Before Big Ten play, IU softball didn’t have a reliable second ace. Junior Tara Trainer gets a majority of the starts for the Hoosiers, but with sophomore Josie Wood's continued struggles, IU needed someone else to step in.
Despite being used as the primary closer to begin the season, sophomore Emily Goodin has become the full-fledged No. 2 starter for the Hoosiers. Her emergence is why the IU pitching rotation sits atop of the Big Ten with a 1.25 ERA and 6-0 conference record.
Goodin will be relied on heavily this weekend as the Hoosiers welcome a high-powered Nebraska team to Andy Mohr Field.
“We’ve been successful because of our defense,” Goodin said. “Our defense has made great plays, and without those plays, our ERA wouldn’t be as low as it is. We also have to give credit to Coach Bell for her pitch calls, because without those two factors, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are.”
For the most part this season, Nebraska has been receiving votes in the USA Today poll due to a 25-11 overall and 3-3 Big Ten record. The Cornhuskers have played a tough schedule to this point, as they’ve picked up three ranked wins on the season.
IU and Nebraska have played numerous common opponents including Oklahoma, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Northwestern and Michigan State.
The Cornhuskers provide a tough challenge for the Hoosiers, considering junior outfielder Alyvia Simmons and sophomore infielder Tristen Edwards hold the top two spots in the Big Ten with a .579 and .533 BA. Simmons has been a consistent contributor for hits with 11 and nine runs. But Edwards is a heavy hitter: she has eight hits, seven runs and four home runs in the Big Ten alone.
“We’ve watched Nebraska play a couple times in preseason tournaments, and they’re very much like Ohio State as far as their ability to hit,” IU Coach Shonda Stanton said. “The key is working ahead.”
If IU wants to find success this weekend against Nebraska, it’ll come at the plate. The Cornhuskers sit towards the bottom of the Big Ten with a 4.79 ERA and have given up 50 hits in the six conference games.
The Hoosiers can rely on their pitching and defense to show up, but last weekend in the three wins against Michigan State, IU didn’t score many runs like the prior series against Ohio State. In each of its three Big Ten wins, Nebraska scored six or more runs, but in the three losses, the Cornhuskers failed to score more than five runs.
“We got to watch them play a few games at Georgia Tech, and the coaches do a great job getting scouting reports together,” Goodin said. “I think we’re more prepared than they are.”
This has been a historic start to Big Ten play for the Hoosiers. Nebraska provides another tough challenge but behind the pitching duo of Trainer and Goodin, IU has a chance to stay on top of the conference standings.
“We’ll see results in Big Ten play is what we told them,” Stanton said. “It’s been fun that we’ve seen it. Even though we only won four games in the preseason, we saw progress in the process. The buy-in is there, and they’re working hard, getting after it. I’m excited to go into a great matchup with Nebraska this weekend.”
