Hoosiers begin quest 'to be best team in Midwest'

Room service and wake-up calls must be common for the Hoosiers softball team (5-4). The team, which is fresh off trips to Florida and Texas this month, is traveling to Illinois to compete in Southern Illinois' Kay Brechtelsbauer Classic.\nThe Hoosiers travel to Carbondale, Ill., to face Indiana State (4-4), Southern Illinois (5-2) and an untested Harvard team (0-0) this weekend. \nThe team feels it has something to prove this weekend and looks to earn a few wins against tough competition. \n"We're trying to be the best team in the Midwest -- that's our goal," said IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger. "ISU being in-state and Southern Illinois being in the area gives us the opportunity to compete with the best in the Midwest." \nAfter reaching the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA Tournament, Southern Illinois is a team the Hoosiers look forward to competing against. \n"They're a great team," said senior Abby Stark. "They are going to be a good test for us. If we beat Southern, we'll let everyone around know that our team is for real." \nWhile Southern Illinois may be their toughest competition this weekend, the Hoosiers' most difficult match-up may be Harvard. Nottger expressed concern about Harvard because it has yet to play a game, making scouting this year's team difficult. \nThe Lady Hoosiers have confidence in their talent after solid performances against powerhouses such as Florida and No. 12 Nebraska. The extra-inning loss to Nebraska showed the Hoosiers what they need to work on. IU lost to Nebraska on a suicide bunt in the bottom of the eighth inning. \n"We need to improve on our short-game defensive coverage," Nottger said. "We also need to do a better job moving runners from first base into scoring position." \nWhile trying to focus on this weekend's games, their upcoming trip to Tucson, Ariz., has the team looking ahead to next week. The warmer the locale, the better the competition as the Hoosiers will face No. 2 Arizona in the Hillenbrand Invitational. \n"We are doing our best to focus on the games this weekend, but it's hard knowing that next week we will be traveling to Arizona," said sophomore Megan Roark. \nThe Hoosiers' success this weekend largely relies on the performance of senior Karly McCormack. McCormack fuels the team's offense with a .481 batting average and leads the team in almost every offensive category. \nThe pitching of Roark and sophomore Mariangee Bogado will also be key in the Hoosiers' games over the weekend. Bogado has pitched four complete games for the Hoosiers so far this year, and Roark proved herself against Nebraska by giving up one in eight innings of play. \nThe Hoosiers start the weekend by facing Indiana State at 10 a.m. Saturday followed by Southern Illinois at noon. The team will face Harvard at noon Sunday and finishes the weekend with its second game against Southern Illinois at 4 p.m. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.