It’s unquestionable that Indiana’s offense has often been the primary cause of the team’s success in its 31 wins so far this season. That certainly showed on Sunday, when the Hoosiers completed their sweep of Purdue with a 9-0 win in five innings.
The questions about whether or not Indiana will be capable of contending with the best in the Big Ten and the nation in the postseason don’t stem from the lineup. In recent years, if an outside observer ever cast doubt upon the Hoosiers, the offense hasn’t been the reason quite as often as the pitching staff.
However, in the process of sweeping Purdue, Indiana proved that the pitching staff is capable of leading the way to wins against quality opponents.
Purdue scored two runs in three games this past weekend, never able to establish a sense of offensive rhythm. Moriah Polar, who had a batting average above .600 before the trip to Bloomington, was astoundingly unable to record a hit.
After the game, Indiana head coach Shonda Stanton expressed her approval.
“Our pitchers have done a phenomenal job,” Stanton said. “I couldn’t be any more pleased because this is the time we need them.”
Notably, Indiana accomplished its triumphs without sending a third pitcher into the circle in any game. The first two pitchers of each contest performed well enough and lasted long enough to render the insertion of a third pitcher unnecessary.
After the game on Sunday, Stanton spoke about her plan for Brooke Mannon, who closed the series finale in the circle.
“We wanted to limit exposure day one and day two,” Stanton said. “...and look, we didn't even have to use her until today, and so that was pretty cool to see.”
The preservation of arm strength is particularly important in this busy stretch of the schedule. After a weekend series against their rivals, the Hoosiers play both Notre Dame at home on Tuesday and Louisville on the road on Wednesday before travelling to Iowa City for three games against the Hawkeyes.
In the past, shortcomings in the circle have been the downfall of the Hoosiers. Last season, Indiana boasted the best batting average in the Big Ten, but ranked 14th in ERA. In the NCAA Tournament, Oklahoma State booted Indiana to the elimination bracket of the Fayetteville regional with an 11-6 win and later eliminated the Hoosiers from the tournament entirely with a 16-8 win. The Hoosiers assembled a respectable offensive output, but couldn’t prevent their opponents from surpassing it.
In the ensuing offseason, Indiana added a freshman and three pitchers from the transfer portal to the staff. Sophomore Ella Troutt, who allowed zero earned runs in a total of over eight innings against Purdue, transferred in from Georgia. Junior Brooke Mannon, who marshaled the final four outs of the series finale, transferred in from Arizona. Aubree Hooks started on Saturday as a freshman, and junior Megan Gregory joined the staff as a transfer from Campbell as well.
Indiana, without a doubt, is a very good team. That’s been clear since February. What may indicate that this team is not only very good, but great, is the recent elevation of the pitching staff’s achievement.
In the past, Indiana has been a very good team with a resume deserving of inclusion in the NCAA Tournament, but one without the pitching prowess required to compete with the nation’s most elite lineups day after day.
After allowing less than three runs in three games against Purdue, it’s reasonable to suggest that this year might be different.
This season’s version of Indiana is also very good, highlighted by an explosive lineup that seems to astound the fanbase week after week. However, this group of Hoosiers may not meet the same fate as the previous few, who scored runs and won games but couldn’t advance to a super regional.
The pitching staff is performing at its best at the best possible time. Indiana is on pace to participate in both the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, and it may have the arms to execute a postseason run that reaches recently untouched territory.
Throughout the entire season, Indiana’s offense has powered the Hoosiers to wins time and time again. As the postseason creeps ever closer, the pitching staff is proving to be capable of doing the same.
If the pitching staff, in tandem with the lineup, fires on all cylinders like it did this past weekend against Purdue, there’s no telling how much this team can accomplish.
