Softball team moves from indoor practicing to outdoor games to start 2012

During the winter and early spring stints of practice, the team utilized the Mellencamp Pavillion for its warmer practice environment. However, the playing surface of the Pavillion is turf, not dirt.

This past week’s warm weather provided them time to practice on the IU Softball Field and a real opportunity to get acquainted with the playing environment they will see the rest of the season.

“Sometimes we get a little stagnant inside because you can only do so many things in (Mellencamp Pavillion),” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said. “When we were able to go outside, we could take ground balls, fly balls and experience warm weather. Everything that you need to play that you normally get the first day, we got.”

IU senior catcher Cassie Gogreve said the experience on the field this past week really helped the team get ready for the field conditions on dirt instead of turf.

“When we showed up for the first game in Arizona last year, that was the first time we had been in the dirt since October,” Gogreve said. “It’s scary at first when balls bounce between your legs, and so being able to work all those dirt bugs out before the season is great.”

Gogreve said the preseason outdoor practices have been essential in developing team coordination without last season’s strength in Morgan Melloh and Sara Olson. The outdoor workouts allowed the team to run realistic preparations rather than just indoor workouts.

“Outside, we really got a feel for how the team is going to be this season,” Gogreve said. “We really got to play softball the way it’s supposed to be played and the way we know how.”

Gardner said she is excited to see how this season pans out. With so much indoor time this winter, she said she could tell her girls were ready to get outside and get into competition.

“I think we’re ready to play, so we’re anxious, and I know I’m anxious, so being back in their shoes where they’re at is hard to explain,” Gardner said. “We’re going to have some jitters. We’re going to do some things we wouldn’t do later in the season. This is our learning curve, so we still have to learn how to do some things early, so that when we get in Big Ten play, we’re ready to play.”

The Hoosiers have not seen the five teams they will be playing this weekend. Playing new faces always presents a fresh problem for Indiana coaches. However, Gardner said they feel prepared with their scouting reports for this weekend.

“There are a lot of teams that you can get scouting reports from,” Gardner said. “But some of it, too, is that it is their first game also, so who knows what will happen?”

Victory or not, Indiana’s seniors are ready to get the season underway. Senior outfielder Heather Nelson said she would like to keep the momentum going from this past season’s winning record.

“I want to go full out and have a good year after doing well last year,” Nelson said. “I just want to keep that ball rolling and keep the team up.”

Gogreve said she hopes to overcome the pressures of being a senior on a young team. She said she has plans for this season and hopes to lead the team to them.

“I definitely feel the pressure of it because there’s a lot to do,” Gogreve said. “There is a lot I want to get done as a senior to leave the team with. It’s really sad and bittersweet to finish up, but I’m counting down the amount of times I can lace up my cleats again.”

The Hoosiers departed Thursday afternoon to the Hotel Encanto Tournament in Las Cruces, N.M.

They start their season against the University of Illinois-Chicago at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a game against New Mexico State at 7:30 p.m. the same night.

On Saturday, they contend in a doubleheader against Saint Mary’s at 3:30 p.m. and Santa Clara at 5:30 p.m.

On Sunday, they head to El Paso, Texas, for a noon game against UTEP.