Softball ready for NCAA regional play

The IU softball team will participate in postseason play for the first time since 2006 when it matches up with DePaul on Friday as part of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship.  

The Hoosiers (37-16, 17-3) enter the postseason as winners of 25 of their last 29 games and second-place finishers in the Big Ten.

The 64-team field was selected Sunday. The Hoosiers landed in the Columbia, Mo. regional along with Illinois State, DePaul and No. 5 overall seed Missouri. The double-elimination regionals, which run from May 19-22, serve as the opening of the tournament.

Senior Morgan Melloh, who this week was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, once again will lead the Hoosiers in the circle. Melloh is one of only two Hoosiers with NCAA Tournament experience with the other being senior Kelsey Stander.  

Melloh said she will have to have good control against DePaul to slow down a batting order that features seven starters with a .300 average or better.  

“I just have to make sure my pitches are moving and not hang because they will take advantage of that,” Melloh said.

As most of the team does not have much experience in the postseason, coach Michelle Gardner said nerves will be a factor but also said she thinks her young team can handle it this weekend.

“It is us coming out and competing like we have competed all year long,” Gardner said. “It’s going to be real hard not to get all wrapped up in the hype of everything that is going on. I think they’re ready.”

While they aren’t one of the seeded teams in the tournament, the Hoosiers said they feel they can play with any other team they might face.

“We have a lot of confidence in ourselves based on our regular season,” Melloh said. “We were 37-16, and that’s a really awesome record.”

Despite the offensive lineup Melloh will face against DePaul on Friday, Gardner said she feels confident in IU’s chances as long as Melloh is in the circle.

“She just needs to do what she can do and not overthrow, make the ball move and rely on her defense a little bit, but just do what she has done all season long,” Gardner said. “She has thrown so well against so many good hitting teams. It is just a matter of her keeping focused on what she can control.”

Hoosiers earn All-Big Ten honors

Seniors Melloh and Sara Olson were each named First Team All-Big Ten on Wednesday, marking the first time since 1994 that IU has had two players on the conference’s first team.

Melloh, who threw a Big Ten-record of 221 strikeouts while posting a 1.07 ERA in conference play, was the first Hoosier pitcher since 1996 to receive the Big Ten’s top pitching honor.

Olson led all Big Ten first basemen with a .425 average and a .667 on-base tally during the 2011 campaign.

Sophomore Amanda Wagner earned Second Team honors from the designated player position, and outfielder Jenna Abraham was selected to the Freshman All-Big Ten team.