Indiana University
Michigan State University
IU Travels to Michigan State This Weekend
4/14/2016 4:18:00 PM | Softball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana (22-17, 5-6 Big Ten) heads to East Lansing, Mich. this weekend for a three-game series against Michigan State (20-20, 2-8 Big Ten). First pitch is set for Friday at 4 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on BTN Plus.
THE LINEUP
Friday, 4 p.m. - Watch | Listen | Stats
Saturday, 1 p.m. - Watch | Listen | Stats
Sunday, 1 p.m. - Watch | Listen | Stats
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
Michigan State last played on Wednesday as the Spartans dropped a midweek game to No. 2 Michigan, 3-0. The team's two Big Ten wins have come against Wisconsin and in last weekend's series opener against Maryland.
As a team, the Spartans are hitting .302 led by a .407 average from Ebonee Echols, good for seventh in the conference, while she is batting .517 in Big Ten play alone. Lea Forester leads the offense in hits with 51 and runs with 38 on the year.
In the circle, Michigan State has relied primarily on Kristina Zalewski (3.50 ERA, 9-11 record), Dani Goranson (3.78 ERA, 6-6 record) and Bridgette Rainey (5.36 ERA, 3-2 record).
Last season, Indiana took the series opener and finale against the Spartans in Bloomington to win the series. In the opener on April 24, the Hoosiers exploded for a season-high 16 runs, including a nine-run sixth inning. Offense was the story of the weekend as Indiana scored a total of 34 runs during the three-game set.
LAST TIME OUT
Indiana dropped a mid-week battle to Louisville on Tuesday in five innings, 12-2. Over the weekend, the Hoosiers hosted Penn State, dropping the first two games before run-ruling the Nittany Lions on Sunday in six innings, 11-2.
The Indiana bats exploded in the finale as four Hoosiers plated multiple runs. Indiana put up four runs in the fifth inning before a five-run frame was capped by a three-run homer from sophomore Taylor Uden to end the game in six innings.
HITTING THE ROAD
This weekend's visit to East Lansing is only the second time in the last month the Hoosiers have left the friendly confines of Andy Mohr Field. Since March 12, Indiana has played 18 of its last 20 games in Bloomington. IU played a doubleheader at Purdue on April 5, but the battle with Michigan State marks the first three-game road series in Big Ten play this year. Of Indiana's remaining 13 games, nine of them are on the road.
KIRK'S CAREER DAY
In Sunday's win against Penn State, sophomore Emily Kirk picked up her first career victory and first career complete game. Kirk tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out three.
SENIORS COMING UP B1G
IU has relied heavily on offensive output from its senior class lately. Dating back to last week's second game at Purdue, Michelle Huber, Kassi Farmer and Katelyn Conenna have all belted homers. In that six-game span, Conenna has hit a team-best .364 with four hits, four runs and five RBI. Additionally, after drawing a walk against Louisville, Conenna has now reached base in six straight games, the longest streak on the team.
Huber plated both of Indiana's runs on Tuesday against the Cardinals, knocked a two-run double in the first inning.
In conference play, Shannon Cawley has led the offense with a ,417 average and a .583 slugging percentage. She's knocked 10 hits in the 11 Big Ten games, including four doubles. She currently leads the team with seven total doubles.
HOMERS PICKING UP
Indiana has belted four homers in the last five games. Indiana hit a pair in the second game of the Purdue doubleheader, and homered twice over the weekend against Penn State.
TSIRIGOS CONTINUING BIG YEAR
During Sunday's win against Penn State, CaraMia Tsirigos went 3-for-3 with a run and a walk. The junior collected a pair of doubles in the game and is third on the team with five doubles on the year. Additionally, she has a team-leading four home runs with 19 RBI, second only to junior Erin Lehman's 22 RBI. Tsirigos is in the midst of the best season of her career, as her .284 average is the highest its been. Also, she currently has 23 hits through 36 games played, compared to her career-high 25 through 42 games in her freshman season.
BLITZ COVERING HER BASES
Sophomore Rebecca Blitz is currently tied for eighth in the conference with 46 hits this year. She picked up four more over the weekend, along with a trio of runs scored. She also scored once against the Cardinals.
Once she reaches first, she rarely stays put as her 23 stolen bases currently sits at sixth-most in a single season at Indiana. Additionally, that number ranks is third in the Big Ten and ranks 41st nationally. As a team, the Hoosiers rank third in the conference with 48 stolen bags on the year.
THIRD INNING'S THE CHARM
Indiana continues to see the third inning as its most productive on the defensive side The Hoosiers have put up 26 runs in the third inning this season while giving up just six.
YOUNG PITCHING STAFF PUTTING UP IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS
The Indiana pitching staff of freshmen Tara Trainer, Josie Wood and sophomore Emily Kirk continues to put up big numbers. The trio ranks fifth in the Big Ten in ERA (3.56) and fifth in opposing batting average (.244), while ranking third in strikeouts (266). Indiana has already surpassed last year's strikeout total (174 in 56 games). Additionally, Trainer ranks third in the Big Ten with an opposing batting average of .192 and is tied for fourth with 151 strikeouts.
On a national scale, Trainer is 25th in strikeouts – third-most among any freshmen – and 23rd in strikeouts per seven innings.
SHUTTING THE DOOR
Behind Indiana's strong pitching and defense, the Hoosiers have not given opponents opportunities for late comebacks as they are 17-0 when leading after the sixth inning. Additionally, Indiana is 17-1 when leading after five innings.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TAP?
The Hoosiers return home on Wednesday for the final non-conference game of the year as the host Ball State. The final Big Ten home series of the season will be against Ohio State (April 29-May 1).
The rest of the Hoosiers' conference road series include visits to Rutgers (April 22-24) and Maryland (May 6-8). Penn State will play host to the Big Ten Tournament beginning on May 12.
