As a tarp covered Andy Mohr Field and fans threw on their raincoats while emptying the stands for a rain delay after the top of the third inning Sunday, Indiana softball trailed Maryland 8-4 in the first game of its three-game series.
Rainy conditions caused both sides to struggle defensively to start the game. However, the Hoosiers fell behind early after walking 11 batters in the first three innings.
But once play resumed, Indiana flipped the script. The Hoosiers scored 16 unanswered runs in the next two innings, propelling the Cream and Crimson to a 20-10 victory over the Terrapins.
Indiana got out to a fast start offensively in the opening frame. Junior catcher Avery Parker lined a single down the left side to bring senior pitcher and utility player Brianna Copeland in to score. Later in the first inning, sophomore utility player Alex Cooper roped a two-RBI double to even the game at 3-3.
Copeland started in the circle for the Hoosiers. Coming off a career-high 13 strikeouts against Ohio State on March 31, Copeland struggled with her control early.
The Pelham, Alabama, native exited midway through the second inning after surrendering a two-run home run and a sacrifice fly in the first, before walking four straight batters in the second inning to fall behind 3-4.
After a strong start, the Terrapins added four more runs, while Parker hit a sacrifice groundout to bring Copeland around the bases for her second run of the game in the 2nd inning, bringing Maryland’s lead to 8-4 before a lengthy rain delay.
However, this break from action may have been what the Hoosiers needed to sway Maryland’s momentum.
Once play resumed in the bottom of the third inning, senior outfielder Kinsey Mitchell sparked the Hoosiers’ scoring run, hitting a double to score sophomore utility player Aly VanBrandt.
With Copeland re-entering the circle, the Hoosiers held the Terrapins to its first scoreless inning of the game in the fourth frame.
Indiana’s bats came out ready at the bottom of the fourth frame. The Hoosiers hit their way to a 15-run inning — their highest single-inning run total of the season.
In their dominant inning, six Hoosiers earned an RBI, including freshman catcher and infielder Josie Bird, who picked up two RBIs for the third consecutive game.
Following a historic game against Ohio State where she hit three home runs to tie a single game program record, Copeland collected four RBIs as part of the big inning to add to her totals.
Meanwhile, Parker, senior outfielder Taylor Minnick and redshirt junior outfielder Melina Wilkison each hit a home run in the frame. Minnick added to her team-leading total in the category and led the Hoosiers to a 20-10 comeback victory.
After their scoring outburst, the Hoosiers carried their momentum into the final two games of the weekend series to win the second game 2-0 and swept the series with a 6-3 victory in the final game. Following the weekend, Indiana sits on a 26-10 overall record, while improving to 6-5 in conference play.
The Hoosiers will get a break from conference play as they are set to host the University of Louisville. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Andy Mohr Field.
