Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
University of Delaware
IU Heads to Miami For Panther Invitational
2/18/2016 12:00:00 PM | Softball
THE LINEUP
Friday, Feb. 19
2 p.m. Indiana vs. Delaware - Listen | Live Stats
7 p.m. Indiana at FIU - Watch ($) | Listen | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 20
11 a.m. Indiana vs. Delaware - Listen | Live Stats
1:30 p.m. Indiana vs. Holy Cross - Listen | Live Stats
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
IU's first contest of the weekend comes against Delaware, who is opening its 2016 campaign at FIU after a doubleheader against Campbell was canceled last week. Delaware, which went 30-23 last season and finished seventh in the CAA with a 6-14 league record, returns 17 letterwinners and seven starters for the 2016 season. The Blue Hens set school records for runs scored, RBI, doubles and home runs a year ago, while their .304 team batting average was the program's highest since 1977. Friday's meeting marks the first ever contest against Indiana.
Friday evening will see the Hoosiers face host FIU. The Panthers began their year last week by hosting the Juiceblendz FIU Softball Invitational and went 4-1. The only loss of the event came against No. 10 Florida State before FIU defeating St. John's, Illinois, LIU Brooklyn and Valparaiso. The Panthers utilized five different pitchers in the five games with four separate members of the staff earning victories. Stephanie Texeira led the FIU bats as she went .563 with nine hits, fours runs, seven RBI and three homers. The Panthers hold a 3-1 series lead but the Hoosiers earned a 7-5 victory in the most recent meeting in 2012.
The third and final opponent for the weekend is Holy Cross, who finished their 2015 campaign with an 11-17 record and a 9-9 mark in the Patriot League. The Crusaders finished in a three-way tie for third place, but narrowly missed the conference postseason on the tie-breaker. Holy Cross returns 15 players from last season, and welcomes four freshmen to the squad. The Crusaders were selected to finish sixth in the Patriot League preseason poll. Sunday's game will be the first meeting with Indiana in history.
LAST TIME OUT
Indiana opened the 2016 campaign last weekend at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. The Hoosiers went 2-3 during the event, picking up wins against Utah State and Georgia State. Losses came against Nevada, (RV) Fresno State and No. 21 Cal.
PITCHING SHINES IN TEMPE
The Indiana pitching staff had a productive weekend at the Kajikawa Classic. Freshmen Tara Trainer and Josie Wood each picked up their first career victories while Emily Kirk returned to the circle for the first time since Feb. 2015. In her debut, Trainer fanned seven against Nevada. The following day, she topped it with 10 strikeouts in a complete game victory against Georgia State. The 10 Ks is the most for an Indiana pitcher since April 2014. Wood turned in an impressive relief effort against Utah State to pick up the win. In 5.1 innings of work, she allowed no runs and just three hits.
WEEKEND AT THE PLATE
Junior CaraMia Tsirigos posted a team-leading .417 average last weekend with five hits and three RBI. She collected at least one hit in all four games that she played, including a pair of base knocks versus Georgia State. Against No. 21 Cal, Tsirigos knocked her 11th career home run and also picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Senior Shannon Cawley also turned in an impressive performance as she hit .353 with six hits, two runs and three RBI. She collected at least one hit in every game, including two in the opener against Nevada. Both of her runs came against Utah State on Saturday.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TAP?
After the Panther Invitational, Indiana travels to Texas A&M Feb. 26-28 for the Texas A&M Invitational and will play the Aggies and UTEP twice with a single game against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. On March 4, Indiana visits No. 3-ranked Auburn for the Wilson/DeMarini Classic and will also take on Georgia State for the second time this season, Murray State and Bryant.
Following a mid-week showdown in Lexington against Kentucky, the Hoosiers open up home play at Andy Mohr Field on March 12 with the IU Classic. The season features 24 games at Andy Mohr Field, including a stretch of 16 straight beginning March 12. The tournament will feature meetings against Ohio, Evansville and Drake (DH). The following weekend sees Indiana hosting the Hoosier Classic and playing UIC, Western Illinois and Wright State. After a mid-week game against Indiana State on March 23, Indiana begins Big Ten play with back-to-back weekend series against Iowa and currently No.2-ranked Michigan.
Other home Big Ten meetings include Penn State (April 8-10) and Ohio State (April 29-May 1). Remaining non-conference games include Louisville (April 12) and Ball State (April 20).
Road conference series for Indiana begins with a doubleheader against Purdue on April 5. The Hoosiers also travel to Michigan State (April 15-17), Rutgers (April 22-24) and Maryland (May 6-8). Penn State will play host to the Big Ten Tournament beginning on May 12.
