After losing its first Big Ten series of the season, IU softball will have a break from conference play Tuesday night.
The Hoosiers welcome Butler for a key nonconference doubleheader. The first two nonconference midweek games that IU tried to play against Louisville and Western Kentucky were moved or canceled due to weather. But the forecast looks clear enough to figure that the doubleheader will be good to go.
“We have to come in and work on individually what we need to get better at,” sophomore infielder Katie Lacefield said. “If we can work on doing our job, I think as a team we can be successful.”
Butler sits at 12-19 on the year and went 1-2 this past weekend against Creighton. The Bulldogs are led by junior outfielder Jenna Foreman who has a .388 BA, 40 hits, 17 runs and 26 stolen bases. But as a team, they sit second to last in the conference with a .226 BA.
Where Butler lacks in hitting, is made up for in pitching. Freshman Alyssa Graves has been phenomenal in the circle for the Bulldogs. Her 2.19 ERA sits atop the Big East.
IU leads the all-time series, 10-2-1. The Hoosiers took the pair of games when they last met in 2011. Butler did take the 2017 fall exhibition game, 3-2 in eight innings.
After losing a hard-fought series to Nebraska, the nonconference matchup should come as a refresher for the Hoosiers in the middle of Big Ten play.
“Butler is well-coached and has a good ball club,” IU Coach Shonda Stanton said. “They’re going to come in here and it’s going to be a great midweek test to get us ready for Maryland."
Phillip Steinmetz
