Trainer Tosses No-Hitter as Indiana Sweeps Penn State

Sunday, April 22

Bloomington, Ind.

12:00 PM ET

Indiana University

21-25, 0

Penn State

7-35, 0

Penn State

Indiana

Trainer Tosses No-Hitter as Indiana Sweeps Penn State

4/22/2018 2:54:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery Video: Coach Stanton

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Behind junior Tara Trainer's second career no-hitter and a four-RBI outing from freshman Maddie Westmoreland, Indiana Softball completed its sweep of Penn State on Sunday, defeating the Nittany Lions in five innings, 8-0.

It was the second run-rule win of the weekend for the Hoosiers and the fourth sweep in five series this season. With a 13-2 mark in Big Ten, it's the best record through 15 games of play since 2011 as the Hoosiers maintain second place in the conference standings with just three series to go.

"It's difficult to sweep any team – whether you're at home or on the road – and we've done it four times now in Big Ten play," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "Hats off to our student-athletes, I think they've done a great job adjusting to the system and being coachable."

Trainer collected six strikeouts and surrendered just two walks in the no-hitter, her first since a no-hit performance during her freshman campaign on March 12, 2016 against Evansville. It's the first no-hitter for Indiana in a Big Ten game since Sara Olson's April 8, 2009 no-hit outing against Ohio State. It's the 27^th no-hitter in Indiana program history and the first since Emily Goodin did so last season against UAB.

Westmoreland collected four RBI on a pair of hits, while sophomore Gabbi Jenkins went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs. A day after breaking the single-season stolen base record, the Hoosiers swiped six bags, including a pair by Jenkins.

Indiana jumped to a 3-0 first-inning lead, sparked by a pair of singles and stolen bases by senior Rebecca Blitz and Jenkins to get into scoring position. Westmoreland brought them both in on a single up the middle. After freshman Makayla Ferrari came in to pinch run, she stole second to get into position for sophomore Katie Lacefield, who singled to center to plate her.

After a quick inning from both teams in the second, the Hoosiers got back to work in the third, scoring five runs on five hits to push the advantage to 8-0. After Jenkins singled with one away, Westmoreland knocked her ninth home run of the season on a shot to right field. Junior Sarah Galovich then drew a walk before senior Rachel O'Malley singled to put runners on the corners. After O'Malley stole second, sophomore Bella Norton scored both runners on a single down the left field line. The final Hoosier run of the game came as freshman Carolyn Kuhn, in running for Norton, ran home on a wild pitch.

Trainer surrendered a leadoff walk in the fourth but retired the next six Nittany Lions in order to secure the victory.

"Tara was hot today and we got a great start out of her," said Stanton. "We came out and swung the bat very well in that first inning to set the tone. Blitz is doing a great job at the top of the lineup, Gabbi was 3-for-3, Maddie was hot all weekend. Then what I'm most pleased with is what Lacefield is doing behind her. If you put Maddie on, Lacefield is coming up behind her and producing. She's been really hot these last few weeks and that's a difference maker. I like the little things we're doing. We're going hard and we're doing a great job. Up and down the lineup, I'm really pleased with what I'm seeing offensively."

The Hoosiers return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Purdue for a midweek doubleheader. Both games will be carried live on Big Ten Network, with first pitching coming at 4 p.m.

"A lot of ballgames left," said Stanton. "We haven't accomplished anything yet but I like where we are. We're in the hunt for a regular season Big Ten title and we're in the hunt for a top-four seed for a bye in the Big Ten Tournament. We have to stay in the moment, working hard one pitch at a time."