Indiana Softball Rallies to Beat Louisville, Stay Alive in Knoxville Regional

Down to their final few outs of the season, Indiana rallied for a run in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh to beat Louisville in an elimination game at the NCAA Tournament's Knoxville regional. The Hoosiers now take on Tennessee later on Sunday afternoon.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Things were looking bleak for Indiana on Sunday in its NCAA Tournament elimination game with Louisville in the Knoxville Regional. But the Hoosiers have a simple philosophy. They play through the last out.

They scored a run in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh, winning 4-2 and keeping their season alive. They now face top-seed Tennessee at 4:55 p.m. ET on Sunday. Tennessee, the SEC regular-season and tournament champions, beat Indiana 9-1 on Saturday.

"It's dance and advance, not one and done and I think it's all mentality,'' Indiana coach Shonda Stanton said. "Even when it goes bad, there's still opportunity. For us, as long as we have strikes — or bunts — we have a shot, all the way down to the last out.

"I'm super proud of our group. We punched our ticket to championship Sunday, and we're one of 32 teams still playing right now. It's what you want, to have that opportunity.''

Indiana fell behind early, giving up two runs in the second inning, only one of them earned. An errant throw to first on a pick-off play went into right field, allowing the Cardinals to get their first run. They got their second on a double by center fielder  Korby Otis.

Indiana hit the ball hard early, but Louisville (36-19) was exceptional defensively early, with several great plays to keep the Hoosiers hitless through four innings.

Indiana reliever Heather Johnson kept them in the game, getting 15 straight outs after taking over in the third inning. 

''She goes by the nickname 'Big Fella,' and she was 'Big Fella' on the mound,'' Stanton said. ''She was all command, pounding the zone and composed and poised. Our game plan (Saturday), thinking we were going to play two (games) and we were going to pitch her.

"We wanted to get one time through the order (with starter Brianna Copeland) because of the change of pace she gives us, and she was terrific. She kept us in the game and gave us a chance to come back. That's all you can ever ask for, but she was something else. That's a great lineup over there, and she shut them down completely.'' 

Louisville threatened early, loading the bases with none out in the first inning on two singles and a walk, but Indiana starter Brianna Copeland got a strikeout and then coaxed a ground ball right to third baseman Cora Bassett. She stepped on third and then threw to first for an inning-ending double play.

In the sixth inning, Bassett and Tayrn Kern opened the inning with singles, moved up on a groundout by Taylor Minnick and Bassett scored on a groundout by Sarah Stone to make it 2-1.

In the seventh, down to their final three outs. Avery Parker and Cassidy Kettleman opened the frame with singles. Kinsey Mitchell bunted them over to second and third. Brooke Benson then laid done a squeeze bunt, but it was right in from of home plate, so Parker couldn't advance. But the throw to first from Louisville catcher Sarah Gordon sailed into right field and both runners scored to give Indiana a 3-2. They tacked on an insurance run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bassett, scoring Benson

Johnson didn't need it, though, getting three quick outs to end the game. Now it's on to a second shot at Tennessee, the No. 4 overall seed. Johnson will start for the Hoosiers.

"Just going to keep it rolling with the 'Big Fella,'' Stanton said. ''She's got it going, so hopefully we can keep it up. Tennessee has a great lineup and we need to make good pitches and keep them in the ballpark.'' 

Related stories on Indiana softball

• HOOSIERS FALL TO TENNESSEE: Indiana caught a bad break with two rain delays on Saturday, and nothing went their way in a 9-1 loss to Tennessee in the NCAA softball tournament in Knoxville. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA BEATS LOUISVILLE IN NCAA OPENER: Even though it got a little scary at the end, Indiana beat Louisville 4-3 on Friday in the NCAA Tournament softball regional in Knoxville, Tenn. It was their first NCAA win in exactly 17 years, snapping a four-game tourney losing streak. CLICK HERE
• TARYN KERN LEADS HOOSIERS: Indiana softball second baseman Taryn Kern has left a huge mark on the Hoosiers' season, and it's not even over yet. The freshman leads the nation in home runs and her team in batting average as she looks for the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. CLICK HERE