IU softball finished the weekend 2-2 at Eichelberger Field in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, against Illinois and moved to 16-16 this season. The programs played two doubleheaders Friday and Sunday because of weather conditions.
“I think both teams were dealing with the same thing,” head coach Shonda Stanton said. “Sure, doubleheaders are long days, but we know the grind and the compressed schedule, so it didn’t really affect the team much.”
The first game on Friday was close. Senior catcher Bella Norton hit a home run and both senior left fielder Gabbi Jenkins and senior center fielder Taylor Lambert hit RBIs to ring up five runs. Jenkins also took the official lead of the Big Ten doubles category with 13. However, it wasn’t enough to secure the victory as Illinois scored two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to win 7-5.
The Hoosiers bounced back the second game. IU senior pitcher Emily Goodin only gave up two runs, one of which was a home run. The offense produced seven runs behind an RBI single from Jenkins and three home runs from senior infielder Grayson Radcliffe, Lambert and Norton.
The Hoosiers lost the third game 2-0. The only runs that came in were from senior catcher Bella Loya and graduate student Lakyn Wagoner. The fourth game was a very low-scoring game as well. A home run from freshman shortstop Brooke Benson was the sole run scored as IU won it 1-0.
IU softball will return home next weekend to take on Michigan State starting Friday. The Spartans are 9-16 this season and split their last series 2-2 at home against the Purdue Boilermakers.
