prosperity and 2-IU errors put the first 2 Wisky batters on base.  Sarah Stone saved a run with a throw from right field cutting down a Wisky runner at the plate.  Badgers scored a run on a fielder's choice but that was it and it was a 3-1 Hoosier lead after 1 inning.

Wisky scored 2 in the 3rd to tie it at 3 and 2 more in the 5th on a HR off Johnson.  IU got a run in the 6th but Wisky scored 2 more in its half of the 6th off Brianna Copeland who was relieved by Montgomery with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd but a ground out ended the inning with Wisky leading 7-4.

Copeland with a solo HR in our 7th to make it 7-5 but we couldn't do anything more and lose the first game 7-5.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

We salvage a split winning the second game 7-4.

In game #2, Wisky scored 2 in the first off Macy Montgomery via a solo HR and a Hoosier error.  We got 4 in the 3rd from a Benson solo HR, a Copeland double and RBI singles from Minnick and Stone.  

We picked up 3 more in the 5th on a 3-run HR by Minnick (4 RBIs in the game).  Wisky got 1 back in its half of the 5th.

Wisky loaded the bases in the bottom of the 6th with 1 out.  Macy Montgomery who started and had been earlier relieved by Johnson and then in turn by Rehberg returned to the mound.  A passed ball scored a Wisky run but a strikeout ended the inning and it was a 7-4 IU lead after 6.

In the top of the 7th, we loaded the bases with 1out but couldn't push any runs across.  Montgomery stayed on the mound and walked the Wisky leadoff batter but struck out the next 2 batters followed by a ground out to end the game.

.

 

[Chris007 44,151]

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

We salvage a split winning the second game 7-4.

In game #2, Wisky scored 2 in the first off Macy Montgomery via a solo HR and a Hoosier error.  We got 4 in the 3rd from a Benson solo HR, a Copeland double and RBI singles from Minnick and Stone.  

We picked up 3 more in the 5th on a 3-run HR by Minnick (4 RBIs in the game).  Wisky got 1 back in its half of the 5th.

Wisky loaded the bases in the bottom of the 6th with 1 out.  Macy Montgomery who started and had been earlier relieved by Johnson and then in turn by Rehberg returned to the mound.  A passed ball scored a Wisky run but a strikeout ended the inning and it was a 7-4 IU lead after 6.

In the top of the 7th, we loaded the bases with 1out but couldn't push any runs across.  Montgomery stayed on the mound and walked the Wisky leadoff batter but struck out the next 2 batters followed by a ground out to end the game.

.

 

This is how us Edgewood Mustangs roll.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Due to weather in Madison, today's game postponed until tomorrow April 3 at 1PM ET.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

At the midway point we're tied at 1 apiece.

We scored in the third.  Aaliyah Andrews hit a single; stole second; stole third and then had the audacity to steal home!!  Wisky tied it up in the bottom of the 3rd on a solo HR off Macy Montgomery.

[mamasa 15,335]

It’s been really fun to watch the improvement of this team over the last couple of years!!

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Final score:  Wisconsin  6       IU  2

Neither team scored in the 4th or 5th.  In the 6th, Wisky got back-to-back singles with 2 outs and then a 3-run HR made it a 4-1 Wisconsin lead.  Heather Johnson relieved Montgomery but gave up a 2-run HR and after 6 complete Wisky led 6-1.  We did get 2 runners on in the 7th with 2 outs and an RBI single by Minnick made it 6-2 but that was all we could do.

Hoosiers (19-10) (2-4) return home having won just 1 of the 3 on the weekend.  They'll be at home next weekend for a 3-game series with Rutgers.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Copeland Earns Third Big Ten Softball Freshman of the Week Honor

For the third time this season and second straight week, pitcher/infielder Brianna Copeland has earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Week Award, the conference announced Monday.

Copeland, a native of Pelham, Ala., started the week making history in the Hoosiers 14-11 win over Kent State on March 30. Copeland hit three home runs in the game, her third a three-run home run to walk it off for the victory.
 
Copeland became the first freshman in IU softball program history to hit three home runs in a game and just the third player in program history to ever accomplish the feat.
 
In addition to her heroics at the plate, Copeland came in to pitch against Kent State and recorded the win in the circle.
 
For the week Copeland hit .421 with eight hits, seven RBI, 21 total bases and a 1.105 slugging percentage.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,970]

Weather forecast for tomorrow evening in Bloomington does not look favorable so probably a 50/50 chance this game is postponed to Saturday or Sunday.

The Indiana softball team (19-10) (2-4) will host Rutgers (23-15) (1-5) this weekend in their first Big Ten series at Andy Mohr Field.
 
Date: Friday April 8-Sunday April 10
Location: Bloomington, Ind.
Stadium: Andy Mohr Field

The Schedule
Friday April 8 at 5:30 PM ET
*Saturday April 9 at 7:30 PM ET
Sunday April 10 at 12:00 PM ET
*The Saturday game will be nationally televised on Big Ten Network.

Twitter Updates: @IndianaSB
Live Stats
B1G Plus Video
 
Series History
Indiana leads the all-time series 13-11. The Hoosiers have won six of the last seven games in the series and won all three games played in the 2021 season.
 
Scouting the Opponent
The Scarlet Knights come in with a 23-15 overall record and a 1-5 mark in Big Ten play. Rutgers went 1-2 against Minnesota and most recently was swept by Nebraska. The Scarlet Knights are led offensively by Kyleigh Sand who is hitting .417 on the season with 50 hits. Sand is a threat to steal with 20 stolen bases in 38 games.