Softball On SI

Indiana Softball's Brianna Copeland Delivers Historic Performance Against No. 16 Ohio State

Indiana softball’s Brianna Copeland had a game to remember against No. 16 Ohio State, delivering a historic performance that left a mark on the program.
Maren Angus-Coombs|
Indiana's Brianna Copeland (16) points to her teammates in the dugout as she celebrates hitting a home run while running the bases during an NCAA Regional softball game between Indiana and Louisville at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Friday, May 19, 2023.
Indiana's Brianna Copeland (16) points to her teammates in the dugout as she celebrates hitting a home run while running the bases during an NCAA Regional softball game between Indiana and Louisville at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Friday, May 19, 2023. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

There was no stopping Brianna Copeland on Monday night against No. 16 Ohio State.

The Indiana two-way star had a historic performance against the Buckeyes in a 13-7 win. She tied two program records and set her own career high in another category.

Copeland went 4-for-5 with three home runs, three runs batted in, and four runs scored. Her three homers tied the single-game record for home runs and gave her 40 career blasts, which tied the program record for career homers.

The senior tied her own career-high and a program record with three home runs in a single game. She last hit three home runs in a game against Kent State on March 30, 2022.

The lead-off batter also became the first Hoosier to accomplish the feat twice in her collegiate career at IU.

Copeland pitched a complete game in the circle, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and one walk. She struck out 13, setting a new career-high.

The Hoosiers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never looked back. By the fifth inning, Indiana led 12-4.

Ohio State scored three in the bottom of the fifth but never really threatened after that.

Melina Wilkison also had a 4-for-5 day with a double, a triple, and two runs scored. The Hoosiers, as a team, outhit the Buckeyes 16-7 and scored in five of the game's seven innings.

The win for Indiana snapped Ohio State's 11-game winning streak. The Buckeyes compiled 125 hits during the streak, which is 41 percent of this season's hits. Ohio State also hit two home runs in the loss brining its season total to 89 which leads the nation.

Up next for IU is a three-game series in Bloomington against Maryland. Ohio State will travel west for a midweek matchup at Long Beach State before two conference games at UCLA on Friday and Saturday.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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