IU opens season 2-3

The IU softball team finished its first weekend of games with a record of 2-3.

In the Kajikawa Classic, which was played Thursday thru Sunday, the Hoosiers beat Nevada and Cal Poly while falling to No. 2 Arizona, Texas Tech and No. 12 California.

Despite losing its last two games, senior Sara Olson said the team has made great strides.

“We worked so well together this weekend,” she said. “It’s so exciting being together and working together as a team, and I think our confidence level is up and we are ready for whatever is next to come.”

Although the Hoosiers lost three of their five games at the Kajikawa Classic, they outscored their opponents 18-16. Senior Kelsey Stander said she sees their run production as something to build on in the future.

“I think it is a confidence booster to know that we can score that many runs, even if we don’t come out with the win,” Stander said.

The Hoosiers pushed across 17 runs in the two wins but scored one run in the three losses. Olson stressed the importance of having confidence that each player is going to succeed at the plate.

“We just have to have confidence in each and every one of our players behind us and before us in the lineup that everyone is going to get it done and that if we don’t the next person is going to, and we just have to take every opportunity,” Olson said.

With these being the first five games of the season, Stander said she thinks practicing will only help the team as a whole, and they will continue to grow and get better.

“We just haven’t seen a lot of live pitching,” Stander said. “This is our first weekend out and I definitely think we have room for improvement, and we will improve,”

— Dennis Glade