Indiana University Athletics
Friday, March 15
Gainesville, Fla.
3:30 PM
Indiana University
vs
Mercer
Indiana Softball to Play in Tournament at Florida.
3/15/2024 10:00:00 AM | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. –––– Indiana Softball continues its week in Florida, playing in the Florida Tournament hosted by the University of Florida with games against Mercer and host Florida throughout the weekend.
QUICK HITTERS:
LAST TIME OUT:
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
SERIES NOTES:
BIG-TIME BRI:
MINNICK MANIA:
CONTROL IN THE CIRCLE:
LEADING IT OFF:
QUICK HITTERS:
- For the second time this season, Indiana is set to play in the state of Florida. Indiana opened the 2024 campaign at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., going 4-1 in the event. This week, the Hoosiers defeated FAU in a midweek game at Boca Raton, and then take on the Florida Tournament, going against Mercer and Florida.
- The Hoosiers enter this weekend on a ten-game win streak, dating back to the streak's start on Sunday, February 25 in the win over Marshall at the Hillenbrand Invitational.
- After the Marshall win, Indiana swept all of their opponents across their two opening home weekends of the Hoosier Classic and Indiana Invite.
- Over the span of the win streak, Indiana has won seven of those ten games by four runs or more, including four wins by run-rule.
- This will be the last week of full non-conference competition as Big Ten play is set to begin next weekend.
LAST TIME OUT:
- It was a close and scoreless game for much of Indiana's Wednesday matchup at FAU, but the Hoosiers put together a 4-1 victory in Boca Raton.
- The score remained 0-0 through the first four innings of the game, until junior Brianna Copeland hit an RBI single in the top of the fifth that scored two runs to give Indiana their first lead of the contest.
- FAU would score on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to draw closer and make it a 2-1 game.
- After six, the score remained 2-1. In Indiana's final chance at the plate in the top of the seventh inning, it capitalized. Redshirt senior Cora Bassett had an RBI single and two at-bats later junior Taylor Minnick hit an RBI double to give Indiana some insurance runs and a 4-1 lead.
- Bassett's single in the seventh inning was the 200th hit of her collegiate career. Moreover, her first career hit, occurred on the same field in 2020 when she played for Purdue in their season opener at FAU.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
- The Hoosiers will open the Florida Tournament with two games against the Mercer Bears of Macon, Ga. Mercer carries a 9-12 record into the weekend.
- The Bears opened with a 4-1 start to the season but are on a tough 1-8 stretch in recent play. Most recently, Mercer dropped a close one to in-state foe Kennesaw State on Wednesday this week.
- As a team, Mercer is hitting .274 at the plate and in the circle the team ERA is at 3.79
- Florida's 22-4 record has earned them a No. 11 ranking at the regular season's midway point.
- The Gators own ranked victories over UCLA and Alabama with the only losses being to Michigan twice, Oklahoma State and Alabama.
- The Gators opened SEC play last weekend, taking two of three against No. 11/10 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
SERIES NOTES:
- The all-time series records between Indiana and their Florida Tournament opponents are below.
- All-time record vs. Florida: 0-6 , all-time record vs. Mercer: 1-0.
BIG-TIME BRI:
- Junior Brianna Copeland has been dominant as ever both at the plate and in the circle for the Hoosiers.
- Copeland has posted 80 strikeouts and a 1.24 ERA with 67.2 innings of work. She has a 11-3 record and has only allowed 12 earned runs all season.
- At bat, Copeland is hitting for a .380 average with five home runs and 19 RBI.
MINNICK MANIA:
- Junior Taylor Minnick picked up right where she left off from her All-American sophomore season in 2023.
- In the first four weekends, Minnick has hit for a .352 batting average with 25 hits and 25 RBI. The junior has logged four doubles, one triple and two home runs.
- Minnick hit home runs on back-to-back days in the Hoosier Classic.
CONTROL IN THE CIRCLE:
- Indiana's pitching staff has been a reliable force for the Hoosiers through the season's early window.
- Copeland is leading the charge with 67.2 innings of work and 80 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.24. She has only allowed 12 earned runs all season and is holding opposing hitters to a .192 batting average.
- Sophomore Sophie Kleiman also has a 0.68 ERA and 47 strikeouts while going 6-0. She threw her first career no-hitter against Central Michigan on Feb. 23.
- Senior Macy Montgomery made the best start of her career in a six-inning complete game win over FAMU, throwing 10 strikeouts and only allowing four hits while not giving up a run.
- Junior Heather Johnson owns a 1-1 mark and has been a part of some impressive victories. She made the start in the season-opening win against No. 15 Oregon and a run-rule win over Army.
LEADING IT OFF:
- Indiana redshirt senior Cora Bassett has been a sparkplug in the Hoosier lineup, serving as the routine leadoff hitter and the ignition to the offense.
- Bassett is hitting for a .382 average with 29 hits and 16 RBI. In the Hoosier Classic, she had two home runs, including one inside the park home run.
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
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/ Softball
OF
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