Loss ends softball's win streak

The IU softball team split its weekend series with Northwestern, falling 4-1 in the second game Sunday and putting a stop to the Hoosiers’ nation-leading 15-game win streak.  

With the loss, the Hoosiers fell to 35-16 on the season and 15-3 in the Big Ten.  The loss dropped the Hoosiers one game back of No. 2 Michigan in the Big Ten standings. In-state and conference rival Purdue visits Bloomington for two games starting Friday to end the regular season.

Senior pitcher Morgan Melloh gave up four runs in the fifth inning on a grand slam by Marisa Bast as the Wildcats sent seven batters to the plate.  Melloh struck out only four batters, which tied her lowest total since March 12.  

Melloh felt that things just came together for the Wildcats in that rough fifth inning for the Hoosiers.

“They were able to get a couple of people on base with infield hits, and then we walked (Adrienne) Monka intentionally because we had been having success against Bast,” Melloh said. “She came up there swinging and was able to get enough of it to get it over the fence.”

The Hoosiers managed to split the weekend series but could only push two runs total across the plate. 

Senior Sara Olson saw the number of runners on base as something that the Hoosiers can build on next weekend against Purdue.

“I think the positives that we take from this weekend are that we had numerous opportunities to put a lot more runs on the game and we were making them make some plays to get out of it,” Olson said. “Today we just couldn’t find the hole in the defense with runners in scoring position.”

Melloh saw the loss as something the team can build on as it moves forward despite its win streak being snapped.

“Obviously you never want to lose and everyone on this team knows that we still have things to get better at, and I think that’s what we are going to focus on this week in practice,” Melloh said.