Veteran hitting, young pitching combine for four wins

Following a 1-4 showing this past week, Indiana (7-7) exploded offensively during four wins this weekend, finishing 4-1 in the Phyllis Rafter Memorial tournament in Woodstock, Ga.

Senior Cassie Gogreve spent the weekend hitting consistently while driving in runs. The catcher picked up six RBI while going 5-for-16 for a .312 average throughout the weekend.  

Although she has lead the team in RBI this season, Gogreve said she prefers a different type of leadership.

“I like to lead the team through intensity,” Gogreve said. “I always try to play very intense. I like getting the pitchers and the rest of the team going. I’ve always considered myself a pitcher’s catcher.”

However, Gogreve didn’t give the only offensive effort from the Hoosiers this weekend.
During the tournament winning streak, the Hoosiers recorded a total of 42 hits with seven different players recording at least one RBI.  

Hoosier pitching matched the offensive effort in full stride, as well.

Freshman Lora Olson picked up three wins in row and allowed only three runs during 14 innings in those three games. Sophomore Meaghan Murphy also recorded her second win of the season while going the distance for the second time this season.

In the first game Friday, the Hoosiers shut out the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (6-2) by a score of 6-0.

In the win, junior Breanna Saucedo went 2-for-4 while scoring one run. Sophomore Jenna Abraham and junior Amanda Wagner each kept their hitting streaks alive.

Freshman Shannon Cawley and senior Samantha Berenter each had a pair of RBI, as well.

Olson went the distance in the circle, allowing just two hits in seven innings while striking out five.

In the second game Friday, the Hoosiers rallied late in the seventh to seal a 2-1 win against Southeastern Louisiana (2-13).

While the game was one out away from extra innings, Saucedo hit a single to left field to drive in freshman Brianna Meyer from second to win the game.

Saturday started with an 5-4 Indiana win against St. Louis (10-5).

The Hoosiers got the bats going early in the game with an Abraham RBI single to left field, followed by a two-run home run from Gogreve over the right center field fence.

Olson picked up her third straight win while allowing three runs in three innings and striking out four. Murphy picked up the save with three strikeouts and just one
unearned run.

In the second game Saturday, the Hoosiers defeated the Central Arkansas Bears (11-7) 6-2.

In a game that totaled 13 IU hits, four Hoosiers had at least two hits. Cawley led the team with three RBI, including a two-run home run in the fifth that put the Hoosiers up 5-0.

Berenter also had a career-high three hits, including a solo home run in the sixth. This consistency from Berenter was in full effect all weekend. In the weekend’s five games, she kept a .500 average, going 7-for-14. Berenter also holds the team’s highest season average, .429.

“I worked a lot on my game this summer, working out my confidence in my hitting,” Berenter said. “Confidence has really helped this season just by relaxing going up there and believing in my stuff has helped me perform it.”

Murphy went the distance in the win after allowing just one hit in the first three innings.
In the Hoosiers’ final game Sunday, they were defeated 3-2 by the Bradley Braves (7-8).

The Hoosiers led the game 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. Bradley scored two runs to end the Hoosiers’ hopes for their first undefeated weekend of the season.

Although the Hoosiers had their most successful tournament run thus far this season, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said she is not done working the girls hard in practice.

“We did everything well that we did last Saturday and Sunday,” Gardner said. “Our pitching was more consistent, and we got ahead early. There are still things we need to work on, though. We will still work hard this week.”