Indiana University Athletics
Softball Opens 2014 at Kajikawa Classic
2/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 5, 2014
| Kajikawa Classic - Tempe, Ariz. | |
| Dates | Feb. 8-10, 2013 |
| Location | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Game 1 (Friday) | Indiana vs. Bradley • 7 p.m. ET | GameTracker |
| Game 2 (Friday) | Indiana vs. Portland State • 9:30 p.m. ET | GameTracker |
| Game 3 (Saturday) | Indiana vs. No. 22 Stanford • 1:30 p.m. ET | GameTracker |
| Game 4 (Saturday) | Indiana vs. San Jose State • 4 p.m. ET | GameTracker |
| Game 5 (Sunday) | Indiana vs. Cal Poly • Noon ET | GameTracker |
| Radio | Free Audio |
| Game Notes | Indiana Game Notes |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.- Indiana kicks off its 41st season at the Kajikawa Classic, hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. The Hoosiers begin their 2014 campaign with a 7 p.m. matchup with Bradley on Feb. 7 before taking on Stanford and San Jose State on Saturday, Feb. 8. The Cream and Crimson close out its opening weekend of action with a noon tilt with Cal Poly on Sunday, Feb. 9.
This weekend will be the Hoosiers’ third trip to the Kajikawa Classic in four seasons, with their most recent trip serving as the 2013 season opener. Indiana went 2-3 that weekend with wins over Bradley (15-7, five innings) and Portland State (7-0), both of which the Hoosiers will face this weekend.
A LOOK AT THE COMPETITION
The Hoosiers will play four different opponents in its opening weekend at the Kajiwaka Classic, kicking off the 2014 campaign with Bradley who finished 23-29 last spring. The Hoosiers will face the Braves for the 14th time in program history. Indiana leads the all-time series 11-2 and last faced Bradley in Indiana’s opening weekend at the Kajikawa last season, 15-7.
The Hoosiers’ Friday evening contest with Portland State will represent just the second time these two programs will meet. In their inaugural matchup in 2013, Indiana defeated the Vikings 7-0.
On Saturday, Indiana opens the day with No. 22-ranked Stanford. The Cardinal, who finished 39-21 in 2013, leads the all-time series 5-0 and took a pair of games from Indiana last season.
A 1:30 p.m. ET first pitch with San Jose State closes out the day for the Hoosiers. The two squads will meet for just the third time in program history with IU leading the all-time series, 2-0.
Indiana caps off the weekend with a Noon game with Cal Poly (19-31-1 in 2013). The Mustangs hold a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series and took the previous meeting with the Hoosiers at the Easton Invite in Fullerton, Ca. last spring.
WHAT’S ON TAP FOR 2014
The Hoosiers will compete in 55 contests in 2014 against teams from 15 different conferences. This spring’s lineup features six squads that finished last season in the top 25 and four teams that made an appearance in the 2013 Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. Indiana will also tangle with seven different teams that either won their respective regular season conference titles or earned bids to the NCAA tournament with conference tournament championships last year. Indiana will also face six teams featured in the 2014 NFCA/Louisville Slugger Preseason Top 25 Poll, including No. 5 Michigan, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 19 Louisville and No. 22 Stanford. Also receiving votes are 2014 opponents Arizona and Wisconsin.
The Hoosiers crack open the 2014 slate in their third appearance at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. under head coach Michelle Gardner. IU will follow-up with stops at the Panther Invitational (Georgia State - Atlanta, Ga.), the Lipton Invitational (University of Florida - Gainesville, Fla.), the Wildcat Invitational (University of Arizona - Tuscon, Ariz.) and the Spring Hill Suites Invitational (Boise State - Boise, Idaho) before hosting its annual Hoosier Classic at Andy Mohr Field in Bloomington. The Hoosier Classic will feature teams from UIC, Wright State, Toledo and Michigan State and will also kick off the first of 19 home games set for Indiana this spring.
Big Ten play opens at Michigan the weekend of March 21-22 and conference play closes out with a three-game series at Nebraska, May 2-4.
Indiana will also play mid-week, non-conference matches at Andy Mohr Field with Kentucky (March 18) and Louisville (April 23) and will head to Muncie, Ind. for a Wednesday evening tilt with Ball State on April 16.
At the conclusion of the regular season, Indiana will compete in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament May 8-11 in Evanston, Ill.
HERE’S WHAT’S COMING BACK
The Hoosiers will welcome back 14 letterwinners this spring with all but one of those returners seeing starts last season. Seven of those were everyday players in the Hoosiers’ 2013 lineup.
Indiana’s entire pitching staff also returns for 2014, with Meaghan Murphy, Lora Olson and Brooke Boetjer vying for time in the circle. Murphy led IU with her 3.03 ERA last season and tossed a team-high 155.0 innings. Olson shared duties in the circle with her 111.0 innings tossed in 22 starts, while Boetjer served as Indiana’s go-to in later innings, leading the B1G in games finished (20) and games in relief (21).
Both Kelsey Dotson and Kassi Farmer split time behind the plate and will return once again this spring. Dotson served as catcher in 41 contests and ranked second amonst Big Ten catchers in pick offs (three) and runners caught stealing (15). Farmer saw time behind the plate in 13 games for the Hoosiers and hit .224 with 19 RBI.
Indiana welcomes back plently of offensive weapons with valuable experience at the plate, which should help alleviate the void left from graduating NFCA Second Team All-Region and second team All-B1G selection Amanda Wagner. Redshirt-senior Breanna Saucedo will make her return after missing a majority of 2013 due to injury. Prior to being sidelined, Saucedo was hitting .524 and averaged 1.84 hits per contest. She connected on hits in all but one game started and recorded multiple-hit efforts in four consecutive games. Brianna Meyer also provides a solid bat to the lineup. The lefty led Indiana with 34 walks last spring and averaged 0.74 walks per game, good for 22nd in the NCAA. As the Hoosiers’ leadoff she hit .423 which helped her to a .315 clip on the season. Natalie Lalich also looks to provide a lift to the Indiana offense. Before an injury took her out of the game midway through the year, Lalich was hitting .375 for Indiana with a .500 on-base percentage and a pair of extra-base hits. Michelle Huber was a clutch performer off the bench last season and should continue to see time in 2014. Huber hit .194 on the season, but she tallied a .357 clip (5-for-15) when checking into the game as a pinch hitter.
Seniors Shelby Gogreve and Jenna Abraham aim to leave an impact in their final campaign with the Hoosiers. Gogreve intitially started the 2013 season at second base last spring but was moved to shortstop following Saucedo’s season-ending injury. The South Pasadena, Calif. native did not disappoint with the third-best fielding percentage of all B1G starting shortstops (.960). Abraham will likely serve as a veteran voice in the outfield where she had started 24 times last season. She commited just one error in that time for a .964 fielding percentage.
Katelyn Conenna and Jena Malmen offer some options off the bench for the Cream and Crimson. Conenna spent a majority of 2013 on the base paths as a utility player and pinch runner, while Malmen served as designated player in a number of contests and was called upon to to pinch hit throughout the 2013 season.
SIX JOIN THE MIX
Indiana welcomes six new faces to the 2014 squad this spring. Freshmen Maria Latimer, Erin Lehman, Kayla Mathewson and CaraMia Tsirigos as well as sophomore Alyssa Rosati will all don the Cream and Crimson for the first time in their careers.
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 14-1 record.
JUMPIN' ON THE BOARD
The Hoosiers’ offense jumped on opposing pitchers for 41 of their 177 total runs in the first inning alone last season. In that opening frame, Indiana outscored its opponents 41-29 and came out on top in 16 contests when striking first.
MORE AT ANDY MOHR FIELD
After opening the gates to Andy Mohr Field, the Hoosiers saw an increase in attendance in 2013 season. The Hoosiers averaged 421 spectators last year, an increase from the 2012 average attendance of 359. In an April 14 home matchup with Purdue, Indiana played in front of 632 fans, the second-highest attendance in recent history and the most to attend the brand new Andy Mohr Field.
