Trainer Moves into Second Place in Career Strikeouts as No. 16 Indiana Shuts Out Illinois State, 2-0

Sunday, March 3

Baton Rouge, La.

10:00 AM

Indiana University

17-2

Illinois State

5-15

Illinois State

Indiana

Trainer Moves into Second Place in Career Strikeouts as No. 16 Indiana Shuts Out Illinois State, 2-0

3/3/2019 1:13:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BATON ROUGE, La. – Behind a two-hit performance by senior ace Tara Trainer, No. 16 Indiana Softball improved to 17-2 on the season as the Hoosiers closed out play in the Purple and Gold Challenge with a 2-0 win against Illinois State on Sunday.

KEY MOMENTS
• Junior Bella Norton put IU in front in the second inning as she hit a solo shot just inside the foul pole in left field.
• IU looked to add on to the lead in the third as sophomore Taylor Lambert doubled with two outs and sophomore Grayson Radcliffe drew a walk. However, Lambert was caught stealing third to end the inning.
• Illinois State led off the fourth with a single before bunting the runner over to second. But Trainer stopped the threat as she forced a flyout and strikeout.
• Indiana added an insurance run thanks to timely two-out hitting in the sixth frame. After Radcliffe doubled to left center, junior Katie Lacefield followed it up with a double of her own, bringing in pinch runner Makayla Ferrari.
• After a double and walk surrendered in the first inning, Trainer retired 20 of the final 21 batters she faced to seal the win for Indiana.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Trainer registered nine strikeouts in the win and moved into second place all-time in Indiana history with 668 career strikeouts. She surpassed Gina Ugo, who had 664 punchouts from 1993-96. The Lebanon, Ohio native has 96 strikeouts on the season.
• Trainer improved to 12-1 on the year, earning her fourth shutout of the season and eighth complete game.
• Norton's home run was her fifth hit of the weekend and marked the fourth straight game with at least one knock. In addition, the homer was her third of the season.

HEAD COACH SHONDA STANTON
"I'm proud of our ball club. This is our fourth-straight weekend on the road and it starts to take a toll on you. This group is outstanding. Tara Trainer's been money and she's living up to the real deal here and we're excited about what she's done. We really clutched up today and saw good things out of the two-out RBI and we really like what we're seeing.

Tara doesn't budge. As a coaching staff you can sit and be relaxed when she has the game ball. Even in the first inning when they get a double and move her up, you know she's going to shut it down. You have to give credit to their pitcher Day, she had two really good games against us so we weren't getting a lot going offensively. Bella was the one kid in the lineup who really saw the ball well off of her. She had great at-bats yesterday and today she had the home run which was really all we needed but it was nice to get that extra run."

UP NEXT
Indiana's scheduled Tuesday home game has been cancelled due to weather. The Hoosiers return to action next weekend as they visit Tampa, Fla. for the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreation Showcase Tournament.

Photo credit: Peter Forest, Forest Photography LLC