Despite posting a 2-7 record after two nonconference tournaments, IU Coach Michelle Gardner said there’s no pressure on her team entering this weekend.
The Hoosiers will head south to Alabama to take part in a tournament that Samford University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham are co-hosts to. Losers of their last four games, the Hoosiers have focused on fundamental drills in practice this past week.
“I think we’re trying to focus on executing,” Gardner said. “I don’t want them to worry about the teams on the other side of the field.”
Of IU’s four opponents this weekend, only Samford reached the NCAA Tournament in 2016. However, the Bulldogs are only 2-8 this season.
IU will also face Iowa State, Murray State and UAB this weekend. The Hoosiers will play the Blazers, currently 1-7, twice, presenting an opportunity to post a winning record in a tournament for the first time this season.
“If you look at us as a team and not our record, I think we’re growing faster than in years before,” junior infielder Rachel O’Malley said. “It’s about working hard in practice and trying to make it more game-like.”
IU has struggled hitting as a team, but O’Malley is off to the best start of her career. She leads the team in batting average and RBIs, and she is tied for the team lead in hits and doubles.
After starting slow last weekend, IU’s bats came alive, plating 12 runs in the tournament’s final two games. O’Malley played a big part in IU’s offensive revival, recording three hits and three RBI in the tournament.
“There have been plenty of games these past two tournaments where I’ve had great hitting games, but we didn’t win,” O’Malley said. ”That was more upsetting to me.”
Sophomore pitcher Emily Kirk will be unable to pitch for the second straight weekend after suffering a broken nose in the season’s first tournament. This means Gardner will again have a limited, three-pitcher rotation at her disposal.
IU allowed more than 1.5 runs per inning last weekend using the same rotation.
The tournament schedule for this weekend has IU playing twice Friday and Sunday, but just once Saturday. This differs from last weekend, when IU played at night Friday and then twice Saturday.
Gardner said she feels this will help when it comes to managing innings thrown.
“We will try to go one, two and then have the third pitcher throw on Saturday,” Gardner said. “If we can get whole games out of them, then perfect.”
Even if IU’s pitching improves, its hitting will need to continue to be on the upswing. Most of the damage done by the Hoosiers this season has come with two outs.
IU hits at a .237 average overall, but .298 with two outs. Additionally, 17 of the team’s 22 RBI have come in this situation.
“We have this idea that we don’t talk about average and we focus on if we got our job done,” O’Malley said. “If I get a hit when nobody’s on, then it’s just a hit.”
With noticeable improvements at the plate and a favorable tournament schedule to look forward to, Gardner cited last weekend as evidence of her team’s resiliency.
“Last week’s game against Texas showed our maturity,” Gardner said. “We were tired and we came out and scored seven runs. They’re going to come out and play, I’m not worried about them.”
