Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Hosts Purdue in Wednesday DH
4/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
| Indiana (11-28, 2-7 B1G) vs. Purdue (24-14, 4-5 B1G) - Andy Mohr Field | |
| Date | April 8 |
| Location | Andy Mohr Field • Bloomington, Ind. |
| Game 1 | 3:30 ET | Big Ten Network | GameTracker |
| Game 2 | 25 minutes following game one | Big Ten Network | GameTracker |
| Promotions | Military Appreciation Day • Bandanas and Dog Tag Giveaway |
| Game Notes | Indiana | Purdue |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana softball team will play host to in-state rival Purdue in a mid-week doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. Both games will be broadcasted live on the Big Ten Network.
Stay tuned to IUHoosiers.com and @IUSoftball for all the latest news and info from Andy Mohr Field.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hoosiers hosted Maryland over the weekend for a three-game series. After rain forced a postponing of Friday's game, the two teams split a doubleheader on Saturday. The Terrapins picked up game one, 6-3, despite a two-hit effort from Shannon Cawley and Kassi Farmer. In addition, Kelsey Dotson hit a two-run blast in the loss. Sparked by a six-RBI effort from Cawley, including a grand slam, the Hoosiers came from behind to defeat the Terrapins in game two, 11-8. Maryland took the series victory on Sunday after putting together an 11-run seventh inning to defeat Indiana, 21-8. The Hoosiers had closed the deficit to 10-8 before the seventh.
SCOUTING PURDUE
The Boilermakers' record sits at 24-14, although Purdue has lost four of the last five outings. Off to a 4-5 Big Ten start, Purdue was swept by Northwestern in Evanston last weekend.
The Purdue offense is led by Ashley Burkhardt, who sits atop the Boilermakers' state hitting .407 with 46 hits, 33 runs, 39 RBI and nine homers. Alyssa Koorsen has also been a major factor in Purdue's scoring by batting .348 with 39 hits and 26 runs. Lilly Fecho paces Purdue in the circle as she has accumulated a 1.65 ERA with a 15-10 record in 29 appearances. Gina Snyder is second on the team in appearances, with 14 on the year. She has a 1.95 ERA while working towards a 6-0 record.
The last time these in-state rivals met was in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament, which saw Purdue come away with a 4-2 victory.
DOTSON AIMING FOR THE RECORD BOOK
By smashing a home run against Maryland in game one on Saturday, Dotson upped her season total to 10 homers, which is tied for sixth in the Big Ten. The junior currently sits in seventh place for the most home runs in an Indiana single season. Michelle Venturella holds the top spot at 16, which she set in 1994.
Dotson has been a consistent hitter all season, batting .321 with 34 hits, 18 runs, 32 RBI and 20 walks. For comparison, through 39 games last season, Dotson was hitting .211 with 16 hits, six runs and 10 RBI. She finished the 2014 year with 30 hits (five homers and six doubles), 11 runs, 23 RBI and 13 walks.
BLITZING THE DEFENSE
Indiana freshman Rebecca Blitz is the lone Hoosier to start in all 39 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 42 base knocks and scored a team-high 30 runs starting primarily in the lead-off spot.
CAWLEY COMING UP BIG
Senior Shannon Cawley once again had a big weekend, hitting .667 with eight hits, three runs and two homers. She extended her hitting streak to 12 games, six of which included multi-hit efforts. In the last two games of the Maryland series, Cawley picked up three hits.
Her six RBI in game two on Saturday is tied for third most in a single game in Indiana history, behind a pair of seven-RBI efforts by Monica Armendarez (4/24/96) and teammate Kelsey Dotson (2/27/15).
Cawley, who sat out the 2014 season with an injury, hasn't missed a beat as she leads the team in hits (43), RBI (36) and total bases (77).
IU SOFTBALL DIGS THE LONG BALL
Indiana picked up five more home runs over the weekend, bringing their season count to 37, well-surpassing last season's total of 30 home runs.
Led by Dotson's 10 home runs, 10 different Hoosiers have homered this season. Cawley's grand slam in Saturday's win was her second of the year and fourth of the season for Indiana. Dotson and Katelyn Conenna have also smashed grand slams this season.
COMEBACK KIDS
Indiana has generated most of its scoring this year in the late innings, scoring a total of 37 runs in the sixth, five runs more than any other inning. On the other side of the ball, Indiana's opponents have scored 24 runs in the sixth and 27 in the seventh inning, the lowest two totals of all seven innings.
The late surge also applies to the season, as the Hoosiers hit .314 with 176 hits - including 37 doubles and 20 homers - in the last 20 games. This is in comparison with the first 19 games of the season that saw Indiana hit .263 with 132 hits - including 19 doubles and 17 homers. In addition, the Hoosiers have only registered 84 strikeouts in the last 20 games, while they struck out 105 times in the first 19.
TV TIME
Both games of Indiana's doubleheader with Purdue on April 8 will be shown on the Big Ten Network.
In addition, five remaining Hoosier games will be available live on BTN Plus, a subscription-based web platform.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TAP FOR 2015?
After hosting Purdue for a doubleheader, Indiana will travel to Penn State for a three-game set beginning on Friday. Other remaining road conference series include Michigan and Ohio State. The final home series of the season will be April 24-26 against Michigan State.
Remaining non-conference matchups for the Hoosiers include Ball State (April 21) and Indiana State (April 28).
The 2015 Big Ten Tournament will take place May 7-10 in Columbus, Ohio.
Media Contact: Caitlin Davis, davis288@indiana.edu
