Hoosiers ready to face Indiana State

The IU softball team is set to square off against in-state competitor Indiana State for the 67th time since the 1975 season when the two teams clash this afternoon. IU holds the winning edge with a 49-17 record against the Sycamores.\nOpening pitch is at 4 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field.\nIU will have the home advantage in this game and will be looking to add another win to its all-time record against Indiana State. \nIn the last meeting against the Sycamores, then-IU senior Mariangee Bogado struck out 22 Sycamore batters in an IU record-setting performance that led to a 1-0 Hoosier win. Bogado only allowed one hit on the day.\nFreshman outfielder Jennifer Glueckert said before IU’s game against Louisville that her team started a hot-streak because of the recent stellar play of senior infielder Rachel Terry.\nTerry went on to prove her right, as she went 4-for-4 against Northwestern on Saturday, and senior infielder Jenilee Huddleston carried the hitting torch for the Hoosiers on Sunday. Though the Hoosiers were on the losing end of the two games, both players displayed determination in their performances.\nTheir team will be looking to get back in the winning column after their pair of loses in two contests against a top-10-rated Northwestern squad.\nIU coach Stacy Phillips said her team will be able to compete if it plays well from beginning to finish.\n“If we attack good pitches and stay aggressive, we’ll have a good chance at winning,” she said.\nThis game will also give the Hoosiers a chance to revamp a season that has taken a recent dive. The Hoosiers have lost eight of their last 10 games dating back to March 24 when they lost to Eastern Michigan.\nThis in-state match up will also have the Hoosiers trying to improve their record against Indiana competitors.\nThe last time the Hoosiers faced a Hoosier state opponent was against Ball State on March 28 in Muncie. The Hoosiers were defeated 8-0, and they didn’t take the loss lightly.\nTerry said their team wasn’t ready to play, and junior infielder Kari Bettenbrock said that the Cardinals wanted the game more and her team didn’t make plays.\nThe game was one that left a sour taste in the mouth of the Hoosiers, and they hope to buck their recent losing trend.