Indiana University’s Taryn Kern named USA Softball Player of the Year Finalist
Indiana softball freshman Taryn Kern is named a Top-25 finalist for 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced on Wednesday. Kern leads the nation in home runs (18) and is at the top of the leaderboard for most home runs in a single season after defeating IU Hall of Famer and Gold Medalist Michelle Venturella’s record. She is also chasing Venturella’s RBI record of 65 in a single season and needs only three RBI to move into the second slot.
The San Jose, Calif., native leads the team with a .417 batting average with 48 hits. She is the front runner in the Big Ten in seven categories: slugging percentage (1.000), OBS (.597), OPS (1.597), RBI (50), home runs (18), walks (32) and hit by pitch (14). The rookie also ranks is second in conference in batting average (.430) and runs scored (46). Kern is one of two freshmen named to the list. The Top-25 will be narrowed down to the Top 10 on May 3 with the Top 3 finalist being announced on May 17.
The Hoosiers will face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a three-game series in Piscataway. The first pitch is set for 3pm on Friday.
Indiana University Swimmer Brendan Burns to return for his fifth year
Two-time NCAA Champion and Big Ten Swimmer of Year Brendan Burns will take advantage of his fifth year of eligibility, the Indiana swimming and diving senior announced on Wednesday. Burns has helped the Hoosiers to back-to-back Big Ten Championships and was IU’s top scoring athlete at each of the last two NCAA Championships, where the Hoosiers placed top five nationally in consecutive seasons. The senior is a four-time NCAA runner-up and 19-time All-American He also owns program records in the 100-yard backstroke (43.61), 200-yard backstroke (1:38.22), 200-yard butterfly (1:38.71), 200-yard medley relay (1:21.52) and 400-yard medley relay (2:59.09).
Burns was named the 2021-22 IU Male Athlete of the Year after becoming the first Hoosier since 1973 to win the NCAA 200-yard butterfly title. A year later, he won his second national title during the 2023 championships, this time in the 100-yard backstroke. The 17-time Big Ten Champion was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Championships for a third-consecutive season at the 2023 meet. Burns is the only athlete to win the 200 back, 200 fly double at the Big Ten Championships and has accomplished the feat three times in his career.
Indiana University Baseball knocks off #10 Louisville at Bart Kaufman Field
Sunshine splashed over Bart Kaufman Field and a national audience watched on ESPNU as the Indiana baseball program worked its way to a 7-3 victory over No. 10 Louisville on Tuesday evening. Louisville (26-10) opened the scoring with a single run in the third inning, but it was a five-run bottom of the third that set the tone for Indiana (26-11). The Hoosiers would add single runs in the fourth and sixth inning, before the Cardinals chipped away with unearned runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Sophomore Brock Tibbitts and freshman Devin Taylor each drove in two RBIs in the game to give them 12 and 10 multi-RBI games on the season, respectively. Tibbitts had a pair of hits, while Taylor singled and walked twice in the game. Taylor also moved his reached base streak to 26 games on the night. Senior Peter Serruto set up the first run of the game with a sacrifice bunt that pushed two runners into scoring position, one of which was driven in by senior Phillip Glasser. The RBI single moved Glasser’s reached base streak to 37 games and opened the five-run inning. Serruto added a second sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning that led to a run, then walked and came around to score in the sixth inning.
Junior Seti Manase made the start and allowed one run on three hits over 2 1/3 innings, before he handed the ball to freshman Ethan Phillips (2-0) with a runner on second and one out. Phillips got a strikeout and a groundout to stand the inherited runner and threw the next four innings. In all, Phillips allowed one unearned run on one hit and three walks over a career-high 4 2/3 innings of work to earn the win. He struck out four batters. Redshirt senior Craig Yoho fired the last two innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. For Louisville, Noah Smith went 2-for-3 with one run scored and Will Vierling hit a solo home run in the third inning. Patrick Forbes drove in the other RBI for the Cardinals. Evan Webster (1-2) took the loss with three runs two earned allowed on two hits.
Indianapolis Indians drop high scoring affair to the Memphis Redbirds
The Indianapolis Indians attempted a comeback with six runs in the third inning but could not overcome an early lead by the Memphis Redbirds as they were defeated on Wednesday afternoon at AutoZone Park, 12-7. Memphis (12-5) opened the game with an early lead in the first inning courtesy of a Tres Barrera grand slam off Indians (7-10) starter Kent Emanuel (L, 0-1). The Redbirds added five runs in the second frame, highlighted by a three-run jack by Luken Baker.
Down 9-0 in the top of the third, the Indians fought back with a single-inning season-high six runs of their own on six hits while batting around the order. With the bases loaded and no outs, Malcom Nuñez began the scoring with a two-run single down the right-field line. Cal Mitchell then followed with an RBI double and, with one out, Tyler Heineman roped two-run triple to put the Indians within three, 9-6. After allowing a two-run homer to Justin Toerner in the bottom of the third, J.C. Flowers settled in and finished his outing by striking out five consecutive Redbirds. Hunter Stratton picked up where he left off and struck out the side in the sixth. Daniel Zamora struck out the first batter of the seventh to make it nine consecutive Redbirds retired via strikeout before Paul De Jong doubled to snap the streak.
Both teams brought across a run in the seventh inning to wrap up the scoring. Nuñez blasted his second home run of the season for the Indians onto the center field berm, and Barrera tacked on an insurance run for the Redbirds on an RBI single. Andrew Suárez (W, 3-0) tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of Memphis starter Dakota Hudson to pick up his third win of the season. Josh Bissonette led the Indians offense with a career-high tying three hits for the first time since April 24, 2022, vs. Columbus. Indianapolis outhit the Redbirds, 13-11. The Indians and Redbirds will continue their six-game set tonight at 7:45pm at AutoZone Park. Southpaw Connor Thomas (1-1, 8.16) will take the mound for the Redbirds. The Indians have yet to name a starter.
Ball State Women’s Basketball to face UConn in December
There will be a basketball battle of the Mühl sisters this winter in Connecticut. UConn women’s basketball announced it will host Ball State on Wednesday, Dec. 6. The game will feature soon-to-be Husky senior Nika Mühl facing off against her sister Hana, who will be a sophomore next season at Ball State. The game’s time, home venue designation and TV broadcast will be announced later. UConn is 1-1 all-time against Ball State, including last meeting on Nov. 30, 2001, with the Huskies winning 103-69.
The Mühl sisters grew up in Zagreb, Croatia before moving to the United States for their respective college careers. Nika is coming off a historic season this past winter after taking over as the Huskies’ starting point guard in place of injured Paige Bueckers. Nika set the program record for most assists in a single game (15), consecutive double-digit assist games (four) and most assists in a single season (284). She finished the year second in the nation with 7.9 assists per game. Hana played in 33 games for the Cardinals as a freshman this past season. She averaged 1.2 points, 1.2 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per game.
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