Frustration struck the face of redshirt junior outfielder Melina Wilkison as a ball flew over her head and beyond the fences. A two-run home run hit by the reigning National Player of the Year NiJaree Canady pushed No. 12 Texas Tech University to an 8-0 lead in just the second inning of play as they went on to defeat Indiana softball 8-0.
That frustration describes the ups and downs the Hoosiers faced in their weekend tournament in Lubbock, Texas, on Feb. 21- 23.
Indiana softball started off strong in the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic by defeating the University of Illinois Chicago on Friday night, 7-4. The offense and defense were clicking against the Flames; seven different Hoosiers had a hit in the game, including freshman outfielder Hannah Haberstroh’s first career hit and RBI. Freshman pitcher Jasmine Reyes picked up her second win of the season as she threw four strikeouts across four innings of work.
The Hoosiers' efficiency continued over into their first game Saturday with a dominant 12-2 run-rule victory over the University of Texas at El Paso, moving their win streak to 10 games. However, the Hoosiers’ offensive and defensive efficiency was absent later that day when they faced the No. 12 Red Raiders and were shut out 8-0.
The Hoosiers were unable to come up with answers to stop Texas Tech, led by Canady, who struck out nine of the final 11 Hoosiers she faced in addition to her two-run homerun.
The Red Raiders got out to a hot start, scoring six runs in the first inning with the help of junior utility Alana Johnson’s grand slam. Texas Tech then went on to score two more runs in the second inning to go up 8-0 on the Hoosiers.
The Hoosiers held the Red Raiders to eight runs throughout the remaining innings but were unable to get on the board themselves. Wilkison was credited with the one hit for the Hoosiers all game, compared to Texas Tech’s 10 hits.
Indiana looked to turn things around in its final game of the weekend Sunday, when it had to face Texas Tech once again.
The Hoosiers got off to a much better start in their second matchup with the Red Raiders on Sunday thanks to Wilkison, who doubled to left field and brought home freshman infielder Madalyn Strader to put the team up 1-0 in the top of the third.
The Hoosiers played strong defense and held their 1-0 lead until the fifth inning, when things took a turn for Indiana. The Red Raiders scored all seven of their runs in the fifth inning with the help of yet another grand slam from Alana Johnson. The Red Raiders went on to win 7-2.
In both games against Texas Tech, Indiana allowed an explosive inning of offense that created too large of a deficit to come back from. A six-run first inning Saturday followed by a seven-run fifth inning Sunday served to be too much for the Hoosiers to handle.
Wilkison was the only Hoosier able to record a hit in both matchups against the Red Raiders.
Indiana will look to bounce back and get back in the win column Friday against Lafayette College in the Tiger Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina. The first pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.
