Softball team's trip in Georgia continues through weekend

After two games Friday, the Hoosiers will gear up to face three experienced teams in the rest of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial tournament in Woodstock, Ga., on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday will begin with the St. Louis Billikens (7-4) at 1 p.m.

Top hitters for the Billikens include junior catcher Alyson Brand and junior outfielder Jessica Buschjost. Brand has homered three times in 25 at-bats this season for a .520 slugging percentage. Buschjost has a .325 batting average through 40 at-bats this season.

Sophomore Julian Austin or senior Kelcie Matesa will likely pitch against the Hoosiers. Austin has the top ERA for the Billikens with 1.64. She has struck out 20 batters during 25.2 innings of play. Matesa has 31 strikeouts through 28 innings pitched.

The Billikens are coming off of a 3-2 weekend at the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament in Fort Meyers, Fla.

The Hoosiers’ second Saturday game will be played against the hard-hitting Central Arkansas Bears (8-5) at 3:30 p.m.

Half of the Bears’ starting lineup holds batting averages during .400. Of those five players, three have slugging percentages of more than .600. One of those three, senior Kasey Britt, has recorded four home runs with 12 RBIs while holding a .816 slugging percentage this season.

The Hoosiers will most likely see the faces of junior Kelsie Armstrong or senior Cami Newsome in the circle during their Saturday evening game. Armstrong has recorded 47 strikeouts in 42.2 innings this season. Newsome has recorded 20 strikeouts in 27 innings.

Newsome has also gone undefeated in each of her five starts this season.
On Sunday, the Hoosiers will play their final game of the tournament against the Bradley Braves (4-6) at 10:30 a.m.

Three of Bradley’s four losses have come against top-10 opponents. On Feb. 11, the Braves were shutout 5-0 by No. 3 California. Then, on Feb. 17 and Feb. 19, the Braves lost 3-2 and 3-0, respectively, against future IU opponent No. 8 Stanford.

The Braves pitching roster features sophomore Madeline Lynch-Crumrine, senior Lindsay Hufeld and junior Mackenzie Camp. The Hoosiers could likely face any of these three pitchers in the last game of the tournament. Lynch-Crumine is the go-to with seven appearances, but has allowed 17 runs in 40 innings.

The diversity of hitting this season from the Hoosiers will be able to match the diversity in pitching they will see this weekend.

So far, every one of the main starters this season has at least two RBIs. Senior Cassie Gogreve and junior Amanda Wagner each share eight, and sophomore Jenna Abraham has six.

In the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic last week, a pair of freshmen caught the hitting fever, as well. Lora Olson and Shannon Cawley each connected for their first collegiate home runs during Indiana’s weekend in Las Vegas.

“They both have a lot of power,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said. “It was really fortunate for us that they came in and hit the way that they did.”

Going into the final stages of this weekend, the Hoosiers will attempt to improve their 3-6 record before heading to California next weekend.

“I think that we’re kind of in a good place right now,” Gardner said. “I just want them to bring the same effort that they ended last week with.”