Indiana University
Boston College
IU Softball Heads to Atlanta for Big Ten/ACC Challenge
2/15/2018 12:06:00 PM | Softball
Both of IU's games against Georgia Tech will be streamed on ACC Network Extra. Live stats and a radio broadcast for all games will also be available on IUHoosiers.com.
The schedule has been slightly altered due to projected weather in the area and the adjusted schedule is below.
WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
Friday, Feb. 16
Indiana vs. Boston College - 12:30 p.m.
Indiana at Georgia Tech - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 17
Indiana vs. Boston College - 10 a.m.
Sunday, Feb. 18
Indiana at Georgia Tech - 12:30 p.m.
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
Boston College: The Eagles have started their 2018 season 1-4 with losses to Texas A&M (2), Houseton and Texas Tech. Boston College defeated Texas State on Monday evening, a team that received votes in the Preseason NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. Chloe Sharabba is leading the Eagle bats with a .538 average, seven hits, six runs, three doubles and five walks. In the circle, Jessica Dreswick (3.05 ERA, 1-0, 20.2 IP) and Allyson Frei (4.42 ERA, 0-4, 12.2 IP) have split time. Last season, Boston College went 31-22 with a 14-9 ACC mark. The Eagles were picked to finish fifth in the 2018 ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Indiana and Boston College have met just once before - a 3-2 Indiana victory in 2004.
Georgia Tech: This weekend's host, Georgia Tech, is currently 0-3. The Yellow Jackets fell to Lipscomb in eight innings, 1-0, and Florida A&M, 8-6, in the San Dollar Classic last week. Georgia Tech's final two games of the weekend were cancelled due to weather. On Wednesday, Georgia Tech traveled to in-state rival Georgia State, but dropped the contest, 5-2. Rebecca Prairie leads all batters with a .400 average with a pair of hits, including the team's only homer. The Yellow Jackets have seen the most innings from Emily Anderson (1.02 ERA, 0-2, 13.2 IP). A season ago, Georgia Tech finished the year 19-34 with an 8-16 ACC record. The Jackets were picked to finish 11th in the 2018 ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Georgia Tech leads the all-time series, 4-3. The teams last met in 2014 as the Yellow Jackets came away with a 5-1 win in Atlanta.
LAST TIME OUT
Indiana opened the 2018 season last weekend in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. The Hoosiers dropped all five games, three of which were one-run contests.
NOTES FROM OPENING WEEKEND
• Tara Trainer carried the majority of the workload in the circle, tossing 19.2 innings and collecting 18 strikeouts. Trainer's 374 career strikeouts is sixth in IU history.
• Sophomore Emily Goodin made a trio of relief appearances in Tempe. The righty allowed just four hits and one unearned run in 5.2 innings of action.
• After missing last season due to injury, redshirt sophomore Josie Wood returned to the circle in the season opener against Boise State. Wood made a pair of starts during the Kajikawa Classic, including a 4.0 inning appearance against San Jose State, in which she allowed just one hit and one run with seven strikeouts.
• Senior Taylor Uden knocked a pair of homers over the weekend, along with her first career triple. Uden, who hit seven home runs last season, went .313 at the plate.
• Sophomore Gabbi Jenkins batted .353 with six hits, two RBI and three stolen bases in IU's five games. Jenkins, who also made a few spectacular plays in right field, reached based successfully in four out of five games.
• Six freshmen made their Hoosier debuts last weekend. Annika Baez and Makayla Ferrari each collected their first career home runs in the Kajikawa Classic, while Maddie Westmoreland tallied three hits and two RBI.
NEW FACES AT THE HELM
Head Coach Shonda Stanton was tapped to lead the Hoosiers after 18 years at Marshall. Stanton brought assistants Kendall Fearn and Chanda Bell to join her Hoosier staff. The 2017 NFCA Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year spent four years together at Marshall, posting a winning percentage of .616, the second-best four-year run in program history.
Another former member of the Herd now donning Cream and Crimson is Morgan Zerkle, who is serving as a graduate assistant manager along with Indiana Softball alum Michelle Huber. Zerkle graduated from Marshall in 2017 and was an NFCA All-American and CoSIDA Academic All-American in her senior season.
WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2018
The Hoosiers have 55 games on tap in 2018, including 21 to be played at Andy Mohr Field. This year, Indiana will play 16 games against teams who reached the NCAA Tournament last season and 10 against teams ranked or receiving votes in this week's USA Today/NFCA Poll.
The Hoosiers open the season with 23 straight games away from Bloomington. After this weekend's trip to Atlanta, the Hoosiers have tournaments in Homewood, Ala., Spartanburg/Greenville, S.C. and Norman, Okla. before opening home play on March 16 in the Hoosier Classic. Other non-conference tilts include Kentucky, Louisville, Western Kentucky and Butler. Home Big Ten battles for Indiana includes Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State and Michigan. IU will travel to Michigan State, Maryland, Purdue and Rutgers. The 2018 Big Ten Tournament will be hosted by Wisconsin in Madison from May 10-12.
