Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Heads West For SpringHill Suites Invite
3/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 6, 2014
| SpringHill Suites Invitational - Dona Larson Park | |
| Dates | March 7-9, 2014 |
| Location | Boise, Idaho |
| Game 1 (Friday) | Indiana vs. Weber State • 3:15 p.m. ET | GameTracker |
| Game 2 (Friday) | Indiana vs. Boise State • 6 p.m. ET | |
| Game 3 (Saturday) | Indiana vs. Weber State • 2 p.m. ET | GameTracker |
| Game 4 (Saturday) | Indiana vs. Boise State • 6 p.m. ET | |
| Game 5 (Sunday) | Indiana vs. Valparaiso • Noon ET | GameTracker |
| Radio | Free Audio |
| Game Notes | Indiana Game Notes |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook |
The Hoosiers trek to Boise, Idaho to participate in the Spring Hill Suites Invitational hosted by Boise State. Indiana will play five games this weekend including contests against Weber State, Valparaiso and Boise State.
A LOOK WEBER STATE
Indiana will face Weber State for the first time in program history this weekend. The Wildcats are 9-5 on the year most recently going 3-1 at the Eller Media Stadium Classic hosted by UNLV
Weber State is hitting .266 on the season with five players hitting above .300 through 14 games. The Wildcats pitching staff has held opponents to a .254 average and have allowed 47 earned runs through 93.0 innings for a team ERA of 3.54.
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Host team Boise State will face Indiana for just the second time in program history. Both squads met previously in the 2010 season where Indiana topped the Broncos, 7-3.
Boise State enters this weekend 7-10 on the year. The Broncos are hitting .263 as a team. On the basepaths, Boise State has successfully swiped 45 bases compared to opposing teams’ 18 in 20 attempts. Boise State pitchers have thrown 101.0 innings, maintaining a 4.50 ERA with 51 strikeouts.
MEETING WITH VALPO
Indiana and Valparaiso meet for the second consecutive weekend, as the Hoosiers game at the Wildcat Invite was cut short due to rain in Tucson. Since that game is technically not official, the all-time still sits with a 6-0 Indiana advantage.
Valpo is now 3-10 on the year after going 1-3 at the Wildcat Invitational last weekend. The Crusaders are hitting at a .254 clip with three players hitting over the .300 mark. Valpo’s pitching staff owns a 4.44 ERA in 80.1 innings of work.
GET ON BASE
CaraMia Tsirigos had a great start to her freshman campaign at Indiana. The Atlanta, Ga. native reached reached base in nine straight games to start the season. In that nine-game span, Tsirigos hit safely in five contests and drew a walk in six different games.
GOING STREAKING
After missing nearly all of the 2013 season due to injury, redshirt senior Breanna Saucedo has quickly made an impact in the Hoosiers’ lineup in her return this spring. Saucedo strung together a seven game hit-streak from Feb. 8 through Feb. 21 and has registered a hit in 12 of her 16 games played. At the Wilcat Invitational, Saucedo hit .500 (5-for-10) with atleast one hit in each of the Hoosiers’ three games and scored four runs.
LALICH LIGHTS IT UP
Natalie Lalich has been a bright spot in the Hoosiers lineup through her last four starts. The redshirt freshman has hit .538 through that span (7-for-13) including several career-best performances. The Greenwood, Ind. native tallied a career-high four hits against Troy on Feb. 23 where she drove in a run and scored twice. Lalich then went on to drive in six of the Hoosiers’ eight runs in IU’s win over UT-Arlington on Feb. 28, setting a career-high and making her just one of three IU softball players to drive in six-or-more RBI in a game in program history. Four of those runs resulted from Lalich’s first career homerun, a grand slam to right-center, helping her become one of three active players on the IU roster with a grandslam in their respective careers. Through the last four contests, Lalich has earned a notable .571 on-base percentage along with a .923 slugging percentage.
LOAD ‘EM UP
A trio of Hoosier hitters have found success with bases loaded this season. Michelle Huber and Kayla Mathewson, and Natalie Lalich have been perfect at the plate with runners on every base. As a team, the Hoosiers have hit .333 on the year with bases loaded.
LET’S COMPARE
The Indiana pitching staff has given up fewer walks per game that its opponents this spring, issuing just 2.36 free passes per contest compared to opposing teams’ 3.12 walks/game. IU hurlers have also posted an average of 5.78 strikeouts per game while opponents have averaged 4.86.
