Long Ball Leads to Pair of Saturday Victories at Hoosier Classic

Saturday, March 8

Bloomington, Ind.

2:00 PM

Indiana University

15-5

Western Michigan

5-15

Western Michigan

Indiana

Long Ball Leads to Pair of Saturday Victories at Hoosier Classic

3/8/2025 8:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A pair of Saturday run-rule victories for the Indiana softball program capped day two at the Hoosier Classic on Andy Mohr Field to push its winning streak to four games on Saturday (March 8).

Indiana (16-5) improved to 10-0 when scoring double-digits in 2025 with the two run-rule victories. In game one, IU capped an 11-3 victory over Western Michigan (5-15) with a walk-off home run from Brianna Copeland.

The second game of the day featured just two scoring innings during a 12-3 five-inning victory over Bowling Green (3-15). Jasmine Reyes picked up her second win of the weekend with 5.0 innings pitched and a pair of strikeouts and four Hoosiers drove in two RBI in the contest.

Seniors Brianna Copeland and Taylor Minnick and junior Avery Parker each continued their assault of the career home run charts, holding steady at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Copeland homered in each game to push her career total to 34, while Minnick hit her 32nd career long ball in the first game. Parker hit her fifth of the season and No. 28 of her career in the nightcap to tie Michelle Venturella (28; 1992-95) and move into the top five in program history.

Minnick also sits tied for No. 4 on the career doubles chart with Cora Bassett (42; 2022-24) after a two-bagger in each contest on Saturday. Copeland's second double of the game moved her into the top 10 in program history, as well, with 36. She is tied with Kim Richards (36; 2004-07).

GAME ONE - vs. Western Michigan
KEY MOMENTS

In its third run-rule victory of the weekend, Indiana scored at least once in every inning, with a four-run, fourth inning highlighting the 11-run effort.
The Hoosiers started the game with two runs in their first at bat when Taylor Minnick hit her fifth home run of the season to right-center field for a two-run shot.
Melina Wilkinson brought home a single run in the second inning with a sacrifice fly.
Aly VanBrandt's infield single pushed a run across in the third inning and Sydni Burko doubled to plate the second run of the frame.
The four-run fourth inning featured RBI from four different Hoosiers. The big hit came on an RBI triple for VanBrandt.
Brianna Copeland capped the scoring with a two-run home run to end the game in walk-off fashion for Indiana.

NOTABLES

Brianna Copeland posted a pair of hits, scored twice and drove in the final two RBI of the five-inning run-rule victory with her third home run of the season.
Taylor Minnick went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBI. She had two extra base hits, which included her fifth home run of the year and 32nd of her career.
The three-hit game marked the 11th time in her career she registered three hits in a game.
Aly VanBrandt posted a career-high-tying three hits in the game with two RBI and one run scored.
As a team, the Hoosiers churned out 16 hits in 27 at-bats, walked once and did not strike out. All 11 runs came via RBI in game one.
IU posted its fourth game of the season with zero strikeouts as an offense.

GAME TWO - vs. Bowling Green
KEY MOMENTS
• The Hoosiers would use seven hits - including two home runs - to pile up eight runs in the second inning. Hannah Haberstroh doubled to plate one RBI and Alex Cooper added two RBI on a base hit.
• A pair of two-run home runs capped the scoring in the inning, with Brianna Copeland and Avery Parker each leaving the yard.
• Bowling Green got three back in the third inning on a two-run home run and a sacrifice fly.
• The final four runs of the contest crossed the plate in the fourth inning for Indiana with three straight hits to start the inning. A single and double put two runners on base for Minnick, who delivered the two-RBI double to right-center field.
• After two outs were recorded, Aly VanBrandt singled to score Minnick and Haberstroh singled to move VanBrandt to third and an error on the play saw her score.

NOTABLES
• Jasmine Reyes tossed all five innings and allowed three runs on five hits with two punchouts to earn her sixth win of the season.
• The quartet of Alex Cooper, Brianna Copeland, Taylor Minnick and Avery Parker all plated two RBI in the game.
• Copeland and Parker each homered in the game.
• Copeland and Parker joined Hannah Haberstroh and Aly VanBrandt with two-hit games.
• As a team, Indiana plated 12 runs on 13 hits with two walks.

UP NEXT
Andy Mohr Field wraps up the Hoosier Classic with three games beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 9. Indiana will play the second game of the day against UIC (noon).