Hoosiers finish with 2-3 record at DeMarini Invitational

Late innings were all the rage this weekend at the DeMarini Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.

During Indiana’s 2-3 weekend, the Hoosiers scored 12 of their 19 total runs in the final three innings of this weekend’s games.

The weekend began with a matchup against No. 10 Stanford (18-3).

The Hoosiers (9-10) were able to stay with the Cardinals throughout seven innings. The Hoosiers answered Cardinal scores twice in the following at-bat.  

Stanford eventually broke free with the game tied at 3-3 going into extra innings. While perfect at the plate with a 4-for-4 performance, Cardinal freshman Leah White hit a two-run homer to lead off extra innings. Stanford then followed with two more runs to win the game 7-3.

Freshman Shannon Cawley led the Hoosiers with a solo homerun on two hits against Stanford’s All-American Teagan Gerhart.

In Friday’s second game, Oregon State (17-5) handed the Hoosiers their second loss of the day at 4-3.

After giving up three runs in the first three innings, the Hoosiers were shutout by junior pitcher Marina Demore. Demore shutout six of Indiana’s nine batters throughout the first six innings.

Indiana attempted a rally late in the final inning after a leadoff walk from junior Amanda Wagner. Wagner advanced to second on a groundout by senior Samantha Berenter. Senior catcher Cassie Gogreve then drove Wagner in on a double to right field. Junior Samantha Heyman followed by knocking a fly ball over the right fielders head with an RBI triple.

Demore then gave up a wild pitch, allowing Heyman to take home plate on the pass ball to make it 4-3. Junior Breanna Saucedo popped up a fly ball to end the Hoosiers’ hopes of completing the rally.

In Saturday’s second game, the Hoosiers defeated Florida International (8-11) 7-5 in a late-game scoring frenzy.

After Saucedo reached during a Brianna Meyer rundown between first and second, Cawley scored an RBI sacrifice fly to put the Hoosiers up 2-0 in the first inning.  
However, the Panthers scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 5-5.  

Heyman answered the rally in the sixth with a single to load the bases. Senior Heather Nelson followed with an RBI groundout. Heyman then ended the Panthers’ hopes in the seventh with another RBI single to end the game at 7-5.

Following the win, the Hoosiers gave up with a 4-1 loss against Southern Mississippi (5-9).

Indiana faulted early, giving up three runs early in the first inning. Wagner attempted to mount a comeback by recording a career-high three hits on four at-bats.

The Hoosiers had trouble reaching home, stranding 11 runners on base and leaving 10 in scoring position.

The Hoosiers picked up their second win in the last game of the tournament Sunday against East Carolina (7-10). The ever-improving duo of Wagner, Gogreve and sophomore Jenna Abraham hitting and Olson pitching grew more evident in the 5-4 victory.

After the Pirates went ahead 4-3 in the fifth inning, Abraham led off with a solo home run to center field. Saucedo then drew a walk, and Meyer moved her to second to give the Hoosiers the go-ahead run in scoring position as Wagner stepped up to the plate.

Wagner drove a single back up the line to drive Saucedo in for a 5-3 lead to win the game.

The Hoosiers finished 2-3 this weekend with close games in nearly every matchup.

The team will travel to Norman, Okla., next weekend for the Oklahoma Spring Festival before returning to play the Hoosier Classic at home from March 16-18.