Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Head to Penn State This Weekend
4/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
| Indiana (11-28, 2-7 B1G) at Penn State (21-17, 4-5 B1G) - University Park, Pa. | |
| Date | April 10-12 |
| Location | Nittany Lion Softball Park • University Park, Pa. |
| Game 1 (Friday) | 6 p.m. ET | |
| Game 2 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. ET | |
| Game 3 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. ET | |
| Radio | Listen Live |
| Video ($) | BTN Plus (Saturday and Sunday) |
| Game Notes | Indiana |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - After a rainout of Wednesday's doubleheader against Purdue, the Indiana softball team heads to Penn State for a three-game series against the Nittany Lions beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
Stay tuned to IUHoosiers.com and @IUSoftball for all the latest news and info from University Park.
LAST TIME OUT
Indiana was slated to play a doubleheader against Purdue on Wednesday, however game one was postponed in the top of the first after lightning was spotted in the area. Both games will be played at Andy Mohr Field on April 22 with game one picking up where it left off, with Purdue runners on the corner and a 2-0 count for Boilermaker Ashley Burkhardt against Indiana pitcher Miranda Tamayo.
The Hoosiers hosted Maryland last 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 PENN STATE
The Nittany Lions have also had to battle Mother Nature recently as their mid-week doubleheader against Ohio State was postponed until April 15.
Penn State's record sits at 21-17 as the team has picked up eight wins in the last 10 games. After being swept by Northwestern in the first conference series of the year, the Nittany Lions have taken two out of three games from both Michigan State and Wisconsin.
The Nittany Lion offense consists of six batters hitting .300 or better, led by Lexi Knief. Knief is batting .391 with 45 hits, including nine doubles, and 23 runs scored. Macy Jones, who also has the lowest ERA of the pitching staff at 2.41 in 12 appearances, is hitting .373 with 41 base knocks and 29 runs. The Hoosiers are also likely to face Marlaina Laubach, who leads the team in wins with a 9-6 record.
The Hoosiers and Nittany Lions faced off last season in a three-game set at Andy Mohr Field. Penn State won the first two games before Indiana's Kassi Farmer hit a walk-off RBI single in the eighth inning to help the Hoosiers capture game three, 8-7.
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 hits in an Indiana single season. Michelle Venturella holds the top spot at 16, which she hit 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.
BTN PLUS
Saturday and Sunday's games at Penn State will be broadcasted live on BTN Plus, which is available online for a small fee. Three other remaining Indiana games are slated to appear on the platform this year.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TAP FOR 2015?
After traveling to Penn State for a three-game set beginning on Friday, the Hoosiers will hit the road next weekend for Michigan.
Indiana will visit Ball State on April 21 before resuming the 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
