Uden’s Walk-off Homer Sends Indiana to Big Ten Tournament Semifinals

Friday, May 11

Madison, Wis.

8:45 PM ET

Indiana University

26-29

Illinois - Quarterfinals

37-18

Illinois

Indiana

Uden’s Walk-off Homer Sends Indiana to Big Ten Tournament Semifinals

5/12/2018 1:13:00 AM | Softball

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MADISON, Wis. – Indiana Softball punched its ticket to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals as senior Taylor Uden sent a walk-off solo shot to left field in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Illinois on Friday night, 2-1. The Hoosiers will face No. 2 seeded Minnesota Saturday at 2 p.m. ET in its first appearance in the semifinals since 2006.

Junior Tara Trainer tossed a complete game in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out seven.

All the scoring from Friday's game came via solo home runs, as junior Sarah Galovich knocked one in the second inning.

A solo shot by Illinois' Bella Loya to left field quickly put the Illini up in the second inning. However, the lead didn't last long as Galovich answered by knocking a solo homer of her own to left on the fifth long ball of her season.

"It's great for kids to have their moment on this stage," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "Galovich with an equalizer and Uden with the walk-off. There's nothing more fun in this game than a walk-off winner. The last couple of months have created so much energy and excitement around us, what's more important is what it's done within us. You've got a group of young people that have really seen hard work pay off. It's so contagious and that's what I'm most proud of with this group."

After a quiet third and fourth inning from both teams, the Hoosiers looked to break the 1-1 stalemate in the bottom of the fifth as Galovich collected her second hit of the day with a one-out single to center before senior Rachel O'Malley drew a walk to put two on. However, a pop-up and caught stealing ended the threat.

The Hoosiers again looked to start a one-out rally in the sixth as senior Rebecca Blitz and sophomore Gabbi Jenkins knocked back-to-back singles. IU couldn't take advantage as a strikeout and pop-up in foul territory left both on base.

Illinois threated to jump ahead in the seventh as a walk and Hoosier fielding error put two on for the Illini with no outs. Trainer worked out of the jam as she collected a pair of strikeouts and forced a pop-up.

"Tara gave us a great outing in the circle," said Stanton. "The defining moment was in the seventh inning – no outs, runners on first and second after the error and she picked our team up. All day, we were first up. After mistakes, we came back and answered. All day, Tara kept one of the best hitting teams in the league to just one run."

Uden then ended the game as she knocked her seventh home run of the season on a full count shot that just got past the fence in left. Four of Uden's long balls this season have come in the last nine games.

The game was originally slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET, but rain in the area forced a delay until 8:50 p.m.

"Hats off to everyone at Wisconsin for getting the field ready and working hard all day to get these games in," said Stanton. "Really impressed with what they've done given the challenges the weather has presented."

Indiana and Minnesota, who advanced after a 6-0 win against Wisconsin, will face off live on Big Ten Network in the first semifinal game of the day. The winner will earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship game, which will be played tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. ET.