On a weekend dedicated to celebrating IU’s seniors, the veterans provided some late-game heroics to help the Hoosiers take two out of three games from No. 25 Ohio State.
IU (26-23, 8-12) secured its first series win since sweeping Iowa in late March, and the first series win over Ohio State (30-14-1, 12-7-1) since 2011.
“It’s huge, because Ohio State is a very good team, they were in the top 25,” IU Coach Michelle Gardner said. “And we beat them, and that’s huge. My kids showed up and played as well as they have in the last month and a half.”
Due to an inauspicious weather forecast for the weekend, the teams played a doubleheader Friday.
In the first game, Hoosier freshman pitcher Tara Trainer held the Buckeyes scoreless for the first five innings. Senior outfielder Shannon Cawley gave the Hoosiers a 1-0 lead in the fifth with a solo home run.
In the top of the sixth, Trainer gave up three runs on an RBI double and a two-run homer and was replaced for fellow freshman pitcher Josie Wood. Wood allowed another run in the top of the seventh, and the Hoosiers trailed 4-1 entering the last half inning.
After a walk and a single brought the tying run to the plate, junior designated hitter CaraMia Tsirigos blasted her team-leading sixth home run of the year to tie the game at 4-4.
Cawley continued her torrid day with a walkoff hit over the center fielder’s head in the eighth inning, and IU won the opener 5-4. Cawley finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the game.
After ceremonies to honor IU’s six seniors were held between games of the doubleheader, the Hoosiers took the field behind Wood for game two and quickly fell behind 3-0 in the first.
Despite tying the game in the third inning thanks to some small ball and sacrifice bunts, Wood and sophomore pitcher Emily Kirk combined for a rough fourth inning and ceded two more runs to the Buckeyes. The Hoosiers were unable to mount a comeback and fell 5-3.
In Sunday’s series finale, IU found themselves behind 3-1 as they entered the sixth inning searching for a spark. After loading the bases with no one out, senior outfielder Michelle Huber stepped to the plate and made her senior weekend one to remember.
“I knew I had two strikes on me, and I wasn’t going to get out, I knew that for sure,” Huber said. “I was just looking for a good pitch to drive, and she threw it out and I just went with it.”
Huber delivered a grand slam to give the Hoosiers a 5-3 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish, as IU secured a series win to wrap up the home schedule.
Gardner heaped praise on her team following the game and noted that she was proud of the effort put forward by the seniors in their final games at Andy Mohr Field.
Cawley wound up batting 6-for-9 in the series with three RBIs and four runs scored, while Huber hit 4-for-9 with the four RBIs Sunday.
IU has just one series remaining this season, on the road against Maryland (11-37, 3-16). The Terrapins are in last place in the Big Ten, giving the Hoosiers prime chance to end the season with another series win.
“All we need to do right now is work on going forward,” Gardner said. “We can’t worry about the Big Ten Tournament, because first we’ve got Maryland.”
