Indiana Softball to Host Western Kentucky for Midweek Game

Tuesday, March 5

Bloomington, Ind.

4:30 PM

Indiana University

Western Kentucky

BLOOMINGTON, IN - March 02, 2024 - infield\pitcher Brianna Copeland #16 of the Indiana Hoosiers during the game between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Indiana Hoosiers at Andy Mohr Field in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Dalton Wainscott/Indiana Athletics

Indiana Softball to Host Western Kentucky for Midweek Game

3/5/2024 7:00:00 AM | Softball

Game Notes (PDF)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– Indiana Softball will play its first midweek game of the season against Western Kentucky on Tuesday for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.

QUICK HITTERS:

Just two days removed from playing at home in the Hoosier Classic, Indiana will stay at Andy Mohr Field for the team's first midweek game of the season against Western Kentucky.
The Hoosiers have won five in a row, dating back to the Hillenbrand Invitational, when Indiana defeated Marshall, 12-6, and proceeded to go 4-0 in the Hoosier Classic in the weekend following.
The one midweek game against the Hilltoppers will keep Indiana at home as part of its ten-game homestand from the Hoosier Classic through the Indiana Invite this weekend.
Indiana has recorded a winning record in each weekend and tournament of the season thus far, bringing the season record to 15-4. Prior to the 4-0 Hoosier Classic weekend, Indiana went 4-1 at both the NFCA Leadoff Classic and Troy Invitational and 3-2 in the HIllenbrand Invitational.

LAST TIME OUT:

It was a highly successful weekend for Indiana in the Hoosier Classic as it defeated both Bowling Green and Valpo twice. Indiana defeated both teams by a combined score of 35-9.
Two of Indiana's wins came by run-rule, as it beat Bowling Green, 8-0, in six innings on Saturday and beat Valparaiso 10-0 in five innings on Sunday.
Over the course of the weekend, Indiana hit a combined nine home runs. Cora Bassett, Brooke Benson, Taylor Minnick and Avery Parker each hit two. Freshman Tristian Thompson hit the first one of her career in Sunday's win over Valpo.
In the second game against Bowling Green, Brianna Copeland was very impressive in the circle, throwing a complete game and earning the win, while striking out 11 and only giving up two hits and no runs.
Parker went 8-for-11 (.727) at the plate in the Hoosier Classic with two home runs and eight RBI.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:

Through the season's early going, Western Kentucky has accumulated a 13-6-1 record and it has won three of its last four games.
The Hilltoppers have spent the past two weekends hosting the Hilltopper Classic and the Hilltopper Spring Fling with a midweek game at Louisville in between those two weekends. Previous to those, the team competed in the Chattanooga Challenge and it opened the season in the same place as Indiana ––– the NFCA Leadoff Classic.
In Clearwater, the two teams faced common opponents in Army and Kansas. Like Indiana, Western Kentucky defeated Army, but did not beat Kansas. Western Kentucky's game against Kansas ended early in a 2-2 tie due to timing restrictions.
As a team, Western Kentucky hits for a .324 batting average with Morgan Sharpe and TJ Webster leading the way, posting .500 and .407 batting averages, respectively.

SERIES NOTES:

Indiana's all-time records against the Hilltoppers is 2-3.
The most recent meeting in the series was last year when Indiana won 3-0.

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 63 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA with 51.0 innings of work. She has an 8-3 record and has only allowed ten earned runs all season.
At bat, Copeland is hitting for a .333 average with four home runs and 15 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 .375 batting average with with 21 hits and 22 RBI. The junior has logged two 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 51.0 innings of work and 63 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.37. She has only allowed ten earned runs all season and is holding opposing hitters to a .200 batting average.
Sophomore Sophie Kleiman also has a 0.85 ERA and 34 strikeouts while going 4-0. 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 .393 average with 24 hits and 10 RBI. In the Hoosier Classic, she had two home runs, including one inside the park home run.