Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Samford
Indiana Travels to Birmingham for Samford Invitational
2/22/2018 11:38:00 AM | Softball
Due to projected rain on Sunday, IU will play a pair of games Friday and a pair of games Saturday.
Both of IU's games against Samford will be streamed on SoCon Digital Network.
CHECKING OUT THE COMPETITION
Lipscomb: The Lady Bisons are off to a 5-2 start, including picking up wins against Georgia Tech and Ole Miss. Last weekend, Lipscomb went 3-2 at the EMU Madeira Beach Spring Invitational. As a team, Lipscomb is batting .284 led by a .407 average from Sarah Higgins, who has 11 base hits with three being doubles. Caitlin Turner (.393), Jordan Fortel (.348) and Caitlin Plocheck (.333) round out the top Lipscomb hitters. In the circle, Mandy Jordan (3-0, 1.52 ERA, 23.0 IP) and Jordan Fortel (1-2, 1.69 ERA, 20.2 IP) have split the majority of innings. Jordan earned ASUN Pitcher of the Week accolades on Monday.
Indiana and Lipscomb have met just once before - a 3-2 victory last season in Memphis. Emily Goodin earned the win for Indiana, while Taylor Uden collected a pair of RBI.
Samford: The Bulldogs are currently 1-10 with the lone victory coming against Evansville last weekend. Samford dropped a midweek battle to Troy on Wednesday, 9-6. Madison Couch leads all batters with a .310 average with nine hits and four runs. The Bulldogs have split most of their innings in the circle between three pitchers - McKenna Gillespie (0-3, 4.82 ERA, 20.1 IP), Annalyn Yantis (1-2, 5.62 ERA, 23.2 ERA) and Taylor DeCelles (0-4, 10.84 ERA, 20.2 IP).
Samford defeated the Hoosiers last season in the teams' only meeting, 4-2. The game was played at UAB's field.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hoosiers participated in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge last weekend in Atlanta. Indiana went 1-3, dropping a pair of games against Georgia Tech and splitting against Boston College. Indiana's 8-3 win against Boston College on Saturday marked the first career IU win for head coach Shonda Stanton.
HOOSIER QUICK HITS
• Sophomore Gabbi Jenkins continued her hot start to the year in Atlanta, batting .500 with six hits, two runs, two walks and two stolen bases. For the season, Jenkins is hitting .414 with 12 hits, three runs, two walks and five stolen bags. Jenkins' 12 hits currently ranks third in the Big Ten, while her average is seventh in the conference. The Floyds Knobs, Ind. native was moved into the leadoff spot last weekend and reached base successfully in every contest.
• Another sophomore with an impressive outing in Atlanta was Katie Lacefield, who collected a hit in each of the final three contests in Atlanta. In Indiana's 8-3 victory against Boston College, she tied her career high by bringing in three runs on a double. Lacefield also scored a pair of runs during the weekend.
• Senior Rebecca Blitz will be playing in her old stomping grounds this weekend. Blitz is from Mountain Brook, Ala. located just outside of Birmingham. Blitz is currently hitting .300 and had two multi-hit games in Atlanta.
• Sophomore pitcher Emily Goodin has a history of success at Samford. Last season, the righty tossed a no-hitter against UAB at Samford's Bulldog Softball FIeld. Goodin retired all but two batters she faced in IU's 7-0 win and collected five strikeouts in the no-no.
• Indiana went 4-1 last year in Birmingham, but won all four games played at Bulldog Softball Field.
