Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Tangle With Cardinals in Home Opener
3/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Indiana vs. Louisville Notes in PDF Format
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March 6, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana softball team is set to host its home opener against the University of Louisville on March 7, at 3 p.m., at the IU Softball Field. The No. 21 Louisville Cardinals are 12-2 on the season. Indiana is coming off a 3-3 weekend at the Chattanooga Tournament on March 3-5, while the Cardinals are on a two-game win streak heading into Tuesday's matchup.
HEAD COACH Stacey Phillips ON THE GAME:
"Anytime you get a chance to play at home it's exciting, especially after playing 13 games on the road. It's great that we are opening up our home schedule against a high caliber team like Louisville. It will give us a chance to see where our hard work has led us when we face a tough opponent. We will go after them like we would any team, regardless of their rank. Our goal is to put ourselves in position to be on top at the end of the game."
FAMILY ATTRACTIONS
The Indiana softball team would like to make this season's home games a family affair, with each contest at the IU Softball Field catering to a family atmosphere. Along with competitive action on the diamond, giveaways will take place during the second through sixth innings at every IU home game. Prizes include gift cards to Rally's, Moe's and the T.I.S. Bookstore.
So come out and experience the action and excitement that is Hoosier softball, and make sure to bring the family along.
LOUISVILLE PREVIEW
The Louisville Cardinals are off to a 12-2 record on the season, including a 2-0 win over No. 12 Northwestern on Feb. 24.
Courtney Moore (.450) and Kristi Cunningham (.360) lead the Cardinals at the plate, while hurlers Catherine Bishop (0.65) and Kady Garrick (0.95) pace Louisville from the circle. Louisville enters the matchup on a two-game win streak.
Sandy Pearsall is the coach of the Cardinals and has compiled a 223-149 record in seven years at the helm of the program.
Louisville leads the overall series 4-2, with the Cardinals taking the last meeting in 2005, 1-0.
CHATTANOOGA TOURNAMENT RECAP
Indiana finished the Frost Cutlery Classic with a 3-3 tournament record. The Hoosiers closed the third and final day of competition on March 5 by defeating Bradley, 8-0, before falling to Middle Tennessee State, 4-1. IU is 5-7-1 on the year as it prepares to host Louisville in a March 7 home opener at 3 p.m.
Senior Megan Roark evened her pitching record to 3-3 on the season with a complete game two-hitter that included nine strikeouts against Bradley. Sophomore Anna Olson led the offense with a two-run home run in the second inning, and freshman shortstop Stephanie Pellerito went 2-for-4 with an RBI single. Right fielder Lauren Hines went 1-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly, and sophomore Julia Hamilton went 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
Hines paced the Hoosiers at the plate against MTSU, going 2-for-4 with a double, and Olson added an RBI single.
IU has played 13 games in the last three weeks, and IU head coach Stacey Phillips said that her team eagerly anticipates its home opener against Louisville.
"We have played a lot of games in a short period of time, and we look forward to laying it all on the field for one game this week before heading to Florida," Phillips said. "We're excited about being at home. It's going to be a fun year, a good family atmosphere at our home games."
AT THE PLATE
Here is a look at where Indiana ranks among Big Ten leaders as of Feb. 28th in batting average and slugging percentage.
BATTING AVERAGE
Sr., Lauren Hines (.455), 4th
So., Jennilee Huddleston (.417), 8th
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
Sr., Lauren Hines (.773), 1st
Jr., Kim Richards (.609), 10th
SENIOR HURLERS
The duo of senior Mariangee Bogado and Megan Roark look to carry the bulk of the load for IU, while junior Christy Wahl also will see some action throughout the season.
Bogado has struck out a team-leading 81 batters in nine appearances and 52 innings in the circle, while Roark has fanned 52 in 39 innings of action. Bogado has posted a 2.42 ERA on the young season, while Roark is not far behind with a 3.23 average.
The 2006 campaign marks the first season both Bogado and Roark are in top form, as Roark sat out a part of 2004 due to injury, while Bogado missed most of last season recovering from an injury of her own.
In 2004, Bogado, in the absence of Roark, led IU with a 1.62 ERA and fanned a record-setting 207 batters in the process. In 2005, Roark held most of the duties in the circle, tabbing a 2.97 ERA and struck out 219 batters. Roark and Bogado are fifth and sixth, respectively, in IU's single-season strikeout total.
