Pair of winning streaks come to an end, Hoosiers pick up win against ranked opponent

Both winning streaks came to an end this weekend at the IU Softball Field.

The Indiana Hoosiers forfeited their 15-game winning streak at home while the Michigan Wolverines ended their six-game winning streak as well.

The Hoosiers were defeated in the Big Ten home opener Saturday afternoon by a score of 3-2. Freshman Shannon Cawley opened the scoring column for the Hoosiers in the sixth inning with a groundout RBI, scoring senior Heather Nelson and moving senior Samantha Berenter into scoring position. Junior Amanda Wagner took this opportunity to lace a single into center field, scoring Berenter for the other RBI.  

Wagner’s RBI single began her hitting streak, which lasted throughout the weekend until her final two at-bats in the Sunday game.

“Every time I go up, I like it to be a faceless opponent,” Wagner said. “If you think you know their tendencies, you don’t think as clearly, whereas if I go in not knowing what to look for, I can just react and hit the ball.”

The Hoosiers were not able to keep the rally going in the seventh, thus forfeiting their home win streak.

Although the end of the streak appeared painful, they picked up their first win against a ranked opponent in their second game Saturday. They also did so against the top-ranked team in the Big Ten.

In the Hoosiers’ 7-2 win in the second game Saturday, hitting was all that mattered. Although the team was out-hit 10-to-9 by Michigan, Indiana scored early and often by touching home plate three times in the third inning.

Wagner stole the show by again going a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate. She also tied her career-high four RBI and recorded her sixth home run of the season.

However, it was not the only time a Hoosier hit would clear the fence. Freshman Bri Meyer recorded her first collegiate home run while adding one more run in the sixth to make the game 7-2. The win also marked sophomore Meaghan Murphy’s second conference win in three collegiate conference starts.

The loss was Michigan’s first in Big Ten play and 10th overall. The win gave Indiana one apiece against both conference teams it has faced thus far.

On Sunday, both teams met for a finale tiebreaker. Ultimately, it would be the Wolverines reversing Saturday’s 7-2 Indiana win to defeat the Hoosiers by the same score.

The Hoosiers failed to score early after forfeiting two runners in scoring position from fielder’s choice outs in the first inning.

“I think if we just scored when we had runners on, it would’ve helped,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said. “We had girls on and no outs. We need to be able to score there. If we do, then Michigan isn’t so loose and free and fine.”

Following another Michigan run in the top of the fourth, the Hoosiers attempted a late-inning rally as they have numerous times this season.

Junior Samantha Heyman started a rally in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a single on a dropped pop fly from right field. Sophomore Jenna Abraham then followed with a double to move Heyman into scoring position.

Heyman and Abraham then both scored off of a groundout RBI from junior Kelsey Brannon and Meyer, respectively, to bring the game within three going into the sixth.

However, in the next series, Michigan hitter Amanda Chidester blasted a home run into the scoreboard, concluding her perfect day of hitting and concluding any hopes of a Hoosier rally.

The Hoosiers will face rival Purdue this weekend at the IU Softball Field. Gardner said she looks to use this weekend’s 1-2 series as motivation for the upcoming conference games.

“We’re going to be working on mental toughness,” Gardner said. “We’re having too many mental breakdowns, and we need to be better.”