Indiana University Athletics
Softball Looks to Make Noise in Columbus
5/6/2015 2:29:00 PM | Softball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana softball's road through the Big Ten Tournament begins with a bit déjà vu.
The Hoosiers will meet the Ohio State Buckeyes on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the opening round of the conference's single-elimination Tournament being held in Columbus, Ohio.
The matchup will come just four days after Ohio State finished off a three-game sweep of IU on the very same field to close out the regular season.
But Indiana junior Kelsey Dotson said there isn't anyone in the IU clubhouse dwelling over that result. They're more focused on having a clean start and making a postseason run.
Revenge is squarely on the Hoosiers' minds.
"With Ohio State it's like, `Okay, you just swept us, but now we can beat you when it really counts and knock you out of the Tournament at your home field,'" Dotson said. "The opportunity for us to really do something is there. We've just got to play well and get it done."
Indiana senior Shannon Cawley said IU has had the chance to rest and hit the reset button over the last few days.
Despite IU (17-38, 7-14) fighting unusually cold bats against Ohio State to close out the regular season, Cawley said she doesn't expect any sort of hangover against the Buckeyes (29-21, 12-11).
She added that Indiana Coach Michelle Gardner has stressed to the team the importance of putting the recent losses in the rearview.
"I think everyone's in a good place regardless of what happened last weekend," Cawley said. "Everybody's got their eyes moving forward. It all starts with Ohio State."
By now, IU and Ohio State have gotten used to seeing each other. That familiarity has both benefits and drawbacks for both sides looking for an edge.
Dotson and senior pitcher Lora Olson both said that the hitters on both sides will be at an advantage after being able to see the opposing pitchers' tendencies just a short time ago.
Olson said that could actually play into her favor. With IU mostly relying on just two pitchers all season, she and fellow senior Miranda Tamayo have had plenty of experience having to face the same lineups multiple times on short rest.
"We've sort of gotten used to that, which could actually be an advantage for us," Olson said. "After having a few days off, all we can do is try to give them another work and keep them off balance as best we can."
While the pitching staff will be looking to keep the Buckeyes off the base paths, the hitters will be trying to heat up after falling victim to what Gardner said was a "lump in the road" for her lineup.
IU tallied just 12 hits in three games against Ohio State. In response, the team spent the early part of the week working on reaffirming the fundamentals to try to wake up the bats.
"We've got to just be who we are," Gardner said. "We have a potent offense when we are playing Indiana softball. We just need to stay within ourselves."
The winner between IU and Ohio State will advance to play Nebraska in Friday's second round.
Simply being in the Big Ten Tournament is reason for IU to be satisfied. The Hoosiers made qualifying for the conference playoffs a team goal early on in the season.
But now that they're in, that goal has been modified.
They don't want to leave Columbus without making some noise first.
"The Tournament is a whole new season," Cawley said. "Everything that's happened up to this point doesn't matter. We've got a clean slate and now we have a chance to come out and do something pretty special."
