Ohio road swing continues

Amongst a season-long flirt with the .500 level, the streaking Hoosiers will once again try to level their record as they head to Dayton, Ohio. The team takes a break from the Big Ten schedule to face the Wright State Raiders for two games beginning at 2 p.m. today. \nIU (10-12, 0-2 Big Ten) has lost four out of six and is 2-2 on their current six game road trip heading into Wednesday's tilt with the Raiders. Today's doubleheader marks the 20 and 21st games played away from home this season for the Hoosiers, who are 5-7 on neutral sites and 4-3 on road venues. \nAs for the mass amounts of games away from home taking a toll on the team, players like junior Abby Stark said they have grown accustomed to playing all over the map. \n"That's the thing about softball, growing up if you played travel ball you were constantly traveling all summer long," Stark said. "I do miss the elements of the fans, but I don't think it is taking a toll on us."\nThrough 24 games this season, senior Stormy Hanson has been creating havoc for opposing Big Ten pitchers with her Ted Williams-esque .405 batting average. The Las Vegas, Nev., product has complied a monstrous .747 slugging percentage while smashing four home runs, nine doubles and 19 runs batted in -- all which lead the team. \nHanson's 32 hits are nearly a third of Wright State's hit total as a team. The Raiders, (6-16, 1-1 Horizon League) own a .193 team batting average and have dropped five of their last six contests. Their split over the weekend in their league opener against Cleveland State included a victory during a school record 18 inning game. \nThe Raiders have beaten the likes of Charlotte and San Jose State and are led by senior pitcher Kristin Bultinck, who owns all six WSU wins and a strikeout per inning average. \n"They are a good team," Stark said. "They will be comparable to what they were last year, but if we go out and play our game, the outcome will be a successful one for us."\nToday's matchup against a Horizon league participant will be the first of four times the Hoosiers will take a break during the Big Ten portion of the schedule. \n"I think it helps us maintain a rhythm since the Big Ten is so challenging," coach Sara Hayes said. "These types of games help us refocus and gain confidence in ourselves."\nThe Hoosiers begin a grueling stretch of six games in five days but said they will not start using these portions of the schedule as an excuse.\n"I think we are all used to that," senior Katie Joy said. "It is common in softball to play doubleheaders so it does not have any effect on us"