Indiana took a road trip to Ann Arbor this past weekend, and returned to Bloomington with a pair of wins against the Michigan Wolverines. The Hoosiers displayed great power hitting to win the opener on Friday, consistent offensive output in a loss on Saturday and a combination of both to clinch the series on Sunday.
On Friday, Indiana assumed control over the weekend with an 8-4 win in the series opener. Michigan, a team that possesses plenty of power hitting, sent two pitches back over the fence. The two home runs, which both occurred in the fifth inning, prompted a pitching change.
Redshirt junior Taylor Hess replaced sophomore Ella Troutt in the circle, and stamped out the home team’s comeback bid. The Wolverines never scored under the watch of Hess.
On the other side of the ball, the Hoosiers hit four home runs on Friday in response to Michigan’s two. Avery Parker, Alex Cooper, Madalyn Strader and Josie Bird accounted for five runs with those four thunderous hits.
Much of the series opener appealed to Michigan’s style, with Indiana stranding runners in scoring position and struggling to establish a consistent offensive rhythm. However, the Hoosiers outdueled the Wolverines with superior power hitting.
Saturday sang a much different tune.
Indiana discovered the consistent contact and offensive output it sought the day before, but so did Michigan. Michigan evened the weekend tally with a 9-8 win in the second game of the series, plating two more home runs in the process.
Errors by each defense allowed each offense to score unearned runs, and both lineups incrementally climbed to a combined final score of 17 runs.
Indiana cycled through four pitchers in search of a way to prohibit the Wolverines from continually matching the success of the Hoosiers, but in the end, Michigan emerged victorious when freshman Kiley Carr hit a double with the bases loaded. Carr drove in three runs in the sixth inning with that crucial hit, lifting victory far beyond the reach of her guests.
Junior Brooke Mannon hit a home run in the top of the seventh inning in an attempt to assemble a late rally, but despite consistent contact throughout the afternoon, Indiana couldn’t outpace the Wolverines on Saturday.
In a decisive series finale, Indiana combined Friday’s power hitting with Saturday’s consistent contact to create a triumphant 11-2 win in five innings on Sunday.
Senior Ellie Goins initiated the avalanche with a grand slam in the first inning. The top of the Indiana order consistently and incrementally reached base, and Goins capitalized to the maximum possible magnitude.
Michigan junior Ella Stephenson hit a home run of her own in the same frame, but Indiana scored seven unanswered runs en route to an irrefutable run-rule win.
Senior Avery Parker hit two home runs, and every section of the Indiana lineup contributed to the constant application of offensive pressure that Michigan couldn’t combat. Additionally, Hess pitched a complete game, as the entire team united to ensure that the series win went home with the Hoosiers.
Indiana did take home the series win, and is now one game back from Washington in the Big Ten standings with one series left to play. That placement is important, considering that the top four teams will earn a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament, and Washington currently owns the rights to fourth place.
Indiana is next in action on Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Evansville on Andy Mohr Field, before remaining at home to host Illinois in the final weekend of the regular season. Meanwhile, Washington is set to host Ohio State, as the both teams race towards premier tournament positioning.
