Team hopes to play after cancellations

Looking to improve on its 1-3-1 record in the young spring season, the IU softball team is heading to Fresno, Calif., to play six games in three days at the Hedrick's Hallowell Chevrolet Classic hosted by Fresno State.\nOf the Hoosiers' 13 scheduled games, they have played only five due to cancellations from bad weather. The Hoosiers are eager to get back on the field as they are slated to face California Polytechnic State at 3 p.m. today and San Diego State at 5 p.m.\n"This has been the worst start we have had with weather," coach Diane Stephenson said. "More than anything, we are ready to get started. We just need to play."\nOther teams in this year's event include Tennessee Tech, Baylor, Boston and host No. 10 Fresno State. IU holds a 9-4 record against Baylor, is 0-2 against Fresno State and 0-1 against Cal-Poly. The Hoosiers have never faced Tennessee Tech, Boston or San Diego State.\nIU is coming off losses to Coastal Carolina and South Florida at the South Florida Invitational. Coastal Carolina got just four hits against IU, but the Hoosiers three defensive miscues did them in as they were defeated 6-2. The Hoosiers were shutout 9-0 by South Florida and mustered only three hits, while committing two more errors.\n"We have done a lot of evaluation the last two weeks," Stephenson said. "I think I needed to give our kids a bit of a wake up call so they know what to expect; they have responded really well. We have worked a lot harder in the last ten days, and that will turn into a positive at some point in the year."\nCal-Poly comes into the match-up with the Hoosiers with an 11-6 record, while San Diego State is 9-9-1. The Hoosiers' five game total is the least of any of the seven teams. Tennessee Tech, with 11 games played, is the next lowest.\nSenior Alison Cooke thinks the inexperience could be both a positive and a negative for the Hoosiers.\n"Everyone is really excited to play because we haven't played as many games as we expected," Cooke said. "But as far as at bats and game situations, we haven't seen as many, but we have been able to work on those in practice."\nThe Hoosiers will face two nationally recognized teams: Baylor on Friday and No. 10 Fresno State on Saturday. Baylor received votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 poll.\nSenior co-captain Brooke Monroe hopes the tough competition will prepare IU for a Big Ten schedule where they will see five teams that have received votes in the poll.\n"Hopefully it will make us work a lot harder," Monroe said. "We want to let people know who Indiana is and how good we could be. I think it will bring our level of play up, and we can carry that through the rest of the season"