IU Softball Seniors Returning For 2021 Season
4/17/2020 1:43:00 PM | Softball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Last week, four seniors of Indiana Softball announced that they would return for the 2021 season to be part of Team 48 in IU Softball history. Right-handed pitcher Emily Goodin, outfielder Gabbi Jenkins, infielder Katie Lacefield and catcher Bella Norton put together a joint statement of their own to release to the public. That statement can be read below in its entirety.
These four seniors have combined for 658 career appearances over their four years so far in Bloomington, and have been an integral part to the competitive resurgence of Indiana Softball. Emily Goodin dominated for Indiana in the circle, tossing 107.2 innings and striking out 111 batters over 18 games. Goodin delivered a career-best five shutouts and thirteen complete games. She earned double digit wins and registered a career high 14 strikeouts against Miami (OH) on March 10. Goodin was named Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the week on Feb. 24 after her stellar weekend performance at NC State, which included her second career no-hitter and 28th no-no in program history against Bucknell on Feb. 21.
Gabbi Jenkins led Indiana in batting average (.413), hits (26) and steals (12). She hit five doubles on the season, posted a five-game hitting streak from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23 and collected at least one hit in nine of 10 games from Feb. 15 to March 7. Jenkins has batted .346 on her career so far. Bella Norton has been a mainstay behind the plate the past three seasons. She led the team with 12 walks, had a team-high .444 on-base percentage and finished .300 on the shortened season. Katie Lacefield has been an everyday starter at third base for the last three seasons, and moved over to start all 21 games at second base this season. In 2019, she batted .313, collected 47 hits, 19 runs, 30 walks, 33 RBI and led the team with 30 walks.
"Hoosier Nation,
We are excited to announce our journey will continue through the 2020-2021 season. We would like to extend our most sincere thanks to Fred Glass, the administrative staff, and our coaches here at IU. We are humbled to represent the Indiana script and none of this would have been possible without their commitment to the student-athlete experience. Thank you to our coaching staff for being engineers of belief, and supporting our desire to return for one more year.
Coming to IU, each one of us had a goal to raise the standards of our program and help put Indiana Softball on the map. With the recent events of COVID-19, we had concern that our senior year dream would not become a reality. We are grateful the NCAA has granted an extra year of eligibility. With great enthusiasm, we have chosen to come back for our victory lap. We get to continue to fulfill our dream of building the foundation and culture of our program for years to come. We are fired up to continue learning under the greatest coaching staff and playing alongside a strong Team 48. We are all for you Indiana, and we believe the best is yet to come! See you on the field in 2021; until then stay safe and healthy!"
Go Hoosiers,
Katie, Bella, Gabbi, and Emily
#eucharisteo
#GoIU
These four seniors have combined for 658 career appearances over their four years so far in Bloomington, and have been an integral part to the competitive resurgence of Indiana Softball. Emily Goodin dominated for Indiana in the circle, tossing 107.2 innings and striking out 111 batters over 18 games. Goodin delivered a career-best five shutouts and thirteen complete games. She earned double digit wins and registered a career high 14 strikeouts against Miami (OH) on March 10. Goodin was named Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the week on Feb. 24 after her stellar weekend performance at NC State, which included her second career no-hitter and 28th no-no in program history against Bucknell on Feb. 21.
Gabbi Jenkins led Indiana in batting average (.413), hits (26) and steals (12). She hit five doubles on the season, posted a five-game hitting streak from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23 and collected at least one hit in nine of 10 games from Feb. 15 to March 7. Jenkins has batted .346 on her career so far. Bella Norton has been a mainstay behind the plate the past three seasons. She led the team with 12 walks, had a team-high .444 on-base percentage and finished .300 on the shortened season. Katie Lacefield has been an everyday starter at third base for the last three seasons, and moved over to start all 21 games at second base this season. In 2019, she batted .313, collected 47 hits, 19 runs, 30 walks, 33 RBI and led the team with 30 walks.
"Hoosier Nation,
We are excited to announce our journey will continue through the 2020-2021 season. We would like to extend our most sincere thanks to Fred Glass, the administrative staff, and our coaches here at IU. We are humbled to represent the Indiana script and none of this would have been possible without their commitment to the student-athlete experience. Thank you to our coaching staff for being engineers of belief, and supporting our desire to return for one more year.
Coming to IU, each one of us had a goal to raise the standards of our program and help put Indiana Softball on the map. With the recent events of COVID-19, we had concern that our senior year dream would not become a reality. We are grateful the NCAA has granted an extra year of eligibility. With great enthusiasm, we have chosen to come back for our victory lap. We get to continue to fulfill our dream of building the foundation and culture of our program for years to come. We are fired up to continue learning under the greatest coaching staff and playing alongside a strong Team 48. We are all for you Indiana, and we believe the best is yet to come! See you on the field in 2021; until then stay safe and healthy!"
Go Hoosiers,
Katie, Bella, Gabbi, and Emily
#eucharisteo
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
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