Hoosiers the team to beat in Big Ten

The rest of the Big Ten will have to pick its poison when facing Indiana. The Hoosiers have two power hitters and two rookie pitchers who have put up consistent numbers throughout 1997. Penn State found out the hard way what the quartet can do this weekend in Hoosier country.

Armendarez hit .778 with three runs scored and seven RBIs, while Montgomery batted .400 with two home runs and five RBIs.

"They are two great hitters," Penn State coach Robin Petrini said. "They're power hitters capable of hitting one out every time they step to the plate."

Armendarez now is batting .469 with six home runs and 31 RBIs for the year, while Montgomery is keeping pace at .395 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs.

Armendarez said staying comfortable at the plate -- namely, not always looking to hit the ball out of the yard -- has been the key to her success.

"Before I was a little tense in the box, and now I've just decided to just calm down and hit the ball," she said. "I take that one pitch you look for and get a base hit."

Lady Lion pitcher Anje Schwab said she tried to keep the Hoosiers off-balance during her start in the first game of the series. She said there is some added pressure with two power hitters in the lineup.

"(Armendarez) hit the ball everywhere," Schwab said. "I could have done some things a little bit better. I tried to keep the ball away from her, but I gave too much of the middle of the plate. You don't always make the perfect pitch at the perfect time."

Penn State freshman Jaci Kalp started the other two games of the series. Petrini said she did not tell Kalp anything special about either Armendarez or Montgomery. But Kalp's power style of pitching might have helped the two Indiana hitters.

"I don't like to use my fastball against power hitters, because I know it will go," Kalp said. "I don't want to rely on my fastball."

Though the Hoosiers had their share of offense, in two of the three games they had to come from behind to win. In the first inning of games one and three, Penn State put two and three runs on the board, respectively. Petrini said the Lady Lions could have had more runs if not for bad luck.

"We hit the ball harder than we ever did before," she said. "We just hit the ball right at people."

Since the Indiana defense had balls coming toward it throughout the weekend, it made the jobs of Hoosier starters Teresa Martinez and Jessica Creith easier. Both are freshmen and are trying to replace graduated All-American Gina Ugo.

Martinez is now 8-4, while Creith stands at 10-4 for the year. Creith allowed one unearned run during Indiana's game-two win. Martinez threw two complete games in the other Hoosier wins.

"They've done a really good job," Armendarez said about Indiana's freshmen pitchers. "It's a whole different ballgame from the high school to college level. They've both let the defense do their job and keeping the ball in the park."