After losing several key players following its 2024 campaign, Indiana softball head coach Shonda Stanton and the Hoosiers added eight freshmen and two transfers to the roster in the offseason. All of their additions saw the field on opening weekend in Miami, where the Hoosiers finished 4-1.
Five freshmen experienced successful plate appearances, including infielders Madalyn Strader and Sydni Burko, catchers Alli Gavin and Josie Bird and outfielder Hannah Haberstroh.
Strader, a four-time All-District selection throughout her Texas high school career, went 6-9 with two RBIs at the plate over the weekend while starting all five games at shortstop.
Burko’s only plate appearance of the weekend came in a pinch-hit situation during the second inning of Friday's 10-0 win against Stony Brook University. Ranked as the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2024 class by Extra Innings Softball, Burko picked up an RBI off a fielder's choice to aid in the Hoosiers’ dominant effort.
Gavin made her collegiate debut in the fifth inning Friday against Stony Brook as a pinch runner. She scored to extend the Hoosiers’ lead in Friday’s matchup with Stony Brook before earning her lone hit of the weekend in Saturday's rematch.
Bird earned five plate appearances throughout the weekend, going 1-4 with a walk in the batter’s box. Her lone hit came in the bottom of the third inning during Sunday's matchup against Iowa State University.
Coming in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning during Saturday’s game against Stony Brook, Haberstroh drew a walk and rounded the bases to give the Hoosiers an 8-1 lead.
Freshman outfielder Peyton Drummond also made her collegiate debut over the weekend. Despite drawing zero plate appearances, the Floyds Knobs, Indiana, native made her mark as a pinch-runner, scoring four runs and compiling three stolen bases across four games.
In the circle, freshmen Jenae Berry and Jasmine Reyes each made two appearances. Pitching in both games against Iowa State, Berry allowed zero earned runs while striking out five across 7 2/3 innings. Reyes surrendered zero earned runs and struck out four across seven innings in two appearances against Stony Brook.
In addition to the contributions made by freshmen, both of the Hoosiers’ transfer portal additions were active opening weekend and are expected to be significant pieces of the team going forward this season.
Redshirt junior outfielder Melina Wilkison, formerly of Ohio State, was productive in her first five starts for the Hoosiers. In 17 at-bats, Wilkison compiled eight hits, including six RBIs and one homerun.
Junior pitcher Taylor Hess spent her first two seasons at the University of Kentucky before transferring to Indiana in June. Hess made her debut against Stony Brook on Friday, when the lefty allowed zero earned run and struck out three across four innings.
After a productive first weekend, the Hoosiers travel to Mexico, where they will begin the Puerto Vallarta Challenge. Their first matchup comes against North Dakota State University (3-2). The game can be streamed at 8 p.m. Thursday on FloSoftball.
