IU Softball

OliviaPope40 · April 10, 2014

HOOSIERS RETURN HOME

The Indiana softball team returns to Bloomington to host Michigan State for a midweek doubleheader at Andy Mohr Field on Wednesday, April 9. The 4 p.m. ET doubleheader will be featured on the Big Ten Netork with Lisa Byington and Jenne Ritter set to provide play-by-play and color commentary.

A LOOK AT MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans head to Bloomington with an 8-24 record on the year and have posted a 1-8 mark in conference games under 21-year head coach Jackie Joseph.

Michigan State is hitting .222 as a team this spring and is paced by redshirt-junior Stephanie Sanders’ .295 average on the season.

In the circle, MSU pitchers have combined for a 4.74 staff ERA through 208.1 innings pitched. Freshman Valerie Kaff has tossed a team-high 92.0 innings, where she has struck out 50 batters and allowed opposing hitters to reach a .328 clip.

THE ALL-TIME SERIES

The Hoosiers and Spartans will meet for the 110th time in program history, with Indiana owning a 60-49 edge in the all-time series. The teams first met in 1974 in a 5-4 Michigan State win. From 1987 through 1995, the Hoosiers took 27 of 32 games from the Spartans before MSU won 19 of the next 27 matchups through the 2008 season.

In their most recent series, Indiana opened the 2013 slate in East Lansing, Mich. March 29-31, where the Hoosiers suffered a series sweep after dropping three straight games to the Spartans.

COMEBACK KIDS

The Indiana softball team put together one of the largest comebacks in program history in its 11-7 walk-off victory over Ohio State on March 28, 2014. The Hoosiers plated 11 unswered runs to overcome a seven-run deficit, the largest comeback recorded in atleast 20 seasons, which was ultimately capped off by a walk-off, grand slam by sophomore Kelsey Dotson.

GRAND OLD TIME

With Kelsey Dotson’s grand slam against Ohio State on March 28, four active players on the IU roster have now connected on homeruns with the bases loaded in their respective careers, three of which hitting grand slams in 2014. The three grand slams this season are also the second-most by a Big Ten squad so far in 2014, trailing only Michigan who has hit six this spring.

ACTIVE PLAYERS WITH A GRAND SLAM

Kelsey Dotson vs. Ohio State (March 28, 2014)
Natalie Lalich vs. UT-Arlington (Feb. 28, 2014)
Kayla Mathewson vs. Portland State (Feb. 7, 2014)
Jenna Abraham vs. Bradley (Feb. 2, 2013)

LAST TIME OUT

After falling in its first two games in 4-1 finals with the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind. last weekend, the Hoosiers bounced back from a one-run deficit in late innings to take the final meeting of the three-game series, 5-2.

The Hoosiers trailed Purdue in the top of the sixth by a 2-1 score before Brianna Meyer drove a no-doubter over the right-field fence to tie the game at two. The contest remained deadlocked at two into the top of the seventh inning with Shelby Gogreve due up at the plate. The senior blasted a solo shot to left, her first homerun of the season, to give Indiana a 3-2 lead over Purdue. Meyer continued to be clutch for the Indiana offense, this time driving in two runs on a single up the middle to push the Hoosiers ahead 5-2. Purdue would place a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, but Meaghan Murphy closed the door with a strikeout to end the ballgame.

TURNING THINGS AROUND

After a slow start to the 2014 campaign, junior Brianna Meyer has turned things around at the plate, hitting .353 (23-for-65) in the last 22 games. During that span, Meyer has earned a hit in all but six contests, has reached base in 18-of-22 games and is currently riding a five-game hit streak dating back to the Hoosiers’ March 30 game with Ohio State.

SAUCEDO SHINES

After missing nearly all of the 2013 season due to injury, redshirt senior Breanna Saucedo has quickly made an impact in the Hoosiers’ lineup in her return this spring

10-game hit streak from March 14-30, where she hit .471 (16-for-34), surpassing her previous seven consecutive games with a hit (Feb. 8 through Feb. 21)
Leads team in batting average (.336), runs scored (20), hits (42), triples (2) at bats (125) and plate appearances (131)
Reached base in all but six games this season
Registered a hit in 29-of-36 games played
Hitting .455 against ranked teams to boost her career average against Top 25 programs to .309.

DOUBLE UP

The Hoosiers’ defense turned five double plays against the Boilermakers last weekend. The five double plays doubled Indiana’s season total, as IU had previously turned five in its previous 34 games.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/040914aac.html

OliviaPope40 · August 16, 2014

July 9, 2014

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana softball head coach Michelle Gardner announced the addition of Mike Perniciaro to the coaching staff today, July 9, 2014. Perniciaro will work primarily with hitting and the infield, as well as assist with recruiting.

"I am thrilled to announce the addition of Mike to our coaching staff," said Gardner. "He brings to Indiana a wealth of knowledge as well as years of experience coaching in the SEC, a combination that will surely have an immediate impact on this program. We are so happy to have him join the IU Softball family."

Perniciaro, who brings nearly 20 years of coaching experience to the Hoosiers, most recently served as the associate head coach at the University of Mississippi. In his three seasons with Ole Miss, Perniciaro coached 32 letterwinners and led the Rebels to school records in hits (396), walks (150) and stolen bases (79).

Prior to his tenure at Ole Miss, Perniciaro spent six seasons as the head coach for the Wichita State softball team, where he led the program to 168 wins. While leading the Shockers, Perniciaro coached Britnee Barnett to the most career hits in Wichita State's history (249).

He also served as the head coach for Northwestern State University during the 2005 campaign, which saw the Lady Demons amass a 35-28 record while averaging 4.7 runs per game.

As an assistant at Auburn University, he guided the Tigers to two NCAA Regional Tournament Appearances in 2002 and 2004. The Tigers also ranked as high as #12 in the nation in 2004. Following a successful 2004 campaign, the Tigers' staff earned South Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Before his time with Auburn, Perniciaro spent two years with the University of Georgia and was instrumental in the start-up of the program. He coached the Bulldogs to their first-ever winning season in 1998.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/070914aaa.html

OliviaPope40 · September 14, 2014

Sept. 11, 2014

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana softball team will begin its fall schedule this Sunday with a pair of games at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The Hoosiers will take on Miami (Ohio) at 1 p.m. and IPFW at 3 p.m.

“I’ve never played this early before,” said Indiana head coach Michelle Gardner. “But I really wanted to give them an opportunity because we were going to be so young to just get our there and play a little bit to see what we really need to work on in preparation for the preseason and then spring.”

The matchups are part of the inaugural College GameDay Tournament presented by Bullpen Tournaments at Grand Park, the newly built outdoor multisport complex in Westfield. The tournament will feature 13 teams from Indiana and Ohio.

Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under. A portion of ticket sales will benefit Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Ind. In addition, Bullpen Tournaments is giving away free tickets to youth and high school softball players. To reserve a ticket, contact Sarah Billman at sbillman@hamiltoncountytourism.com. The deadline to reserve is Friday at noon.

Both games will take plan on the D-25 field at Grand Park. For more information and to see a map of the facility, click here.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/091114aaa.html

ccgeneral · September 14, 2014

Thanks for the info. Keep us updated here. How do we look this season?

OliviaPope40 · September 14, 2014

Coach Gardner is going to have to make some strides if she wants to stay but I have heard words from some close people in the softball world that say she may be gone because her contract is up at the end of the season and she hasn't done much.

Edited September 14, 2014 by OliviaPope40

OliviaPope40 · September 14, 2014

I do know that have lost some players due to not getting much in the way of scholarship money and I have known some players who were promised money and never got it and decided to not play or leave the program.

ccgeneral · September 14, 2014

Lets get things turned around here Olivia!

OliviaPope40 · September 17, 2014

Sept. 15, 2014

WESTFIELD, Ind. - The Indiana softball team began their fall schedule this weekend in Westfield, Ind. The Hoosiers tied Miami (Ohio), 2-2 and defeated IPFW in six innings, 13-1.

Freshman Mena Fulton was a big factor in both contests, knocking in one run against Miami and hitting a two-run home run against IPFW. Michelle Huber also hit a two-run home run against the Mastodons.

Senior pitcher Lora Olson held the RedHawks to two runs, while freshman Emily Kirk and senior Miranda Tamayo paired up for a shutout against IPFW.

Indiana is back in action on Sept. 26 to host Indiana State in a doubleheader.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/091514aaa.html

OliviaPope40 · September 28, 2014

Sat and them Butler and Illinois State and they looked awful their pitching was not that great and they will have a tough time with it come spring play.

OliviaPope40 · October 4, 2014

Oct. 2, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Six members of the 2013-14 Indiana softball team have been named National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athletes for their academic success during the school year. The honor is awarded to those student-athletes who achieved a 3.5 or higher cumulative grade point average during the 2013-14 academic year. More than 4,600 student athletes from seven member divisions were recognized by the NFCA for their academic success.

Indiana players Jenna Abraham, Lora Olson, Kassi Farmer, Michelle Huber and Breanna Saucedo, as well as student coach Amanda Wagner are among those being recognized.

This is the third consecutive NFCA Scholar Athlete Award for Abraham, who posted a 3.97 GPA as a Community Health major. Farmer earns her second consecutive award with a 3.79 GPA.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/100214aac.html

OliviaPope40 · January 30, 2015

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. --Indiana softball kicks off the 2015 season in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. on Feb. 6. Head coach Michelle Gardner begins her seventh season with Indiana and is joined by assistant coaches Ben Sorden (second season) and Mike Perniciaro (first season). Here’s a look at what to expect with the 2015 Hoosiers.

The Returners

Shannon Cawley, Sr., Outfield, Brookfield, Ill.
Katelyn Conenna, Jr., Utility, Addison, Ill.
Kelsey Dotson, Jr., Catcher/Third Base, Silver Lake, Ind.
Kassi Farmer, Jr., Catcher/Infield, Columbia, Ill.
Michelle Huber, Jr., Utility, Carmel, Ind.
Maria Latimer, So., Catcher, Leesburg, Va.
Erin Lehman, So., Utility, New Palestine, Ind.
Kayla Mathewson, So., Outfield, Lakewood, Colo.
Brianna Meyer, Sr., Outfield, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Lora Olson, Sr., Pitcher, Orland Park, Ill.
Alyssa Rosati, Jr., Outfield, Clearwater, Fla.
Miranda Tamayo, Sr., Pitcher, Huntington Beach, Calif.
CaraMia Tsirigos, So., Catcher/Infield, Atlanta, Ga.

Indiana will look to fill the loss of Breanna Saucedo, who led the team with a .335 batting average, 65 hits and 30 runs before graduating in 2014. However, Indiana does have much of its 2014 offensive firepower back this year, including senior Brianna Meyer and junior Kassi Farmer. Last season, the duo combined for 49 runs and 80 hits to be two of the top three scoring leaders. Meyer led the team with seven home runs, while Farmer tied with fellow junior Kelsey Dotson for a team-high 23 runs batted in.

Sophomore CaraMia Tsirigos is looking to follow-up a big freshman campaign that saw the Atlanta, Ga. native hit six home runs, while earning an on-base percentage of .364. Erin Lehman is another sophomore coming off a productive season after scoring 16 runs on 24 hits last season.

After being sidelined in 2014 with an injury, senior Shannon Cawley is primed for a big year. In her first two seasons in Cream and Crimson, Cawley hit .301 while combining for 93 hits, 44 runs and 47 RBI, including a team-best 26 in 2013.

For a complete look at the 2014 stats, click here.

The Freshmen

Rebecca Blitz, Fr., Outfield, Birmingham, Ala.
Denisa Brooks, Fr., Infield, Columbus, Ind.
Kennedy Cribbs, Fr., San Gabriel, Calif.
Mena Fulton, Fr., Utility, Bloomington, Ind.
Emily Kirk, Fr., Pitcher, Round Rock, Texas
Rachel O’Malley, Fr., Infield, Elk Grove Village, Calif.
Sarah Thompson, Fr., Outfield, Greenwood, Ind.
Taylor Uden, Fr., Infield, Glendale, Ariz.

Indiana has a dynamic crop of freshmen joining squad this season as eight new faces will suit up for the Hoosiers in 2015.

Here’s a look at the freshmen class:

Hailing from Birmingham, Ala., Rebecca Blitz led her high school to a winning-tradition, while hitting .583 and swiping 34 bases in her senior campaign.

Named Columbus North’s Team MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Team Captain, Denisa Brooksrecorded a career batting average of .482, while earning a fielding percentage of .945.

San Gabriel, Calif. - native Kennedy Cribbs hit .417 last season, which ranks 12th in her high school’s history. For her efforts, Cribbs picked up First Team All-League, First Team All-Area and Team MVP honors.

Bloomington’s own Mena Fulton, who led South to its first-even State Championship appearance last season is a four-time All-Conference selection and was named the Bloomington Herald-Times Player of the Year.

During her senior season, Rachel O’Malley hit a school-record 11 home runs and 47 RBI, while picking up numerous accolades, including Chicago Sun-Times All-Area.

Named the Top Female Athlete at Center Grove in 2014, Sarah Thompson hit .372 with 35 hits, 28 runs and 17 RBI in her senior season. In addition, the Greenwood, Ind. native is a multiple All-District selection.

Also named the Female Athlete of the Year at her high school after her senior year, Taylor Uden knocked in 38 runs, while hitting .473 with nine home runs. She was named First Team All-Section in both her junior and seniors seasons.

Pitching

Senior Lora Olson is gearing up for her senior campaign. The right-handed pitcher made 36 appearances and a team-high 26 starts in 2014 and finished the year with a 3.98 ERA and eight wins.

Fellow senior Miranda Tamayo, who is returning to the Hoosiers after not playing last year, joins Olson in the circle this season. Tamayo has made three career appearances for the Hoosiers, two in 2012 and one in 2013.

Freshman Emily Kirk, a Round Rock, Texas native, is set for her Indiana debut. Kirk was a three-time First Team All-District selection and recorded 253 strikeouts her senior season, while helping her high school to a Co-District Championship.

The Schedule

This season, Indiana will face eight teams that played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, including three teams that advanced to the Super Regionals. Six Indiana opponents - Kentucky (No. 6), UCLA (No. 7), Michigan (No. 8), Georgia (No. 12), Arizona State (No. 16) and Notre Dame (No. 22) - rank in the Top 25 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Preseason Poll.

The Hoosiers open the season with four straight roads trips, starting with the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe. Indiana will then host the Indiana Classic and the Hoosier Classic on back-to-back weekends at Andy Mohr Field.

Other non-conference matchups for Indiana include Kentucky (March 18), Louisville (March 25), Ball State (April 21) and Indiana State (April 28).

Indiana opens up Big Ten play at home on March 20 against Rutgers. Other home Big Ten battles include Maryland, Purdue and Michigan State. The Hoosiers will face Illinois, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State on the road.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/013015aac.html

mamasa · January 30, 2015

I was hoping you'd be our inside source again!

OliviaPope40 · January 30, 2015

I was hoping you'd be our inside source again!

Why yes of course I am.

Edited January 30, 2015 by OliviaPope40

OliviaPope40 · February 5, 2015

2015 Kajikawa Classic - Tempe, Ariz. Dates Feb. 6-8, 2015 Location Tempe, Ariz. Game 1 (Friday) Indiana vs. Western Michigan • 6:45 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 2 (Friday) Indiana vs. Oregon State • 10:15 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 3 (Saturday) Indiana vs. San Diego • 4:30 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 4 (Saturday) Indiana at No. 16 Arizona State • 7 p.m. ET | Live Stream |GameTracker Game 5 (Sunday) Indiana vs. Utah Valley • 11:30 a.m.ET | GameTracker Radio Listen Live Game Notes Indiana Game Notes Social Media Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Tournament Central #Kajikawa Classic

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -Indiana kicks off its 42nd season at the Kajikawa Classic, hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. The Hoosiers begin their 2015 campaign with a 5:45 p.m. ET matchup with Western Michigan and a 10:15 p.m. tilt with Oregon State on Feb. 6 before taking on San Diego and No. 16 Arizona State on Saturday, Feb. 7. The Cream and Crimson close out its opening weekend of action with an 11:30 a.m. battle with Utah Valley on Sunday, Feb. 8.

This weekend will be the Hoosiers' fourth trip to the Kajikawa Classic in five seasons and third in a row. Last season, Indiana went 1-4 during the trip, defeating Bradley 6-3 in eight innings.

Visit Kajikawa Classic Tournament Central to keep up to date with all the latest scores and info from Tempe, Ariz.

A LOOK AT THE COMPETITION
The Hoosiers will play five different opponents in its opening weekend at the Kajiwaka Classic, kicking off the 2015 campaign with Western Michigan who finished 17-34 last spring. The Hoosiers will face the Broncos for the 21st time in program history. Indiana leads the all-time series, 10-9-1. The two teams last faced off in 2005, where they split a pair of games to each pick up a victory.

The Hoosiers' late Friday game features the sixth meeting with Oregon State. The last meeting resulted in a 2-1 Beavers' victory in eight innings in 2013.

On Saturday, Indiana opens the day with San Diego in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The Toreros finished last season with a 26-21 mark.

The Saturday finale features a tilt against the tournament's host, Arizona State. The No. 16 ranked Sun Devils lead the all-time series, 1-5 with the last matchup coming in 2013. Arizona State finished 2014 at 46-12-1 and a trip to the NCAA Regional.

Indiana caps off the weekend with a Sunday morning showdown with Utah Valley, whom the Hoosiers will also face the following weekend in Henderson, Nev. The Wolverines ended 2014 with an appearance in the NCAA Regional after winning the WAC Tournament.

WHAT'S ON TAP FOR 2015
This season, Indiana will face eight teams that played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, including three teams that advanced to the Super Regionals. Six Indiana opponents - Kentucky (No. 6), UCLA (No. 7), Michigan (No. 8), Georgia (No. 12), Arizona State (No. 16) and Notre Dame (No. 22) - rank in the Top 25 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Preseason Poll.

After playing in the Kajikawa Classic, the Hoosiers will travel to Henderson, Nev. the following weekend for the Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic, playing Utah Valley again, University of Texas El-Paso, Cal State Northridge, New Mexico and Utah State.

On Feb. 19, Indiana will kick off competition in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. There, the Hoosiers will take on a Georgia team that went 49-15 last season, a UCLA squad who won 52 games in 2014, Loyola Marymount, Cal Poly and Brigham Young.

Indiana's final February slate will come in Orlando, Fla. at the Citrus Classic II Tournament. Indiana will face Georgia once again, as well as Omaha, Georgetown, Mississippi State and Notre Dame.

The Hoosiers will kick off the home portion of the year with back-to-back tournaments at Andy Mohr Field. The Hoosiers will host the Indiana Classic the first weekend of March with games against Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois and Saint Louis. The following weekend, Indiana hosts its annual Hoosier Classic and will square off against North Dakota State, Wright State, Bowling Green and IPFW.

Other non-conference matchups for the Hoosiers include Kentucky (March 18), Louisville (March 25), Ball State (April 21) and Indiana State (April 28).

Indiana opens up Big Ten play at home on March 20 against Rutgers. Other home Big Ten battles include Maryland, Purdue and Michigan State. The Hoosiers will face Illinois, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State on the road.

The 2015 Big Ten Tournament will take place May 7-10 in Columbus, Ohio.

RETURNING IN 2015...
The Hoosiers welcome back 12 letterwinners this spring with all but one of those returners seeing starts last season. Seven of those were everyday players in the Hoosiers' 2014 lineup.

Senior Lora Olson is gearing up for her senior campaign. The right-handed pitcher made 36 appearances and a team-high 26 starts in 2014 and finished the year with a 3.98 ERA and eight wins.

Fellow senior Miranda Tamayo, who is returning to the Hoosiers after not playing last year, joins Olson in the circle this season. Tamayo has made three career appearances for the Hoosiers, two in 2012 and one in 2013.

Indiana will look to fill the loss of Breanna Saucedo, who led the team with a .335 batting average, 65 hits and 30 runs before graduating in 2014. However, Indiana does have much of its 2014 offensive firepower back this year, including senior Brianna Meyer and junior Kassi Farmer. Last season, the duo combined for 49 runs and 80 hits to be two of the top three scoring leaders. Meyer led the team with seven home runs, while Farmer tied with fellow junior Kelsey Dotson for a team-high 23 runs batted in.

Sophomore CaraMia Tsirigos is looking to follow-up a big freshman campaign that saw the Atlanta, Ga. native hit six home runs, while earning an on-base percentage of .364. Erin Lehman is another sophomore coming off a productive season after scoring 16 runs on 24 hits last season.

After being sidelined in 2014 with an injury, senior Shannon Cawley is primed for a big year. In her first two seasons in Cream and Crimson, Cawley hit .301 while combining for 93 hits, 44 runs and 47 RBI, including a team-best 26 in 2013.

THE GREAT EIGHT
Indiana welcomes eight new faces to the 2015 squad this spring. Freshmen Rebecca Blitz, Denisa Brooks Kennedy Cribbs, Mena Fulton, Rachel O'Malley, Sarah Thompson, Taylor Uden and Emily Kirk will all don the Cream and Crimson for the first time in their careers.

•Hailing from Birmingham, Ala., Rebecca Blitz led her high school to a winning-tradition, while hitting .583 and swiping 34 bases in her senior campaign.

•Named Columbus North's Team MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Team Captain, Denisa Brooksrecorded a career batting average of .482, while earning a fielding percentage of .945.

•San Gabriel, Calif. - native Kennedy Cribbs hit .417 last season, which ranks 12th in her high school's history. For her efforts, Cribbs picked up First Team All-League, First Team All-Area and Team MVP honors.

•Bloomington's own Mena Fulton, who led South to its first-even State Championship appearance last season is a four-time All-Conference selection and was named the Bloomington Herald-Times Player of the Year.

•During her senior season, Rachel O'Malley hit a school-record 11 home runs and 47 RBI, while picking up numerous accolades, including Chicago Sun-Times All-Area.

•Named the Top Female Athlete at Center Grove in 2014, Sarah Thompson hit .372 with 35 hits, 28 runs and 17 RBI in her senior season. In addition, the Greenwood, Ind. native is a multiple All-District selection.

•Also named the Female Athlete of the Year at her high school after her senior year, Taylor Uden knocked in 38 runs, while hitting .473 with nine home runs. She was named First Team All-Section in both her junior and seniors seasons.

•Emily Kirk, a Round Rock, Texas native, is set for her Indiana debut. Kirk was a three-time First Team All-District selection and recorded 253 strikeouts her senior season, while helping her high school to a Co-District Championship.

SHUTTING THE DOOR
Indiana succeeded in preserving leads in crunch time last season. When the Hoosiers were ahead after four or more innings, IU boasted a 13-3-1 record.

EARLY FIREPOWER
The Hoosiers' offense jumped on opposing pitchers for 63 of their 190 total runs in the first two innings alone last season. Those two innings were outscored only by the fifth, which saw 35 Indiana runs in 2014.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN UP
Every 2015 Indiana softball game will be broadcasted LIVE on IUHoosiers.com with Will Chukerman on the call. In addition, fans can also follow along with GameTracker, just click on the appopriate link in the schedule.

PERNICIARO JOINS STAFF
Head coach Michelle Gardner added a new face to the 2015 coaching staff as Mike Perniciaro joined the Hoosiers on July 8, 2014. Perniciaro works primarily with hitting and the infield, as well as assists with recruiting.

Perniciaro, who brings nearly 20 years of coaching experience to the Hoosiers, most recently served as the associate head coach at the University of Mississippi. In his three seasons with Ole Miss, Perniciaro coached 32 letterwinners and led the Rebels to school records in hits (396), walks (150) and stolen bases (79).

Prior to his tenure at Ole Miss, Perniciaro spent six seasons as the head coach for the Wichita State softball team, where he led the program to 168 wins. While leading the Shockers, Perniciaro coached Britnee Barnett to the most career hits in Wichita State's history (249).

He also served as the head coach for Northwestern State University during the 2005 campaign, which saw the Lady Demons amass a 35-28 record while averaging 4.7 runs per game.

As an assistant at Auburn University, he guided the Tigers to two NCAA Regional Tournament Appearances in 2002 and 2004. The Tigers also ranked as high as #12 in the nation in 2004. Following a successful 2004 campaign, the Tigers' staff earned South Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Before his time with Auburn, Perniciaro spent two years with the University of Georgia and was instrumental in the start-up of the program. He coached the Bulldogs to their first-ever winning season in 1998.

Perniciaro and his wife, Shannon, have two children: Nicholas (4) and Alexander (3).

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/020515aaa.html

OliviaPope40 · February 7, 2015

Feb. 6, 2015

Final Stats

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Indiana softball team dropped its season-opening game to Western Michigan on Friday, 5-4.

After freshman Rebecca Blitz led off the first inning with her first career hit and stole second base, a single from Shannon Cawley brought her home for a 1-0 Indiana lead. That lead was extended when CaraMia Tsirigos hit a single to right field to score Cawley.

However, the Broncos responded with a big second inning as Western Michigan recorded five hits in the inning to take a 3-2 lead, an advantage they would never relinquish.

Western Michigan added another pair of runs in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead.

The Hoosiers would respond in the fifth as freshman Rachel O’Malley reached base for the first time in her Indiana career with a walk. Blitz’ s second hit of the night, followed by her second stolen base of the game, helped put runners on second and third as a wild pitch from Western Michigan’s Erin Binkowski brought in O’Malley to close the Indiana deficit to 5-3.

Senior pitcher Lora Olson struck out two batters in the top of the seventh as the Western Michigan went down in order.

The Hoosiers got a final chance in the bottom of the seventh as another Blitz single and back-to-back walks to Erin Lehman and Cawley loaded the bases with one out. However, groundouts from Tsirigos and Kassi Farmer ended the game.

Olson (0-1) picked up the loss, giving up five runs in seven innings pitched.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/recaps/020615aaa.html

Edited February 7, 2015 by OliviaPope40

OliviaPope40 · February 7, 2015

Feb. 7, 2015

Final Stats

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Indiana softball team fell in their second game of the Kajikawa Classic, losing to Oregon State, 10-6.

Oregon State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning after three straight one-out walks from senior pitcher Miranda Tamayo (0-1) loaded the bases. A two-RBI double and a pair of RBI singles brought in four Beavers.

Oregon State added another pair of runs in the top of the second on a two-run ground rule double from Hannah Akamine.

Senior Brianna Meyer put the Hoosiers on the board in the bottom half of the inning as she scored her first run of the year. An inning later, a solo home run blast from Cawley and a RBI double from O'Malley in the fourth inning trimmed the Oregon State lead to 6-3.

However, the Beavers would tack on two more runs in the fifth before adding another in the sixth and seventh inning to push the lead to 10-3.

The Hoosier bats weren't finished as Indiana plated three runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning before ultimately falling to the Beavers, 10-6.

Indiana returns to action tomorrow as the Hoosiers face San Diego at 6:30 p.m. ET and No. 16 Arizona State at 9 p.m. ET

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/recaps/020715aab.html

OliviaPope40 · February 8, 2015

Feb. 8, 2015

Final Stats

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Indiana

2

0

1

0

1

X

4

11

0

San Diego

0

1

2

0

3

7

2

Site: Farrington Stadium (Tempe, Ariz.)
Score: Indiana 4, San Diego 3
Records: Indiana (1-2), Stanford (2-1)

Related Links:

Statistics | PDF

Pitching

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

W - Olson (1-1)

7.0

7

3

0

2

L - Hernandez

6.0

11

4

3

1

3

TEMPE, Ariz. --The Indiana softball team picked up their first win of the 2015 season as the Hoosiers defeated San Diego on Saturday in the Kajikawa Classic, 4-3.

Indiana picked up the win behind a complete game from senior pitcher Lora Olson (1-1) as the right-hander gave up just three runs and struck out two in the win.

Freshman Rebecca Blitz continued her impressive start to her Hoosier career as the Mountain Brook, Ala.-native reached first base on a single, marking the third time in as many games she reached first base to lead off the Indiana offense. Blitz finished the game 3-for-4 and is hitting .571 with four runs on eight hits through her first four games in Cream and Crimson.

A bases-loaded single by Michelle Huber brought in Blitz and Shannon Cawley as the Hoosiers jumped to an early 2-0 first-inning lead.

Indiana tacked on another run after freshman Taylor Uden doubled to center field and then scored on an RBI single by CaraMia Tsirigos, marking Uden’s first career run at Indiana.

The Toreros would answer with back-to-back doubles to score one run in the fourth, followed by a two-run home run by Danielle Mavridis to tie the game at 3-3.

However, Uden wasn’t finished as she sent an RBI single to right field to bring O’Malley home and score the game-winning run.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/recaps/020815aaa.html

OliviaPope40 · February 8, 2015

Feb. 8, 2015

Final Stats

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Utah Valley

0

1

0

3

4

6

0

Indiana

0

1

X

1

4

0

Site: Tempe Sports Complex (Tempe, Ariz.)
Score: Indiana 1, Utah Valley 4
Records: Indiana (1-4), Utah Valley (3-2)
Next IU Game: Friday, Feb. 13 -- vs. Utah Valley (Henderson, Nev.), 2:15 p.m. ET

Related Links:

Statistics | PDF

Pitching

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

W - Moore

7.0

4

1

2

5

L - Tamayo

2.1

3

0

3

Up Next... When: Friday, Feb. 13 | 2:15 p.m. ET
Who: Utah Valley
Where: Henderson, Nev.
Radio: Listen Live

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Indiana softball team dropped its final game of the Kajikawa Classic to Utah Valley on Sunday, 4-1.

The Hoosiers (1-4) and Wolverines (3-2) were locked in a pitchers duel through four innings with the game remaining scoreless on only one hit until Utah Valley’s Sydney Austin knocked in an RBI triple to take a 1-0 lead.

The Wolverine run ended senior pitcher Lora Olson’s outing as she threw 4.1 innings, tying a career-high in strikeouts with seven.

Freshman Rebecca Blitz evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning after recording her ninth hit of the weekend. The freshman went 9-for-17 in the first five games of the season, scoring five total runs. A walk to Taylor Uden and sacrifice bunt by senior Shannon Cawley put Blitz in position to score on a wild pitch from Utah Valley pitcher Bailey Moore (2-2).

However, the Wolverines would quickly respond as back-to-back singles by Utah Valley off relief pitcherMiranda Tamayo (0-3) set the stage for a 3-run home run by Kori Barrios to take the decisive 4-1 lead.

The Hoosiers and Wolverines will face off again on Friday as they square off in the Wilson/DeMarini Classic in Henderson, Nev.

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-softbl/recaps/020815aad.html

OliviaPope40 · February 13, 2015

Feb. 12, 2015

2015 Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic - Henderson, Nev. Dates Feb. 13-15, 2015 Location Henderson, Nev. Game 1 (Friday) Indiana vs. Utah Valley • 2:15 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 2 (Friday) Indiana vs. UTEP • 6:45 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 3 (Saturday) Indiana vs. Cal State Northridge • 6:45 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 4 (Saturday) Indiana vs. New Mexico • 9 p.m. ET | GameTracker Game 5 (Sunday) Indiana vs. Utah State • Noon ET | GameTracker Radio Listen Live Game Notes Indiana Game Notes Social Media Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Tournament Central Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -The Hoosiers head to Henderson, Nev. this weekend for the 2015 Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic, hosted by UNLV. Indiana will do battle with Utah Valley and UTEP on Friday, before facing Cal State Northridge and New Mexico on Saturday afternoon. The Hoosiers will close out the weekend with Utah State on Sunday.

Visit the Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic Tournament Central to keep up to date with all the latest scores and info from Henderson, Nev..

The Last Meeting

Utah Valley 4 Indiana 1

February 8, 2015
Tempe, Ariz.

Indiana Falls to Utah Valley, 4-1
The Indiana softball team dropped its final game of the Kajikawa Classic to Utah Valley on Sunday, 4-1, wrapping up the season's first weekend of play.

Recap | Box Score

The Last Meeting

Utah State 6 Indiana 3

February 18, 2012
Las Vegas, Nev.

Missed Opportunities Cost Indiana In 6-3 Loss To Utah State

Indiana (2-6) found itself facing a four-run deficit after the top of the first inning, but the Hoosiers did go away, putting pressure on Utah State until the final out of the game, but eventually suffering a 6-3 loss to the Aggies.

Recap | Box Score

LAST TIME OUT
Indiana kicked off its 42nd season last weekend at the Kajikawa Classic, hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. The Hoosiers went 1-4 on the weekend, picking up a 4-3 victory against San Diego on Saturday.

Lora Olson (1-1) picked up the victory against the Toreros, tossing seven innings with three runs and two strikeouts. In her return to the Hoosiers lineup after sitting out last season with an injury, senior Shannon Cawley racked up three runs and three hits, including a solo home run against Oregon State on Feb. 6.

U(TAH VALLEY) AGAIN
The Hoosiers open up play in the Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic against a familiar opponent in Utah Valley. Indiana and the Wolverines closed out competition in last weekend's Kajikawa Classic on Sunday, with Utah Valley defeating Indiana, 4-1, in the first matchup in the programs' histories.

MEETING THE MINERS
Indiana's second opponent of the weekend also participated in last week's Kajikawa Classic, going 0-5 in Tempe. The Hoosiers and UTEP have only met once before, a 2005 5-2 Indiana victory.

MATCHING UP WITH THE MATADORS
The first Indiana game on Saturday pits the Hoosiers against Cal State Northridge, who went in 4-1 in the Kajikawa Classic, picking up wins against Wisconsin, Stanford, New Mexico and Arizona State. Cal State Northridge leads the all-time series, 3-1, after a pair of wins against Indiana in 2005.

LOOKING AT THE LOBOS
In the Hoosiers' Saturday evening showdown, Indiana takes on a team that went 3-2 in the Kajikawa Classic, earning wins against Seattle, San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. New Mexico leads the all-time series, 2-3-1 with the last matchup resulting in a 5-4 Indiana win in 2002.

AGAINST THE AGGIES
Indiana concludes play in the Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic with a Sunday meeting with Utah State. The Aggies dropped all four of their games in last weekend's Iowa State Indoor Tournament. Utah State leads the all-time series against Indiana, 5-1. The last showdown between the team's resulted in a 6-3 Aggie victory.

BLITZ ATTACK
Indiana freshman Rebecca Blitz went 9-for-17 on the weekend, scoring five runs in the leadoff spot. In addition, Blitz was 4-for-4 on stolen bases. In her debut against Western Michigan, Blitz went 3-for-4 with two runs and two stolen bases. She also went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run against San Diego.

UTILIZING UDEN
Another Indiana freshman in Taylor Uden had a remarkable start to her Hoosier career, starting all five games at shortstop while collecting three hits, one run and an RBI during the weekend.

WHAT'S ON TAP FOR 2015
This season, Indiana will face eight teams that played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, including three teams that advanced to the Super Regionals. Six Indiana opponents - Kentucky (No. 6), UCLA (No. 7), Michigan (No. 8), Georgia (No. 12), Arizona State (No. 16) and Notre Dame (No. 22) - rank in the Top 25 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Preseason Poll.

After playing in the Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic, Indiana will kick off competition in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. on Feb. 19. There, the Hoosiers will take on a Georgia team that went 49-15 last season, a UCLA squad who won 52 games in 2014, Loyola Marymount, Cal Poly and Brigham Young.

Indiana's final February slate will come in Orlando, Fla. at the Citrus Classic II Tournament. Indiana will face Georgia once again, as well as Omaha, Georgetown, Mississippi State and Notre Dame.

The Hoosiers will kick off the home portion of the year with back-to-back tournaments at Andy Mohr Field. The Hoosiers will host the Indiana Classic the first weekend of March with games against Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois and Saint Louis. The following weekend, Indiana hosts its annual Hoosier Classic and will square off against North Dakota State, Wright State, Bowling Green and IPFW.

Other non-conference matchups for the Hoosiers include Kentucky (March 18), Louisville (March 25), Ball State (April 21) and Indiana State (April 28).

Indiana opens up Big Ten play at home on March 20 against Rutgers. Other home Big Ten battles include Maryland, Purdue and Michigan State. The Hoosiers will face Illinois, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State on the road.

The 2015 Big Ten Tournament will take place May 7-10 in Columbus, Ohio.

RETURNING IN 2015...
The Hoosiers welcome back 12 letterwinners this spring with seven of those being everyday players in the Hoosiers' 2014 lineup.

Senior Lora Olson is gearing up for her senior campaign. The right-handed pitcher made 36 appearances and a team-high 26 starts in 2014 and finished the year with a 3.98 ERA and eight wins.

Fellow senior Miranda Tamayo, who is returning to the Hoosiers after not playing last year, joins Olson in the circle this season. Tamayo has made three career appearances for the Hoosiers, two in 2012 and one in 2013.

Indiana will look to fill the loss of Breanna Saucedo, who led the team with a .335 batting average, 65 hits and 30 runs before graduating in 2014. However, Indiana does have much of its 2014 offensive firepower back this year, including senior Brianna Meyer and junior Kassi Farmer. Last season, the duo combined for 49 runs and 80 hits to be two of the top three scoring leaders. Meyer led the team with seven home runs, while Farmer tied with fellow junior Kelsey Dotson for a team-high 23 runs batted in.

Sophomore CaraMia Tsirigos is looking to follow-up a big freshman campaign that saw the Atlanta, Ga. native hit six home runs, while earning an on-base percentage of .364. Erin Lehman is another sophomore coming off a productive season after scoring 16 runs on 24 hits last season.

After being sidelined in 2014 with an injury, senior Shannon Cawley is primed for a big year. In her first two seasons in Cream and Crimson, Cawley hit .301 while combining for 93 hits, 44 runs and 47 RBI, including a team-best 26 in 2013.

THE GREAT EIGHT
Indiana welcomes eight new faces to the 2015 squad this spring. Freshmen Rebecca Blitz, Denisa Brooks Kennedy Cribbs, Mena Fulton, Rachel O'Malley, Sarah Thompson, Taylor Uden and Emily Kirk will all don the Cream and Crimson this season.