Indiana Defeats Nebraska in Extra Innings to Advance to Big Ten Title Game

Friday, May 10

Iowa City, Iowa.

5:00 PM ET/4:00 PM CT

Indiana University

40-17

No. 4 Seed Nebraska

30-23

Indiana

Nebraska

Indiana Defeats Nebraska in Extra Innings to Advance to Big Ten Title Game

5/10/2024 10:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

IOWA CITY, IOWA. –––– Despite trailing 3-0 early, No. 8 seed Indiana rallied to force extra innings and exploded for a six-run eighth inning to defeat No. 4 seed Nebraska, 9-3, in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal.

Indiana will play for a Big Ten Championship tomorrow at 4 p.m. (ET)/3 p.m. (CT) against the winner of No. 2 seed Michigan and No. 11 seed Wisconsin.

No. 8 Seed INDIANA 9, No. 4 Seed NEBRASKA 3

KEY MOMENTS
• Nebraska started the game with a 1-0 lead off an Andrews home run in the bottom of the first inning.
• Nebraska would build the lead out to 3-0 with another home run and an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning.
• In the bottom of the third, sophomore pitcher Sophie Kleiman recorded two of the inning's three outs on strikeouts.
• Junior Sarah Stone got Indiana on the board with a blast of a home run to left center to make it a 3-1 game in the top of the fourth.
• In the top of the fifth, the Hoosiers would tack on one more with junior Brianna Copeland hitting an RBI single up the middle to bring freshman Alex Cooper home.
• In the first at-bat in the top of the seventh, Cooper hit a game-tying home run to right center to make it a 3-3 game.
• In the first at-bat in the top of the seventh, Cooper hit a game-tying home run to right center to make it a 3-3 game.
• The Hoosier defense got the job done in the seventh, forcing extra innings.
• In the top of the eighth, Indiana would go on a six-run rally to take a finalizing 9-3 lead.
At the start of the eighth, sophomore Avery Parker walked and freshman Aly VanBrandt bunted for a single. Then, redshirt senior Cora Bassett put down a sac bunt to advance both runners into scoring position.
• Then, senior Aaliyah Andrews would start the scoring rally when she hit a clutch single up the middle to bring home two Hoosier runs in.
• The rally continued with two singles to follow as Cooper hit a single to right field followed by an RBI single from senior Brooke Benson to extend the lead to 6-3.
• Junior Brianna Copleand came up to bat to put the exclamation mark on the inning with a rocket of a home run out to left center, making the score 9-3.

NOTABLES
• Indiana is heading to the Big Ten Championship game for the second year in a row.
• Stone, Cooper and Copeland all hit home runs.
• Copeland had four RBI in the game.
• Seven Hoosiers recorded a hit.
• Copeland, Andrews, Cooper and Benson all had two hits.
• Indiana has eclipsed the 40-win mark for two consecutive seasons (had 44 wins in 2023).
• Indiana's season record now stands at 40-17.

UP NEXT
Indiana will face the winner of No. 2 seed Michigan and No. 11 seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament Final tomorrow at 4 p.m. (ET)/3 p.m. (CT).