Team hopes to finally win series, sweep Aces

Still sore from being on the wrong end of a 9-0 no-hitter on Sunday, the IU softball team is going to try to regain some much-needed momentum with a double-header against the Evansville Purple Aces tonight. \nThe Hoosiers are in dire need of a sweep in their favor as they have come up on the short end of sweeps seven out of their last nine double-headers. Despite their past troubles, IU is going into this match-up with some confidence and look at it as any other game.\n"We're going into this game like any other game, and we'll get the two wins," senior Heather Suca said. "We're just itching to get these games."\nThe IU softball team is no stranger to double-headers, as this twin bill is their ninth in a row. Evansville comes into the double header with a 22-18 overall record and are currently in the midst of a three game losing streak. Junior Jamie Davison shoots a team-leading .357 batting average, five home runs, and stands at third on the team with 15 runs batted in. Sophomore Brooke Luker closely follows Davison's efforts with a .342 batting average, with 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBIs.\nEvansville also boasts a tough bullpen with sophomores Katie Markle and Casey Clutch each posting earned run averages under 2.0. Markle is the Ace's top hurler with a 1.75 ERA, a 14-9 record, and has struck out 120 batters in 152 innings of action. Clutch fills out the Evansville pitching roster with a 1.93 ERA and an even 8-8 record.\nWhile the Purple Aces have the upper hand in wins, the IU softball team is confident that it will be able to overtake Evansville's best efforts.\n"We need to sweep Evansville, I have a feeling we're going to win both games tomorrow," junior Valerie White said. "Everyone's going to do their part, and as long as everyone do that, we'll be okay."\nSenior Stormy Hanson continues to pace the Hoosier offensive cause with a .392 batting average, a .784 slugging percentage and has taken a trip around the bases 11 times this season. Junior Abby Stark is the only Hoosier other than Hanson with a batting average higher than .300, with .302, two home runs and 20 RBIs. While Hanson and Stark lead IU in batting averages, they are not the only Hoosiers swinging the bat, as White and freshman Lauren Hines are both hitting higher than .290, including five home runs and 31 RBIs between them.\nJunior Heather Stillians remains as the IU mainstay on the mound with a 2.90 ERA, 72 strike outs, and a 7-14 overall record. Sophomore Katie Witham follows Stillians' efforts with a 3.31 ERA, a 5-11 record and has added 48 strike outs of her own.\nWith all of their recent troubles gaining a win, the Hoosiers had a little difficulty putting their past hardships behind them.\n"It's pretty difficult, as a whole we've gotten over it," Stillians said. "We need to win, and we need to come out strong. And we can't let games keep us down"