Hoosiers Sweep Doubleheader Against Purdue, Improve to 15-2 in Big Ten Play

Wednesday, April 25

West Lafayette, Ind.

4:00 PM ET

Indiana University

22-25, 14-2

Purdue

13-35, 4-11

Indiana

Purdue

Hoosiers Sweep Doubleheader Against Purdue, Improve to 15-2 in Big Ten Play

4/25/2018 11:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (PDF) - Game One Box Score (PDF) - Game Two Photo Gallery

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Indiana Softball improved to 15-2 in conference action on Wednesday, sweeping both games of a doubleheader against Purdue, winning 1-0 and 11-4. It marked Indiana's fifth conference sweep of the season while IU's 15 Big Ten wins is the most in a single year since 2011.

It also marks the first series sweep against Purdue since 2011 and the most Big Ten sweeps overall since that same year.

Indiana 1, Purdue 0
In game one, a solo homer by senior Taylor Uden proved to be the difference as the Hoosiers earned a 1-0 victory. Junior Tara Trainer picked up her fifth shutout of the season as she collected 10 strikeouts and allowed just three Boilermaker hits.

After the first seven Hoosiers were sent down in order, Uden knocked her fourth home run of the season in the third on a shot to dead center field to give Indiana the early 1-0 lead.

"It was nice to see us win a 1-0 ballgame," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "Uden got a change-up that was hung up. She really put a charge into it and was able to drive it out to center. That was all we needed because Tara pitched a nice game and we made plays behind her."

Purdue looked to respond in the fourth as a walk and single put two on before a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. However, Trainer collected her sixth strikeout of the game to get out of the jam.

Junior Sarah Galovich led off the fifth with a single up the middle before moving over to second on a sacrifice bunt. A groundout by Norton advances her to third, but she was stranded on a strikeout.

The Boilermakers again threatened in the fifth, as Mallory Baker drew a walk and Rachel Krzysko singled with two outs. However, a grounder to Katie Lacefield at third base ended the frame.

Blitz knocked a one-out single to short in the sixth, pushing her hitting streak to 21 games but was caught stealing. Jenkins then a walk with one out and stole second to get into scoring position. However, she would be left stranded on a long flyout to left.

Trainer sent Purdue down in order to seal the victory, her 15^th of the season.

Indiana 11, Purdue 4
Game two saw the Hoosiers set a new season high in runs, as well as home runs as Indiana knocked four homers on the way to an 11-4 victory.

Jenkins and freshman Maddie Westmoreland each collected three hits and three RBI in the victory. Freshman Taylor Lambert also collected three RBI, while Uden scored four runs to lead Indiana.

Blitz wasted no time extended her hitting streak to a Big Ten-leading 22 games, leading off the inning with a single before stealing second. She was caught stealing third before a single from Westmoreland and walk to Lacefield put two on with two away. However, a pop-up stranded the runners.

The Hoosiers went back to work in the second as sophomore Bella Norton doubled to left center and Uden drew a walk with one out. Lambert then picked up her third home run of the year as she sent one to right center, giving the Hoosiers a 3-0 lead.

IU extended its lead to 6-0 in the fourth, taking advantage of a walk to Uden and a hit batter in Lambert to lead off the frame. Jenkins brought both in on her team-leading sixth triple of the season, looping the ball over the Purdue centerfielder. One batter later, Jenkins used her speed to come home on a squeeze play by Westmoreland.

Purdue got two of those runs back in the bottom of the inning as Stephanie Ramsey singled to plate Jenny Behan and Siena Wagner's sacrifice fly scored Ramsey.

IU answered right back as Uden knocked her second homer in as many games on a solo blast to left center in the fifth. A deep home run from Westmoreland pushed Indiana's lead to 9-2 in the sixth as she scored Jenkins, who was hit by a pitch.

The Boilermakers took advantage of a pair of Hoosier errors to close the gap to 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth. However, IU further put the game out of reach in the final inning as Norton knocked her third home run of the season on a solo look, followed by an RBI single from Jenkins to score Uden.

Indiana returns to action this weekend for an important series against Michigan, who is currently in front of the Hoosiers for first place in the Big Ten. The Wolverines sit at 13-1 in conference play as both teams have six Big Ten games remaining.

"It was nice to get the doubleheader sweep on the road," said Stanton. "We're in the hunt for a Big Ten title and I can't be any more proud of this group. Sitting at 15-2 in the league, you have to love that right now."