Indiana University Athletics
Softball Visits No. 4 Michigan This Weekend
4/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
| Indiana (14-28, 5-7 B1G) at #4 Michigan (38-6, 11-2 B1G) - Ann Arbor, Mich. | |
| Date | April 17-19 |
| Location | Wilpon Complex • Ann Arbor, Mich. |
| Game 1 (Friday) | 6 p.m. ET | | BTN Plus |
| Game 2 (Saturday) | 2 p.m. ET | | BTN Plus |
| Game 3 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. ET | |
| Radio | Listen Live |
| Game Notes | Indiana |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana softball team travels to Ann Arbor this weekend to take on the No. 4-ranked Wolverines. The teams will do battle in a three-game set starting on Friday at 6 p.m. The first two games of the series will be broadcasted on BTN Plus.
Stay tuned to IUHoosiers.com and @IUSoftball for all the latest news and info from Ann Arbor.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hoosiers traveled to Penn State last weekend where they swept the Nittany Lions in a three-game set. The sweep marked the first for Indiana since taking all three games at Michigan State to close out the 2012 season. Indiana scored first in every game of the series and never once trailed.
In game one, home runs by Michelle Huber, Katelyn Conenna and Rachel O'Malley propelled Indiana to a 9-3 victory. On Saturday, CaraMia Tsirigos blasted her first career grand slam to send Indiana to a 5-4 win. The final game of the series featured two more homers from Huber and Conenna, as well as solid pitching from Lora Olson and Miranda Tamayo in a 7-4 victory. Olson picked up three wins on the weekend while Tamayo earned two saves.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The Wolverines have hovered in or around the top-5 in the polls all season on their way to a 38-6 record. Michigan has picked up big wins against fellow top-ranked opponents, including No. 6 Florida State, No. 3 Alabama and No. 9 Baylor. Michigan has started its Big Ten schedule with a 11-2 mark, sweeping Ohio State and Rutgers while picking up two out of three from No.14 Minnesota and Iowa. On Wednesday, the Wolverines defeated Michigan State in five innings, 10-0.
The Wolverines' offense has combined for a blistering 85 home runs, tops in the Big Ten and second-highest in the nation. The home run total is led by Kelly Christner, who has knocked 17 homers while batting .404 with 57 hits, 58 runs and 43 RBI. Sierra Romero leads the team in batting average with .490, including 50 hits, 59 runs, 53 RBI and 14 home runs.
Michigan's pitching is primarily split between Megan Betsa, who has a 1.48 ERA with an 18-4 record, and Haylie Wagner, who has accumulated a 2.05 ERA with a 16-2 mark.
Indiana and Michigan played a series in Ann Arbor last season with the Wolverines taking all three games.
SINGLE-SEASON HOME RUN MARK
With Tsirigos' grand slam on Saturday at Penn State, Indiana set a new program single-season record for home runs with 41. The previous high of 40 was set back in 2006.
Indiana hit a total of six homers on the weekend, including three on Friday and two on Sunday, marking the 12th and 13th time this season the Hoosiers have recorded multiple home runs in a game.
Led by Dotson's 10 home runs, 10 different Hoosiers have homered this season. Tsirigos' grand slam in Saturday's win was her first of the year and fifth of the season for Indiana. Kelsey Dotson, Conenna and Shannon Cawley (2) have also smashed grand slams this season.
HUBER HONORED BY BIG TEN
Following an impressive performance in Indiana's sweep at Penn State over the weekend, Huber was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Monday.
Huber started every game of the series in right field while belting two homers, scoring four runs and recording four RBI. The junior registered two hits and reached base three times in each of Indiana's wins, while tying for the conference lead with her .750 average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
The award is the first in Huber's career and she is the first Hoosier to win Big Ten Player of the Week accolades since Amanda Wagner did so in 2013.
CONENNA STEPPING IN
Katelyn Conenna also had a big weekend at Penn State, collecting six hits, including a pair of home runs, six RBI and six runs with a .600 average. She knocked two hits in every game of the series. Conenna has seen increased action lately in the designated player roll. Conenna is on a five-game hitting streak dating back to game two of a Saturday doubleheader at Illinois on March 28. In addition, she has recorded at least one hit in nine out of her last 10 games.
BLITZING THE DEFENSE
Indiana freshman Rebecca Blitz is the lone Hoosier to start in all 42 games this season. The centerfielder not only makes spectacular plays in the outfield, she also gives the opponent's defense a tough assignment. The Birmingham, Ala. native has 45 base knocks and has scored a team-high 32 runs starting primarily in the lead-off spot.
CAWLEY COMING UP BIG
Shannon Cawley's 14-game hitting streak came to an end on Sunday. The senior, who sat out the 2014 season with an injury, hasn't missed a beat as she is tied with Blitz for the team lead in hits (43), and paces the team in total bases (79) and RBI (37). Her 37 RBI is tied for seventh for the most in a single season.
BTN PLUS
Friday and Saturday's games at Michigan will be broadcasted live on BTN Plus, which is available online for a small fee. For more information, visit
btn2go.com.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TAP FOR 2015?
Indiana will visit Ball State on April 21 before resuming a rained-out doubleheader against Purdue on April 22. The Hoosiers will close out home play with a series against Michigan State April 24-26.
The last week of the regular season will see Indiana head to Indiana State on April 28 and Ohio State May 1-3.
The 2015 Big Ten Tournament will take place May 7-10 in Columbus, Ohio.
Media Contact: Caitlin Davis, davis288@indiana.edu
