IU looks to rebound in Big Ten opener

After a lackluster performance Wednesday against Ball State, the IU softball team will look to get back on the winning track when it opens Big Ten play against Iowa on Friday and close out the weekend against Illinois at home. \nThe opener begins the end of the Big Ten careers for seniors Heather Hohs, Kim Richards, Rachel Terry and Christy Wahl. \nTerry said she had a range of emotions about opening Big Ten play for the last time and that she wanted to be successful in her final opportunity.\n“I’m sad because I know it is the last time, but I’m also excited to make an impact on the season,” Richards said. “We ended last season on a good note, and I want to keep that going.”\nThis game will also dawn the beginning of a new pitching era as sophomore Monica Wright will compete in her first conference game after transferring from Northern Iowa. \nJunior Jennifer Moore is also entering her first year as a full-time starter.\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to rebound from a rough patch in the Ball State game, where they lost 8-0. \nThis will be the first traditional home game for the Hoosiers, who hosted the IU Classic a week ago and placed third in the tournament. Richards said she thinks having home-field advantage will help.\n“We’ll have our fans on our own turf, and I also think it’ll help us mentally,” Richards said. “We love playing at home. We wish we could play every game at home.”\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to re-emerge into winning form after their loss Wednesday.\n“We really need to step up and compete,” coach Stacey Phillips said. “We really prepared poorly for the first game. We turned that around, and I think that will be a key in the way we play.”\nPhillips said the Hoosiers expect Iowa to be aggressive, which is how you have to be when playing in the Big Ten. She said she prepared her team differently for their Big Ten foes.\n“We challenged ourselves this week,” Phillips said. “We had a real pressure practice, and Wednesday (against Ball State) didn’t help much. But I think we also attempted to be faster than we have been all season and that should be different.”\nPhillips, Richards and the rest of the team are adamant they are better than how they played against Ball State.\n“Our last game was an embarrassment,” Richards said. “We were like, ‘Here you go. Take the win.’ And we’ll definitely be better than we were that day.”