Softball opens season losing four of five

The IU softball team opened its season over the weekend in the Kajikawa Classic. The team finished with a 1-4 record with the lone win coming over the Bradley Braves Friday.

IU sophomore first baseman Kassi Farmer led the offensive output hitting four home runs in a five-game stretch.

“I’ve been working hard with the team to improve my swing,” Farmer said. “I’m still kind of in awe. It is a fun way to start the season.”

In the opening game, the Hoosiers defeated the Bradley Braves in extra innings by a score of 6-3.

IU’s offensive attack started early when Farmer hit a one-run home run in the first inning. The home run was Farmer’s first hit of a 3-for-3 hitting effort that also included a double and two walks.

The Hoosiers maintained a 1-0 lead until the top of the fifth inning when sophomore right fielder Michelle Huber registered her first hit of the game, which drove in two runs to give IU a 3-0 lead.

The lead lasted just one inning. Bradley drove in three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, including a one-run home run by senior Baileigh Basham.

After both teams were unable to take a lead in the final inning, the Hoosiers scored three runs in the top of the eighth to give IU a 6-3 lead.

Senior pitcher Meaghan Murphy started the game for IU and pitched five innings, allowing just two runs. Sophomore pitcher Brooke Boetjer relieved Murphy in the sixth inning.

Boetjer said despite some of the struggles over the weekend, the win over Bradley was just the beginning for the Hoosiers.

“I think that the victory was the first of many to come,” Boetjer said. “Once the team is more cohesive things are really going to start working out for us.”

In the second game of Friday’s double-header, IU fell to Portland State 8-6.

With one out in the top of the third inning, Portland State senior center fielder Becca Bliss drove in freshman second baseman Shae Nelson on a sacrifice fly.

IU responded quickly in the next half inning when freshman first baseman CaraMia Tsirigos drove in junior center fielder Brianna Meyer to tie the game at one.

In the top of the fourth inning, Portland State junior first baseman Brit Hendrickson singled down the left field line to drive in three of the four runs scored in the inning by the Vikings.

The Hoosiers were unable to answer back in the bottom of the fourth, and the Vikings scored three more runs in the top of the fifth to increase the lead to seven runs.

The Hoosiers began a comeback attempt when the freshman duo of second baseman Erin Lehman and left fielder Kayla Mathewson each hit a home run to lead a five-run inning for IU.

The comeback attempt would ultimately fall short.

On Saturday, the Hoosiers faced No. 20-ranked Stanford in the first game of a second consecutive doubleheader.

Stanford scored five runs in the first two innings.

The game was called after five innings when the Hoosiers deficit increased to nine runs. 

The Hoosiers finished Saturday’s doubleheader against the San Jose State, falling 10-7.

IU took a 6-4 lead into the fifth before allowing a total of six runs in the final two innings.

Farmer led the Hoosiers offense with a pair of home runs.

IU concluded the weekend with a 9-2 loss against the Cal Poly Mustangs.

The Hoosiers faced an early 7-0 deficit entering the sixth.

On the first at-bat of the inning, Farmer hit her fourth home run of the weekend.
Farmer’s run would be the first of two scored in the inning by IU.

IU Coach Michelle Gardner said the team has a lot of potential, especially on offense.

“This team is going to score runs,” Gardner said. “Offensively we performed, although we didn’t score against Stanford. I’m telling you, this team is going to be fun to watch. We are going to improve every weekend.”

Follow reporter Dan Matney on Twitter @Dan_Matney.