IU hopes to capitalize offensively

After earning six wins in nine days at a tournament in Bradenton, Fla., the Hoosiers return to action at home against Ball State today. IU will be playing at Sembower Field for only the third time this season with a 1-1 record, including their latest loss to Butler last week. Behind a powerful offense and stellar pitching, the Hoosiers hope to continue accumulating wins before heading into Big Ten play next week. \nIn Florida the Hoosiers put together a highlight reel. Against Bucknell the team completed 21 hits on its way to a 14-4 victory. Two games later against Illinois State, IU tore apart the Red Birds with 17 runs in another 10-run lead, 17-7 win for the Hoosiers.\n"We are going to do a lot of what we did in Florida," sophomore infielder Josh Richardson said. "We are going to let our pitching lead us, and hopefully we'll keep swinging the bats."\nThe Big Ten announced Monday that junior left fielder Zach Boswell had been named Big Ten Player of the Week in the period ending March 20. During that week, Boswell led IU with a .643 batting average, including a 5-for-5 performance against Kent State in which he hit three doubles and four RBIs, adding to an already impressive 9-for-14 week at the plate. Boswell has a nine-game hitting streak on his way to posting a .458 batting average on the season and a .763 slugging percentage.\nBut Boswell was not the only Hoosier making noise in the Big Ten last week. Senior second baseman Jay Brant completed a 4-for-5 performance against Yale, scoring three runs and an RBI on the heels of being named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week two days before. Brant leads the team in runs scored with 27 and total number of hits with 31, along with the team's second-highest batting average behind Boswell with .443. \nDespite giving up 11 unanswered runs last week in their home loss to Butler, the Hoosiers are confident after last week's winning performance that they will hold on to early leads.\n"We are able to jump out early and set the tempo in the game," sophomore infielder Mike Nilles said. "Our pitching and defense is good enough to shut down teams."\nIU will take on Ball State Wednesday at 3 p.m. on Sembower Field before playing a three-game set against Longwood in Farmville, Vt., next weekend.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Andrew Shaffer at asshaffe@indiana.edu.