IU will be host to No. 2 Michigan this weekend as IU looks to use its hot start to take down Michigan for the first time in four years.
IU (20-10, 3-0 in Big Ten) has won nine of its last 10 games, including a sweep against Iowa to begin the conference schedule last weekend. Michigan (24-3, 2-1) suffered a close 13-12 loss to Northwestern last weekend but rebounded to take the last two games of the series.
For IU Coach Michelle Gardner, the series against Michigan always means a little more, and not only because the Wolverines have won the last eight Big Ten titles.
Gardner was a standout pitcher for Michigan in the 1980s, including 1988 when she was named Big Ten player of the year.
Michigan Coach Carol Hutchins mentored Gardner in her years at the school and remains in charge today. Gardner said there is a great deal of respect between the two coaches and added “Hutch,” as she is colloquially known, always shares great insight.
“She’s my mentor, she was my coach, she’s my friend,” Gardner said. “It’s one of those things where I believe we truly have a mutual respect for one another.”
In years past, the friends have crossed paths plenty of times in blowouts and noncompetitive games. In fact, IU beat Michigan in 2011 and 2012, but has had only those two wins to show since 1996.
This season, IU is in the midst of its best year since 2012. The Hoosiers sit above Michigan in the Big Ten standings. Although Gardner knows the Hoosiers are still underdogs, she said she has faith in their ability to win a game or two.
“The hitting is finally starting to come along, and we’re winning some games because the pitching is keeping us in them,” Gardner said. “I feel like this is the time to be able to really take that next step.”
The Hoosiers have faced off against top-25 teams five times this year and lost each time. But every game was decided by four runs or less, leaving IU’s coaches and players with a desire to beat elite opposition and prove its legitimacy.
Senior catcher Kassi Farmer said the team feels ready to start beating the best teams in the nation, and her play during the last two weeks may be key if the Hoosiers are to pull out some wins this weekend.
After taking over behind the plate for injured senior Kelsey Dotson in mid-March, Farmer saw an uptick in both opportunities and successes. The native of Columbia, Illinois, has three multi-hit games in her last five appearances and has batted 8-21 in the last two weeks. The outburst has seen Farmer’s average rise to .273 this season.
Farmer has maintained the high level of success thanks to the pitching staff that carried Indiana through its offensive woes in the beginning of the year.
With a team ERA of 2.46, the Hoosiers rank second in the Big Ten and No. 37 nationally.
“One of my goals as a senior catcher with freshman pitching is to really help mentor them and get them ready,” Farmer said. “I like to say that’s my job, to make the pitchers look good.”
IU’s wins over Iowa marked the first opening series sweep for IU since 1997, and the Hoosiers have scored eight runs per game in their last six contests.
Farmer will be in charge of guiding young Hoosier pitchers through a treacherous Wolverine lineup that features four hitters with averages higher than .400. Michigan has tagged opposing pitchers to the tune of a .351 team batting average and nine runs per game.
“We’ve played them really close the last few years, and coming off a sweep, hopefully we can keep that momentum going,” Farmer said. “Having the home field advantage is going to be good for us.”
