Indiana Pitching Shines, but Hoosiers Fall Twice in Kajikawa Classic

Saturday, February 10

Tempe, Ariz.

4:00 PM ET

Indiana University

0-3

Northwestern

3-1

Indiana

Northwestern

Indiana Pitching Shines, but Hoosiers Fall Twice in Kajikawa Classic

2/11/2018 2:12:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (PDF) - Northwestern Box Score (PDF) - San Jose State

TEMPE, Ariz. – Despite a pair of impressive performances in the circle, Indiana Softball dropped both Saturday games in the Kajikawa Classic, falling to Northwestern, 5-1, and San Jose State, 2-1.

Northwestern 5, Indiana 1
The meeting against the Wildcats started out as a pitchers' duel, with both teams scoreless through the first five frames. Indiana junior pitcher Tara Trainer had a perfect game going through five until the Wildcats put up all five of their runs in the sixth frame.

After both teams went down in order in the first inning, senior Taylor Uden reached on an error in the second and freshman Annika Baez was hit by a pitch to put two on with no outs. O'Malley successfully moved both runners on a sacrifice bunt, however the Hoosiers left them stranded.

In the following inning, IU once again put a pair of runners on the base paths via a walk to freshman Taylor Lambert and a single by sophomore Gabbi Jenkins. Northwestern pitcher Kenna Wilkey again worked out of the jam to keep the game scoreless.

Uden put the Hoosiers on the board first as she knocked a solo homer to lead-off the sixth. It marked her second home run of the year.

The Wildcats tied the game up in the home half of the frame as Brooke Marquez singled on a bunt and forced the Hoosier defense into a rundown. As IU looked to chase down Marquez, Abbey Boyd took advantage and came home. Sabrina Rabin scored the second Wildcat run on a single from Rachel Lewis. A two-run single from Morgan Nelson made it 4-1 before a bases-loaded walk pushed the Wildcats' lead to 5-1.

"A couple defensive miscues cost us in the sixth," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "What I'd like to see is one of our athletes step up and make a play. Tara did an absolutely incredible job through those five innings then after those defensive mistakes, fell behind each of the next hitters she faced. Us being able to finish was the problem in this game. It was nice to see Uden get the long ball, but offensively we aren't stringing enough hits together to not take care of the ball."

Wilkey went the distance for Northwestern to earn the win, allowing four hits and one run with seven strikeouts.

San Jose State 2, Indiana 1
Game two of the day featured another battle between the pitchers, as the teams combined for just eight hits.

The Spartans jumped up early on a sacrifice fly from Madison Aurin, plating Brittany Abacherli, who reached on a walk.

However, the Hoosiers quickly tied up the game in the bottom of the first thanks to the quick feet of senior Rebecca Blitz. After she singled on a bunt, Blitz stole second base then advanced to third on a single from Jenkins. Uden reached on a single of her own and attempted a steal to second base, drawing the attention away from Blitz at third, who was able to steal home and make it 1-1.

Indiana looked to push another run across in the fourth after Uden reached on a Spartan throwing error. Freshman Taylor Lambert, in to pinch run, advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third. However, a pair of groundouts ended the IU threat.

After surrendering a run in the first, redshirt sophomore Josie Wood settled in, retiring nine of the next 12 batters she faced and collecting seven strikeouts.

Trainer made her second appearance of the day in a relief outing, tossing 3.0 innings and allowing one run on one hit.

The Spartans broke the stalemate in the seventh as Cassidy Clark knocked an RBI single to plate Abacherli, who had reached on a Hoosier fielding error.

IU wouldn't go quietly as senior Rachel O'Malley and freshman Maddie Westmoreland posted back-to-back two-out singles in the final inning, but a groundout would end the game.

"I was very impressed with our pitching," said Stanton. "Josie gave us a great start and Tara did a great job coming in. Our pitchers did all they could to give us a chance to win the ballgame and we had nothing rolling offensively. It's tough, it's tough for our team right now when you feel like you're not getting in the groove and able to produce. We just have to keep fighting there but I like the growth we're seeing in our pitching staff."

Indiana closes out play in the Kajikawa Classic on Sunday as the Hoosiers face No. 23 Arizona State. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Network.