Mission: keep bats hot for tourney

The Hoosier softball team is preparing to host the Hoosier Invitational this weekend, welcoming Western Kentucky, St. Louis and Notre Dame. The team enters the tournament on a three-game winning streak, scoring 22 runs in the process.\nRiding behind big offensive performances along with solid pitching outings, the Hoosiers look to carry the recent success over into the invitational. The only area of slight concern is the defense, IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said.\n"I think we need to sharpen up our defense and play with a little more confidence," Nottger said. "Our bats have obviously been producing, and we are doing a great job on the mound. "\nThe Hoosiers have seen several players step up their offense lately, including senior right fielder Val White, who had four RBIs in the double header against Indiana State, sophomore designated hitter Lauren Hines, who had five hits and five RBIs, including a grand-slam, and freshman catcher Tory Yamaguchi, whose fourth-inning, lead-off homerun sparked the IU comeback in game two. \n"I think it is going to be most beneficial that we have a good start to the game and a good warm-up and play through a full seven innings," sophomore Lauren Hines said.\nNottger said the more relaxed attitude and success at the plate comes from the increased confidence she has seen in her team lately. That confidence has directly resulted in an increase in hits and runs scored.\nWith run support at a premium, the IU pitchers have been able to feel pressure-free and throw strikes in bunches. Both sophomore Mariangee Bogado and sophomore Megan Roark got wins Wednesday, as the two combined for 25 strikeouts.\n"(Getting run support) lets us relax a little bit and just throw," Roark said. "I think that the reason we got so many strikeouts was because we were able to relax. We knew the offense was there and we didn't have to be perfect on every pitch."\nIU will face Western Kentucky and the Irish at 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and then take on St. Louis at 11:45 a.m. Sunday. The consolation match is at 2 p.m. that day, while the championship game will be played at 4:15 p.m. Sunday afternoon.\n-- Contact staff writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.