Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
#2 University of Michigan
Hoosiers Welcome No. 2 Michigan This Weekend
3/31/2016 4:08:00 PM | Softball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana (20-10, 3-0 B1G) continues the Big Ten season this weekend with a three-game set against No. 2 Michigan (24-3, 2-1 B1G) at Andy Mohr Field. Admission to all home IU Softball games is free of charge.
THE LINEUP
Friday, April 1 - 6 p.m. | Promo: Hoosier Pride Day
Saturday, April 2 - 1 p.m. | Promo: Alumni Weekend
Sunday, April 3 - 1 p.m. | Promo: Alumni Weekend, Post-game Clinic
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
Michigan came in at No. 2 in the latest USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and sits atop the latest NCAA RPI ranking. The only losses for the Wolverines came against No. 1 Florida, No. 9 Washington and a 13-12 setback to open the Big Ten season against Northwestern last Friday.
Michigan is outscoring oppoents 243-78 this season and has four starters hitting above .400. Senior Sierra Romero leads the way with a .487 average, 41 runs, 38 hits, eight homers and 46 RBI. Also hitting over .400 is Tera Blanco (.466, 9 runs, 34 hits and 36 RBI), Sierra Lawrence (.408, 37 runs, 31 hits and 17 RBI) and Abby Ramirez (.403, 30 runs, 27 hits and 8 RBI). The Wolverines have smacked 41 homers this year, compared to 17 from opponents.
In the circle, Sara Driesenga (2.42 ERA, 12-0 record) and Megan Betsa (2.88 ERA, 10-2 record) have carried most of the workload.
FAMILIAR FACES
Indiana head coach Michelle Gardner and Michigan's Carol Hutchins know each other very well as Gardner played under Hutchins at Michigan from 1984-88, garnering Big Ten Player of the Year and NFCA All-Region accolades during her time in Blue. Additionally, Hutchins spent a season with Indiana as an assistant coach under Gayle Blevins in 1981 and received a master's degree in physical education from IU.
FACING RANKED OPPOSITION
This weekend's meeting with No. 2 Michigan marks the sixth time this year that the Hoosiers have played a ranked team. Indiana has also battled then-No. 21 California, No. 17 Texas A&M (twice), No. 3 Auburn and No. 17 Kentucky. The Hoosiers more than held their own against these teams. While going against California in Arizona, IU rallied to tie the game in the fifth inning before a fielding error allowed the Golden Bears to score the game-winning run. Against Auburn, the Hoosiers used a grand slam to spark them to a 7-0 fourth-inning lead before the Tigers battled back.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hoosiers opened Big Ten play with a sweep of Iowa at Andy Mohr Field last weekend. Indiana staged a comeback in every game to walk away with 5-3, 9-3 and 10-5 victories.
HOW SWEEP IT IS
IU's sweep of the Hawkeyes marked the first time since 1997 Indiana has opened conference play with a sweep. Additionally, it's also the first time since 1997 that IU started Big Ten season with a series victory. At 20-10, the Hoosiers are off to their best start in Gardner's tenure and the best since 1997, a year that saw Indiana sit at a 21-9 record through the first 30 games.
The sweep is the first for Indiana since a three-game set at Penn State last season. Additionally, the last time IU swept at home was in 2012 against Nebraska at the old IU Softball Field, making last weekend's sweep the first of its kind at Andy Mohr Field, which open ahead of the 2013 campaign.
MOHR GAMES AT HOME
This weekend marks the end of a 14-game homestand for the Hoosiers. IU is 9-2 through the first 11 games of that stretch and has played more overall home games than anyone else in the Big Ten with the next being Penn State with six home games. After Indiana travels to Purdue on Tuesday for a doubleheader, they head back to Andy Mohr Field for a four-game stand in Bloomington.
IU BATS TRENDING UP
Indiana has seen a strong increase in its offense as of late. In four of the last six games, the Hoosiers have knocked at least 10 hits while plating 10 or more runs in three of those contests. In that time frame, which dates back to the March 20 game against Western Illinois, IU has put together a team average of .363. Prior to the game against Western Illinois, IU had been hitting .231 as a team.
PITCHING CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
The Indiana pitching staff of Tara Trainer, Josie Wood and Emily Kirk continues to put up big numbers. The trio ranks second in the Big Ten in ERA (2.46) and opposing batting average (.217), while ranking third in strikeouts (224) and hits allowed (170). Indiana has already surpassed last year's strikeout total (174 in 56 games).
Trainer ranks first in the Big Ten with an opposing batting average of .159 and third with 131 strikeouts, including being the top freshman. Meanwhile, Wood ranks fourth in the conference with 98.0 innings pitched, most amongst freshmen.
On a national scale, Trainer ranks 15th in strikeouts – the most among any freshmen – and 14th in strikeouts per seven innings. She also is 12th in hits allowed per seven innings – third-best among freshmen.
BLITZ COVERING HER BASES
In the last six games, sophomore Rebecca Blitz has plated 10 runs, including three against Iowa on Saturday. She has registered nine multi-hit games this year and matched her career high with four runs against the Hawkeyes in the second game of the series. Additionally, her eight-game hitting streak leads the team, as does her 11-game reached base streak.
Once she reaches first, she rarely stays put as her 18 stolen bases is third in the Big Ten and ranks 37th nationally.
GALOVICH'S BREAK-OUT DAY
Freshman shortstop Sarah Galovich had a career day on Sunday against the Hawkeyes as she went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs and RBI. It marked her first multi-hit and multi-run game of her career.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TAP?
Indiana will head to West Lafayette on Tuesday for a doubleheader against in-state rival Purdue. Both games of the twin billing will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
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).
The rest of the Hoosiers' conference road series includes 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.
