Indiana softball finished a historic regular season with a sweep of Michigan State at Andy Mohr Field May 5-7 while breaking records along the way.
The records coming in favored Indiana, considering it entered the series in second place in the Big Ten, whereas Michigan State was last. The series played to that narrative, as Team 50 beat the Spartans 9-1, 9-5 and 3-1 to reach 40 wins in the regular season.
Michigan State was the third straight team Indiana swept to finish on a nine-game winning streak after road sweeps over Rutgers and Michigan.
Game one, which only lasted five innings as Indiana won via run rule, was all about sophomore Brianna Copeland. Copeland hit her 11th home run of the season, a two-run blast on the first pitch she saw to give Indiana a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Copeland proceeded to earn her sixth complete game on the mound, pitching all five innings and only giving up one unearned run in the top of the first inning while striking out four to improve her record to 19-2.
Freshman infielder Taryn Kern hit a two-run double to deep right field and sophomore outfielder Taylor Minnick had a pair of extra-base hits, including her first triple of the season, to pace Indiana offensively. The game ended in the bottom of the fifth after freshman Chloe Geijer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, as Indiana run-ruled an opponent for the 12th time this season.
Kern took the spotlight in Saturday’s contest. The freshman broke the single-season record for most runs batted in with three RBI in the game, and the record-breaker in the fourth inning with a double to left field to score redshirt-junior utility player Cora Bassett. The record was previously held by IU Hall of Famer and Olympian Michelle Venturella. Kern also broke Venturella’s single-season home run record earlier this year in a win over Minnesota.
Kern had three hits on Saturday, with the final one being her 22nd home run to left center to give Indiana an 8-5 advantage.
Sunday’s series finale was much lower scoring as the Hoosiers won 3-1, but that doesn’t mean Indiana didn’t set another record. Kern recorded her 12th double in the third, Indiana’s 96th double this season to break the single-season record, previously held in 1994.
Sophomore pitcher Heather Johnson improved to 14-6 in the circle, pitching 5 ⅔ innings of one-run ball.
Results elsewhere across the conference in the final weekend of the regular season meant Indiana earned the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, which begins Wednesday at Eichelberger Field in Champagne, Illinois.
Indiana receives a bye to the quarterfinals and will play Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET against the winner of No. 7 Penn State and No. 10 Michigan, who play Wednesday in the second of four games to open the tournament.
All games will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network. The full bracket and tournament schedule can be viewed here. The winner of the 12-team, single-elimination tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Follow reporters Austin Platt (@AustinPlatter) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) for updates throughout the softball season.
