Indiana Completes Sweep of No. 18 Ohio State

Sunday, March 25

Bloomington, Ind.

4:00 PM ET

Indiana University

10-21, 0

Ohio State

19-7, 0

Ohio State

Indiana

3/25/2018 8:25:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Video: Coach Stanton

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana Softball completed its three-game sweep of No 18. Ohio State Sunday as the Hoosiers defeated the Buckeyes at Andy Mohr Field, 4-1. Senior Rachel O'Malley's bases-clearing double in the sixth proved to be the difference maker as the Hoosiers have now won four straight games overall.

Junior Tara Trainer earned her second complete game victory of the weekend, allowing just one run and four hits with nine strikeouts.

The victories marked the first time since at least 2004 that the program has won games against a ranked opponent three times in a season.

"Total team win today," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "I'm really proud of our group. It's so important to start fast. We've been preaching all year that it's about Big Ten play and how we needed to catalogue moments to get us better prepared for Big Tens. You can't start off any better than that against a quality opponent in Ohio State. To sweep anyone in the Big Ten is a really tough thing to do so I'm really happy for our student-athletes and I'm proud of the way we competed this weekend."

In a game delayed three hours by weather, Ohio State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo homer by Lilli Piper. The Buckeyes threated to add more as they loaded the bases with two outs, however Trainer struck out Kallie Boren to strand the runners.

The Hoosiers answered right back in the bottom of the first as sophomore Gabbi Jenkins led off the frame with a single to short. After stealing second, she advanced to third on a groundout by senior Rebecca Blitz. Head's up base-running brought her home as she scored on a wild pitch from Ohio State's Morgan Ray.

Both teams went quietly through the middle innings as Trainer retired the next six Buckeyes in order until the fourth when Shelby McCombs drew a walk and Bailee Sturgeon singled to lead-off the inning. However, Trainer struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam.

Indiana's sixth-inning rally began after Blitz reached on a fielding error before stealing second. Freshman Maddie Westmoreland and sophomore Katie Lacefield then drew back-to-back to load the bags with two outs for O'Malley, who laced a double through the left side to bring everyone home and give IU the 4-1 lead.

"One thing I was pleased with today was after two wins on Friday, it can be easy to be satisfied," said Stanton. "They scored first with the solo shot and I was pleased with how we answered. Earlier in the year we didn't see that from this group and now we're seeing the resiliency. This group is ready to battle, not quit and continue to fight."

The Hoosiers close out the current homestand on Tuesday as they play host to Western Kentucky at 4 p.m. Admission to all home games is free of charge.