After dropping two out of three to Ohio State last week, Indiana softball returned to Bloomington for a three-game set against Maryland.
With weather forcing some scheduling gymnastics, the series finally got underway at 7:07 p.m. Sunday on Andy Mohr Field. As soon as the first pitch left senior Brianna Copeland’s right hand, the Hoosiers and Terrapins embarked on a wild three game stretch.
This series had everything. Explosive offense, flashy defense, strong pitching and everything in between. As a result, the Hoosiers found out how to win games in multiple different ways on their way to a sweep over Maryland for the second straight series.
Game 1 on Sunday night proved to be the craziest. The Terps pounced on Copeland early as Sydney Lewis tanked a two-run home run over the right field wall for an early 2-0 lead. They would hang onto the lead until the bad weather moved in, causing a lengthy rain delay after just 3.5 innings played.
When play finally resumed at 10:20 p.m., the Hoosiers snatched the momentum back. As head coach Shonda Stanton put it, Indiana “weathered the storm.”
Down 8-4, Indiana’s elite offense came to life, highlighted by a 15-run fourth inning.
“That (inning) was crazy,” Stanton said, adding she’s never been a part of such a unique experience in her career. “I mean, we were hitting shots, too. Missiles.”
Taylor Minnick, Melina Wilkison and Avery Parker all hit home runs in the frame as the Hoosiers would eventually come away with a 20-10 run-rule victory to open the series.
Minnick came to the plate three times in the bottom of the fourth. At one point, the Hoosiers went nine consecutive batters without recording an out.
“It was hit after hit,” Stanton said. “We were big with our bats.”
The teams were quickly back in action on Monday morning for a doubleheader, with first pitch coming at 10:32 a.m. Sunday was the day of the bats, while Monday was the pitchers’ time to shine. Both starters on the mound for Indiana threw complete games.
Jenae Berry, making her return from an injury battle, tossed a complete game shutout in her first game back.
“I definitely was a little banged up, but I was just pumped to be back on the field,” she said. “I got ahead early in counts and was attacking the strike zone.”
By the way she was spinning it, there was hardly any sign of Berry being at less than top strength.
“She was in command the whole time,” Stanton said.
Berry only allowed four hits and two walks (one hit by pitch). She was in command from start to finish. Even when she worked into trouble, there was no wavering in her confidence.
“I knew later in the game they would start hitting more,” the Queen Creek, Arizona native said. “I knew my stuff was better than their best stuff so I just had to keep going after batters and go get the win.”
Berry’s dominance allowed a usually potent Hoosier offense to get away with just two runs, both off the bat of Wilkison, as Indiana clinched the series win with a 2-0 triumph in the morning.
The second game of the day allowed for Copeland to return to the mound for seven innings of work. Despite giving up eight walks, the senior still struck out nine. The belief Stanton has in her has never waned.
“She may get herself in a jam, but she’s going to get herself out,” Stanton said. “There’s a trust factor there.”
The Hoosiers again got sufficient run support to back up Copeland. Taylor Minnick’s 11th home run of the year gave Indiana a quick 2-0 lead before adding three in the next frame to make it 5-0 after two innings.
The Terps made a push, reducing the deficit to two runs and even bringing the go-ahead run to the plate, but couldn’t capitalize.
Minnick added an insurance run with an RBI triple in the bottom of the sixth before Copeland slammed the door shut with two strikeouts in the top of the seventh to close out the 6-3 win.
Indiana is now winners of its past four games. Stanton’s squad is 26-10 overall and has improved to 6-5 in conference play, good enough to hold sole possession of eighth in the Big Ten standings.
Next up for the Hoosiers is a midweek clash with Louisville in their penultimate non-conference game on Wednesday at Andy Mohr Field with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
