Going into Tuesday night’s game, Indiana softball looked to get back in the win column, as it had been stuck in a rut for the past five games. However, Team 51 looked like its usual self in Louisville, Kentucky, when it took on the University of Louisville in a midweek matchup.
After struggling in the batter's box last weekend, the Hoosiers swung the sticks well against the Cardinals and recorded a season-high 16 hits. As the Big Ten’s leaders in fewest strikeouts in the batter's box, the team put it on display.
The Hoosiers excelled in the top of the second inning, scoring six runs on five hits. Sophomore catcher Avery Parker singled to center field, which ultimately led to her scoring two batters later after an infield error got the Hoosiers rolling. Cassidy Kettleman, the sophomore outfielder, recorded an RBI double before the weather took over and sent the game into a one-hour weather delay.
Once the game resumed, junior pitcher/utility player Brianna Copeland hit an RBI single to keep the momentum rolling. A walk with the bases loaded brought in another run. Parker was back in the box and hit a two-RBI double to stamp a 6-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
On the defensive side, Copeland was in the circle to start things off and only allowed two hits on 16 at-bats with three strikeouts.
Junior outfielder Taylor Minnick hit a double down the line to score Copeland and continue the streak for the Hoosiers. It didn’t stop there when junior infielder Sarah Stone followed with an RBI single to give them a controlling 8-0 lead in the top of the fourth.
Copeland recorded her third hit of the day with an RBI to go up 9-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
It was starting to look like the Hoosiers would end the game with the run rule headed into sixth inning, but the Cardinals had an answer.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Hoosier defense began to collapse, and freshman utility player Alex Cooper subbed in for Copeland in a bases-loaded situation that began the Cardinals' run.
Louisville scored five runs with the Indiana pitcher's circle on a rotation, subbing in the circle three times in attempts to control the Cardinals.
However, throughout the game, the Hoosiers' base running was stellar, as it typically is, and it made a big difference this matchup.
Parker continued to excel in the batter's box with her third hit and second double of the day that led to Kettleman having an RBI single to score Parker to add another to the lead. Cooper also came in big in the top of the sixth with an RBI double to make it an 11-5 game.
The Cardinals didn’t back down, though, which led to another stressful inning for the Hoosiers, who had three different pitchers in the circle and five infielders at one point. Still, the Cardinals found a way back home to make it an 11-6 game heading into the seventh inning, keeping hope alive.
On offense, the Hoosiers didn’t execute in the final inning but sealed the game on defense with Copeland picking up where she started in the circle to seal the game.
Team 51 picked up the program's first-ever road win in Louisville after going 0-12 before. The Hoosiers also snapped their five-game losing streak, improving to 23-9 overall.
Indiana continues Big Ten play Friday through Sunday when it faces Michigan at Andy Mohr Field in hopes of getting its first conference win.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Sam Elster (@samelster1) for updates throughout the Indiana softball season.
