IU drops 4 games in weekend double headers

The IU softball team ran into an offensive juggernaut this weekend, getting swept in a pair of doubleheaders with Michigan State and Michigan. The teams from the Wolverine state combined for 11 home runs as they shut out the Hoosiers in three of the four games. The Hoosiers dropped the series to Michigan State, 10-0 in five innings in the first game and 7-3 in the second. The No. 8 Wolverines refused to allow a run in their 9-0, 11-0 sweep of the Hoosiers.\n“We knew going in that both teams were going to hit the ball and put it in play,” said IU coach Stacey Phillips. “One of our goals is to keep the ball in the park, and I don’t think we reached the goal. They hit the ball out of the park way too many times and it’s hard to defend against that.”\nAlthough the Hoosiers (20-27, 1-13 in Big Ten) failed to win a game, they showed some fight. After allowing four runs in the first inning, Rachel Terry hit her career-tying sixth home run of the season as she led the Hoosiers back into the game. The Hoosiers made a final attempt in the top of the sixth getting two runners on base. But a stellar defensive play by Michigan State, a groundout and a strikeout ended the Hoosiers’ rally.\n“We showed a lot of toughness in order to be able to get back,” Phillips said. “I was feeling good and I could tell the players were really fired up and they knew they had an opportunity to put it away to get back and win a game.”\nThe doubleheader sweep to the Spartans and Wolverines means the Hoosiers have dropped 11 of their last 13 games. The only wins in that span were against non-conference, in-state opponents Indiana State and Evansville. The Hoosiers have lost 10 conference games in a row, with their last conference victory coming against Illinois on April 1. IU knows it needs to forget the past if it is to salvage the rest of the season.\n“It’s going to be how we rebound from this weekend, how we are able to turn around and make something of it,” said junior Julia Hamilton. “You can’t dwell too much on it. Whatever happens, happens, it’s the past. But at least we can move forward and hope to just not forget this but just move forward.”\nThe Hoosiers will go out of conference for a doubleheader tilt against rival Kentucky on Wednesday.\n“Every day is a new day,” said junior infielder Jennilee Huddleston. “Anybody can beat anybody on any given day. We just have to move past these and forget about them. Learn from them but move on and try to remember that it’s a new day.”