Indiana softball finished 3-2 this weekend at the Unconquered Invitational in Tallahassee, Florida. Indiana swept Hofstra University and then got swept by No. 3 Florida State University.
Indiana went 2-2 at the First Pitch Classic the weekend before, and head coach Shonda Stanton noticed improvement from the last time the team played.
“We got better this weekend,” Stanton said. “You want to continue making progress as a team.”
Hofstra
Indiana beat Hofstra 8-4 on Friday. Graduate student third baseman Grayson Radcliffe hit her first home run of the season to center field in the bottom of the first inning to put the Hoosiers on the board.
Indiana’s pitching staff recorded 15 strikeouts during the game, nine of which came from freshman pitcher Brianna Copeland. Six came from freshman pitcher Heather Johnson.
Related: [Indiana softball shows inconsistency, goes 2-2 at the FAU First Pitch Classic]
In the second matchup on Saturday, sophomore pitcher Macy Montgomery pitched a complete game for a 4-0 win. Junior second baseman Cora Bassett hit an inside the park home run that put the Hoosiers up 1-0 after the top half of the first inning. Senior utility player Brittany Ford doubled in the third inning and was replaced by pinch runner junior utility player Abby Meeks. Meeks then scored on a single from senior left fielder Juvia Davis to put the Hoosiers up 3-0.
Indiana defeated Hofstra 6-0 in the two teams’ final game on Sunday. Sophomore catcher Lindsey Warick started the scoring for Indiana with an RBI single down the right field line in the second inning.
Bassett then hit a one-run home run to make it 2-0. Indiana was able to capitalize on errors from Hofstra and score two runs, extending the lead to 4-0. Sophomore utility player Grace Lorsung hit a sacrifice fly to get sophomore shortstop Brooke Benson home for the RBI. Warick hit the final RBI to get junior left fielder Tatum Hayes home and win the game.
No. 3 Florida State
Indiana lost its first game to Florida State 9-0 on Friday. Florida State got the scoring started with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, and Indiana was unable to respond. Florida State carried its momentum into the fourth inning, scoring six runs to end the game in the fifth inning due to the NCAA mercy rule, which states the game stops if one team is ahead by eight or more runs after five innings.
The second game, in which Indiana lost 3-1, was far more competitive.The first run wasn’t scored until the fourth inning, when Hayes came in to pinch run. She stole second base, getting in position to score on a hit from Warick. But despite the early Indiana lead, a three-run rally during the bottom of the sixth inning put Florida State on top to win the game.
Indiana will head back home to Andy Mohr Field in Bloomington, Indiana, for its home season opener against Valparaiso University at 1 p.m. Saturday. Indiana will play a total of four games Saturday and Sunday, with two against Valparaiso University and two against Western Illinois University.
