Hoosiers go 0-4 against ranked Big Ten teams

With almost a week off since its last game, the IU softball team played four games this weekend against Northwestern and Michigan, the two top teams in the Big Ten.\nPlaying two top teams like Northwestern and Michigan did not alter IU's game plan.\n"We're going to continue playing IU softball," said IU coach Stacey Phillips. "It's always a tough outing, but you hope to pull something out."\nThe Hoosiers took the field Friday afternoon against Northwestern, ranked No. 16 in the nation.\nThe Wildcats jumped on the board first, scoring six runs in the first two innings off of junior Mariangee Bogado.\nThe IU offense was not able to come back against the early deficit, managing only four hits. Northwestern would tally four runs in the sixth as they went on to the 10-0 shutout.\nSaturday's game against the Wildcats once again took an early lead, but IU was able to fight back.\nSophomore Tory Yamaguchi blasted her seventh home run of the season in the fourth inning to bring the Hoosiers within one.\nThe Wildcats scored two runs in the fifth, giving them the 4-1 lead. IU mounted a late comeback in the seventh when a Lauren Hines single brought in Yamaguchi from second base. \nSophomore Rachel Terry walked to give IU two runners on base, but the comeback stalled as Northwestern starter Courtnay Foster struck out the next two batters as she led the Wildcats to victory, 4-2.\nAfter two tough losses to Northwestern, IU faced the No. 1 team in the nation, the Michigan Wolverines, in a Sunday doubleheader. The games marked the first time IU has played the team ranked No. 1 in both national polls.\nIn the first game of the twin bill, Michigan starter Jennie Ritter threw a perfect game against the Hoosiers in a 9-0 victory. Ritter threw five innings, striking out nine of the 15 batters she faced.\nIU starter junior Megan Roark struggled against the Wolverines, pitching four innings while giving up seven runs, five of them earned.\n"Playing against a team like Michigan allows you to measure up and see where you need to improve," Roark said.\nIn the second game, IU fought back from a 3-0 hole to score two runs in the third inning, but Michigan promptly scored two more runs in its half of the inning to increase the lead to three.\nMichigan would go on to win the game 10-2. IU's record dropped to 12-31 on the year and 2-8 in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers will travel to Missouri on Wednesday for an afternoon doubleheader.\n"Our goal is to play IU softball," Yamaguchi said. "We have to go out hard and start from there."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.