Indiana softball opened Big Ten play over the weekend with a two-game set against Iowa. Heading into the 2025 season, the Hoosiers had won four straight matchups against Iowa with their last loss coming in 2021. Despite Indiana’s late-inning offensive heroics, the Hawkeyes’ back-to-back strong starts proved too much to overcome as the Hoosiers fell to 0-2 in conference play.
Senior pitcher and utility player Brianna Copeland got the start in the circle for the Cream and Crimson’s conference opener Saturday. Going into the matchup with Iowa, Copeland rode three straight shutout performances across 11 2/3 innings. Yet the Hawkeyes’ offense strung together four runs in the second inning to end Copeland’s hot streak.
After scoring a run in the first frame, sophomore infielder Jena Young lifted a three-run homerun to right center field in the top of the second inning to give the Hawkeyes an early 4-0 lead. Later in the inning, sophomore infielder Soo-Jin Berry hit a solo home run to extend their lead to 5-0.
Despite falling behind early, the Hoosiers continued to battle in the batter's box as senior outfielder Kinsey Mitchell roped a three-RBI double to get Indiana on the board in the third inning.
As the two teams traded scores in the fourth inning and the Hawkeyes added an extra run in the top of the sixth, the Hoosiers trailed 7-4 going into the bottom of the sixth frame.
With sophomore utility player Alex Cooper on second base, senior outfielder Taylor Minnick blasted a two-run home run –– her team-leading seventh of the season –– to bring Indiana within one run. However, the Cream and Crimson failed to score the rest of the way as they started conference play with a 7-6 loss.
Looking to continue its strong hitting at the plate in game two Sunday, Iowa got out to a 6-1 lead in the top of the fourth frame, opening another comeback bid for the Hoosiers.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, redshirt junior outfielder Melina Wilkison drew a clutch walk to score a run. In the next frame, Copeland lined an RBI single to bring the game to 6-3.
With a runner on base and Indiana threatening, junior catcher and utility player Avery Parker entered the batter’s box in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Westfield, Indiana, native skied the ball past the right center wall to bring the Hoosiers within one run as she hit her seventh home run of the season, tying Minnick for the team lead.
However, the Hoosiers comeback hopes fell short once again as they stranded the tying run on second base in the final frame to lose 6-5, dropping to 0-2 in Big Ten play and 19-7 on the season.
Following its two losses to Iowa, Indiana takes a break from conference play as it travels to South Bend, Indiana, for a matchup against the University of Notre Dame. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday as the game will stream on the ACC Network.
