IU hungry for win against BSU

The Hoosiers (23-18, 0-2 in the Big Ten) were hungry to wash the bad taste out of their mouths after two tough losses to Michigan this weekend when Bowling Green came to town Sunday.\nTwo wins later, IU was still not satisfied. \nAs the Hoosiers travel to Muncie to take on Ball State (8-20), they are hungrier than ever. \n"We won our last two games against Bowling Green," senior Abby Stark said. "But we didn't give them the pounding that we should have given them."\nThe Cardinals, losers of five of their last six games, should be a perfect chance for IU to show its competitive fire. After defeating Eastern Michigan twice Saturday, the Cardinals fell flat in their third game against the Eagles, losing 10-0. \nAlthough IU endured two tough losses to Michigan last weekend, it proved the team could not be shaken. \n"I thought intimidation could be a factor against a team like Michigan," IU coach Sara Hayes Nottger said. "But that wasn't the case. We came out against them with a lot of energy and fire, it makes me think that our team really can't be intimidated."\nAs the Big Ten season gets underway, Nottger is equally optimistic about her team's chances.\n"We're playing with a lot of confidence, and we are getting some great performances on the mound. I feel that we can get a hit on any pitcher in the Big Ten," Nottger said. \nThe team is trying to remain focused on Ball State rather than looking ahead to this weekend, when Big Ten foes Iowa and Illinois are coming to town. \n"We need to come out ready to go," freshman Kim Richards said. "We also have to be more consistent and focused at the plate."\nThe Hoosiers, who have won six of their last eight games, need consistent hitting and strong defense to pull out the win against the Cardinals. \n"We need to keep hitting the ball hard," sophomore Megan Roark said. "But we also need to relax on defense so that we don't make any errors."\nRoark, who has pitched well lately, was the workhorse for the Hoosiers this weekend. Roark pitched against Michigan Saturday as the Hoosiers lost 4-1, but bounced back against Bowling Green. She pitched both games against the Falcons, getting victories in both games. She pitched 13.1 innings Sunday striking out 12 batters and only giving up two runs.\nThe Hoosiers travel to Ball State to take on the Cardinals at 2 p.m. today. \n-- Contact staff writer Mark Carlson at mecarlso@indiana.edu.