Hoosiers head north to Michigan

IU will take its season on the road for the first time since it started playing Big Ten competition.\nThe Hoosiers will travel north to take on Michigan and Michigan State this weekend, who sit in second and third place respectively in the Big Ten standings. Though the season is still young, the team does not want to lose ground in the competitive conference. \nIU will look to rebound after a disappointing loss to interstate rival Evansville early this week, sophomore Anna Olson said.\n"I do think we need to put that game behind us and then come out this weekend to get some wins," she said.\nSenior outfielder Lauren Hines said she hoped to turn disappointment into a positive outcome.\n"This past game (Evansville) could turn out to be a good thing," she said. "It shows us that we have to come out everyday ready to play our best or we are not going to wins games, regardless of the opponent."\nHines, one of only three seniors on the team, has led the Hoosier offense lately. She hit another home run against Evansville, her seventh of the season. Hines is also leading the team in batting average (.430) and hits (40) this season.\nWhile Hines is leading the offense, two pitchers are controlling the circle for IU. Mariangee Bogado and Megan Roark have combined for 17 wins and 17 complete games about halfway through this season for the Hoosiers. Bogado has also won Big Ten Pitcher of the Week twice this year, most recently two weeks ago.\nWhile the seniors have been leading the team, the underclassmen are also stepping up. Junior Kim Richards, freshmen Sarah Padove and Stephanie Pellerito and Olson have all been playing major roles offensively for the Hoosiers this season. \nMichigan is a 22-9 team this year and is the reigning national champion. The Hoosiers have not defeated the Wolverines since 1997 and are 56-26 against Michigan overall.\nEast Lansing will be no more hospitable than Ann Arbor for the Hoosiers to play. The Spartans are 22-11 this season and have gotten the best of IU in their last two meetings dating back to last year.\nBut this is a different Hoosiers softball team, one that has already eclipsed last year's win total and tied its conference wins. Sophomore catcher Janetta Deaven said the new-look Hoosiers need to build on what they've learned.\n"We learned that we have to go out and play at an Indiana level, not to a certain team's level," she said.