Softball travels to Wildcat Invitational

After ending a 12-game losing streak with a 3-3 tie against Troy last weekend, the IU softball team is looking to win as they head to Tuscon, Ariz., for the Wildcat Invitational.

The Hoosiers are set to face off against the University of Texas-Arlington, the University of Longwood, Valparaiso University and No. 14 Arizona.

IU’s first opponent, UT Arlington, is off to a 10-6 start this season.

Last weekend, the Mavericks went 4-2 in the UTA Hilton Invitational while scoring more than five runs during three of those games.

In addition to a high-scoring offense, UT Arlington has shutout three opponents this season, two of which occurred last weekend.

The Hoosiers, currently averaging 2.71 runs per game, will face a pitching staff that allows 4.75 earned runs per game.

IU Coach Michelle Gardner said that the team improves every week, but she wants to see more balance on offense.

“Last weekend, we had a couple of really good games,” Gardner said. “We just didn’t come out with wins. We’ve really been working on being more balanced at the plate.”

IU will play Longwood for the opening game of Saturday’s double-header.

Longwood has a 3-1 record after opening the season last weekend at the Longwood Spring Classic. The team’s only loss was to Townson, a game that went to extra innings, by one run.

The Hoosiers will be pitching to a Longwood offense that averages six runs per game.
For the concluding game of Saturday’s double-header, the Hoosiers are set to take on the Valparaiso Crusaders.

Valpo has a 2-7 record, but as the team displayed during a 24-run outing against Seton Hall on Feb. 8, the offense can put runs on the board.

The Crusaders are on a five-game losing streak that includes a narrow 3-2 loss to No. 22 ranked Louisiana last weekend.

IU will conclude the Wildcat Invitational against Arizona Sunday afternoon.
The Wildcats are 14-1, and the game has been called after five innings during eight of those victories due to the NCAA’s Mercy Rule.

In addition, Arizona has one of the top offenses in the nation, averaging 7.86 runs per game. They have surpassed the 10-run mark in five games.

The Wildcats don’t excel just offensively. They allow just .68 runs per game on defense.

Arizona has also shutout eight of its opponents this year.

Gardner said she is pleased with the role the team’s younger members have played this season.

“Their production is huge for us,” she said. “It says a lot about what we are doing. The young kids are really putting up some good numbers and I’m expecting that to continue.”

Freshmen CaraMia Tsirigos, Erin Lehman, Natalie Lalich and Kayla Mathewson have accounted for 23 hits and 34 total bases.

Tsirigos, who hit the first home run of her career against Georgia Southern last weekend, said she was relieved to finally send one over the fence.

“It was an awesome feeling,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming, but it felt good to finally hit one.”