IU prevails in home doubleheader

In one day, the IU softball team turned a five-game losing skid into a two-game winning streak. Both wins came in a doubleheader in Bloomington Wednesday afternoon as the Hoosiers defeated Kentucky 2-0 and 6-5.\nAlong with stopping its skid, the team hit the 20-win season mark for the first time since 1997 and improved its overall record against Kentucky to 5-7.\nThe first game of the day was dominated by senior pitcher Mariangee Bogado, who not only pitched a no-hitter, but also hit a home run in the third inning that ended up as the only runs scored in the game.\nBogado, who recorded her second career no-hitter, was also 2-for-3 from the plate in the first game.\n"I was looking at the scoreboard a lot," Bogado said. "I knew I had the no-hitter, but I think it's all mental. I was just thinking about getting everyone out."\nAlthough Kentucky failed to record a hit in the first contest, it started out hot in game two. The Wildcats' first hit came on their first at-bat, as they scored one run in the first inning off senior pitcher Megan Roark.\nThe Hoosiers came storming back in their half of the first, however, with RBI singles from sophomore Jennilee Huddleston and senior Lauren Hines.\nThe teams remained tied after three innings of play, but the Wildcats scored two in the top of the fourth to take the lead.\nThe lead stood for until the bottom of the fifth when the Hoosiers tied the game after junior Kim Richards belted a two-run home run, scoring Hines, who walked earlier in the inning.\nWith the game still tied after the standard seven innings of play, the two teams stretched into extra innings. But after another inning and a half of stalemate, Huddleston knocked in Bogado, who had reached base by being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Heather Hohs, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.\n"I knew today was our day," said Huddleston of her game-winning hit. "I just wanted to end it in the right way."\nThe Hoosiers hope to take the momentum from their sweep into a tough weekend in the Big Ten, where they will square off against Northwestern and Illinois.\nBogado, who entered the second game in the sixth inning, finished the day with 11 innings pitched and no hits allowed, while also going 4-for-7 from the plate.\n"It's always nice to come out and beat a team two times," IU coach Stacy Phillips. "Especially after a five-game losing skid. We got great pitching today and the team just continued to hit well"