Hoosiers go 2-2 for the weekend, Nottger gets 100th win

IU saw its first Big Ten action this weekend in back-to-back losses to Michigan before getting two victories against Bowling Green on Sunday. The two Hoosier victories gave IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger her 100th victory at IU.\n"To average over 25 wins in four years, I think that's pretty good but it's just a testament to the kids that I have had thus far in my career and hopefully there are many, many more to come as we continue to build this program here," Nottger said.\nThe weekend started off on a sour note as the Wolverines of Michigan came into town as the No. 9 team in the nation and upset on the minds of all IU's players. Freshman outfielder Kim Richards gave the team hope when she belted out a two-run homer over the center field wall to cut the Michigan lead to one in the bottom of the sixth. The hit extended her hitting streak to seven games before it ended in the next game. From their, however, the Hoosiers were unable to rally together another run and the Wolverines escaped with a 3-2 win. \nAfter Friday's nail-biter, IU was unable to put together the performance they wanted on Saturday as errors once again plagued the Hoosiers ability to keep runs off the board. Sophomore pitcher Mariangee Bogado could only make it through two innings in the second game after throwing her 12th complete game of the season on Friday. Three Hoosier errors accounted for the first three Michigan runs and Wolverine pitcher Nicole Motycka took care of the rest by not giving up an earned run all game. The pitcher, whose ERA is below one on the season got the win and IU would have to look to bounce back on Sunday.\n"With (Saturday's) hitting, I just felt like we came out, in the very beginning, flat," Richards said. "We weren't really concentrated or focusing. I don't know what from, but we just weren't doing what we normally do with that bat."\nIt was evident that the Hoosiers wanted to bounce back strong on Sunday as they scored four runs in the first three innings including a Bogado home run in the third. Bowling Green mounted a comeback and the score was locked up at four by the bottom of the fifth inning. After two singles and a sacrifice bunt, senior first basemen Karly McCormack drove in the go ahead run and the Hoosiers eventually won 6-4.\n"The biggest difference between the two days was just coming out and taking advantage of opportunities," senior utility player Abby Stark said. "I thought Michigan took advantage of some opportunities against us that helped them win and (Sunday) we took advantage of those."\nGame two was highlighted by quality pitching from sophomore Megan Roark. After getting the win in game one, Roark captured her second of the day by throwing another complete game and only giving up one run. \nFreshman catcher Rachel Terry had to step in and replace everyday catcher, freshman Tory Yamaguchi who suffered from a bruised thigh. Terry made her presence known in her first at bat by singling in the first of two runs in the second inning. The team went on to score three on the day and get the win in a 3-1 fashion.\nAfter a game at Ball State on Tuesday, the Hoosiers get back into their Big Ten schedule against Iowa on Friday and Saturday and Illinois in a double header on Sunday. As the team enters Big Ten scheduling, Nottger feels her team is right where it needs to be.\n"We're playing with a lot of confidence, we're getting great performances on the mound, and we're swinging the bats and hitting the ball really well," Nottger said. "I feel like we can hit any pitcher in the Big Ten and I'm looking forward to seeing where this team ends up because I think it's going to be in the top half."\n-- Contact senior writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.