CECI SHINES FOR THUNDERBOLTS DESPITE 3-0 LOSS TO RIVERMEN
USI drops pair on second day of Hawai’i Paradise Classic
USI drops pair on second day of Hawai’i Paradise Classic
HONOLULU – University of Southern Indiana Softball had a tough second day at the Hawai’i Paradise Classic on Friday, as the Screaming Eagles suffered a pair of losses against Santa Clara University, 9-0, and the University of Hawai’i, 7-2.
The first two innings went by scoreless in the day’s first game against Santa Clara (1-2). The Broncos tallied the game’s first runs in the top of the third inning, scoring three runs on four hits including two extra-base hits.
Santa Clara added to its lead with a single run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth frames. The Broncos generated extra insurance with another three-run inning in the top of the seventh inning.
Southern Indiana (1-2) scattered four hits in the game, including a first-career hit by freshman Jinnis Gerth. Senior pitcher Whitley Hunter (0-1) was dealt the loss in the pitching circle after giving up four runs in four innings pitched. Freshman pitcher Kylie Witthaus and junior pitcher Maddison Depencier made their USI debuts and combined to finish the last three innings in relief.
Santa Clara registered nine runs off 12 hits. Junior pitcher Hazyl Gray (1-0) was awarded the win after hurling 4.2 shutout innings.
USI later faced tournament host Hawai’i (3-0) in the nightcap of Friday’s slate of games. The Rainbow Wahine opened the game’s scoring in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run triple.
Southern Indiana got the two runs back in the third. Following two singles in the frame, senior outfielder Kennedy Nalley put a ball in play and an error in centerfield allowed the two USI baserunners to score and tie the game, 2-2. A Hawai’i sac fly in the home half of the third put the host back ahead, 3-2.
Meanwhile, senior pitcher Josie Newman was utilizing her strikeout stuff. Through four innings, the right-hander had 11 strikeouts and struck out the side in three of the four innings.
Newman added two more strikeouts in the fifth but ran into some trouble in the sixth inning. Hawai’i tacked onto its lead with a four-run inning, including a two-run home run, and went on to close out the game.
USI scored two runs on three hits. Junior outfielder Caroline Stapleton had two of the three hits. Newman (1-1) was charged with the loss, surrendering seven runs and striking out 13 batters in a complete game of six innings pitched.
Hawai’i scored seven runs on nine hits. Redshirt senior pitcher Addison Kostrencich (2-0) went the distance, giving up two unearned runs and striking out seven.
With the conclusion of the round-robin format on Friday, the Screaming Eagles wrap up action at the Hawai’i Paradise Classic on Saturday in a seeded bracket format. USI will play Hawai’i again Saturday at 4:30 p.m. CT. The result of the game determines if USI’s second game on Saturday is in the championship or consolation games. Links for live stats coverage are available at usiscreaming
Hartwig sets a new career scoring high at Southern Illinois
Hartwig sets a new career scoring high at Southern Illinois
Hoosier Basketball Coach Mike Woodson to Retire – Could Bruce Pearl Be the Next IU Head Coach?
When the IU men’s basketball team takes to the court today to play Michigan, they’ll do so with the knowledge that their coach is on the way out. IU athletics director Scott Dolson confirms that men’s basketball head coach Mike Woodson will retire at the end of this season.
Indiana will begin searching for a new head coach for the third time in the past decade. In his four years at IU, Woodson has a 77-49 record with eight games left in this season.
Woodson, 66, played under Bobby Knight from 1976 to 1980 and scored 2,061 career points. He played in the NBA for 11 years and coached for 21.
Now speculation is circulating that a $100 million dollar deal may be in the works for Auburn head coach and former USI coach Bruce Pearl.
STATEMENT FROM VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS SCOTT DOLSON ON THE STATUS OF IU MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH MIKE WOODSON
During a meeting with Coach Woodson on Wednesday, he informed me he wanted to step down as our program’s head coach at the end of the current season. He said it had been weighing on his mind for a while, and that it was an emotional and difficult decision. We have had subsequent thoughtful conversations about his decision and his desire to ensure that the program is in the best position it can be moving forward. At an appropriate time, Coach Woodson will articulate his feelings about his decision and his experiences these last four years.
It’s clear to me from our discussions in the last several days that his No. 1 priority is for the attention to be off him, and instead focused on uniting Hoosier Nation in support of our student-athletes, coaches, and, most importantly, the program. We still have much to play for this season as we prepare for Saturday’s game against Michigan and the remainder of the 2024-25 season, and we want to encourage Hoosier fans to rally around the program and support it in the same positive way that Hoosier fans did during Mike’s All-America and Big Ten MVP playing career.
Coach Woodson is a class act. During the last four years, he has led the program during a transformational time in college athletics and helped us become a national leader in evolving areas including NIL and the Transfer Portal. No one loves IU Basketball more than he does. I want to thank him for coming back to Bloomington and accepting the challenge of rebuilding our program and re-connecting it with its past and its foundation. In pursuit of that goal, it was important to him that he bring back other legendary Hoosier players such as Calbert Cheaney, Randy Wittman, and Jordan Hulls, all of whom share his love and passion for this program. That’s a group of individuals that combined for 375 wins at IU, seven Big Ten championships, two Final Fours, and a national title.
With this decision made, Coach Woodson and I share the desire to see Hoosier Nation unite beginning on Saturday afternoon in support of these players, coaches, and program.
These 5 Dogs Need Foster Homes Now!!!

Senate bill would give parents time off for school meetings
By TheStatehouseFile.com
While some states in the U.S. have state-mandated time off for parent employees to attend their child’s school activities, Indiana is not on that list.
Senate Bill 409 would allow employees to attend their children’s meetings without being penalized by their employer.
These meetings could be for reasons such as parent-teacher conferences, disciplinary and behavioral meetings, or emergencies.
According to the Center for Parent Information & Resources, “The right to participate in meetings related to their child is one of the most important and powerful of parent rights.” The Family and Medical Leave Act, which covers some school meetings, has been passed as law in 13 states as of January 2025, and many states are looking to follow or make their own similar laws.
On Tuesday in the Indiana Senate, an amendment for SB 409 clarified some language before being passed in its second reading. It now heads to a final vote in the chamber.
Jim Rewine Gavel Gamut – ♪ YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION ♪
GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
www.jamesmredwine.com
(Week of 10 February 2025)
♪ YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION ♪
The Beatles sang:
♪ You say you want a revolution
…
You say you’ll change the Constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me it’s the institution
Well, you know
You’d better free your mind instead ♪
I do not know why those British songsters were singing about changing America’s Constitution during the Viet Nam War. Perhaps they were just selling a song or perhaps they felt it was a return to 1776. Regardless, today in the United States it seems a lot of Americans seek to remake America in their own image and the quickest way is a revolution. Of course, not much thought may have gone into what a revolution would truly mean in 2025 et. seq.
On the other hand, James Madison of the small body and the gigantic brain gave the written word to the revolution he had just participated in and the possible future ones he wanted to prevent by designing a United States Constitution based on a theory that all humans seek to expand their power as much as they are allowed. Therefore, for a democracy to continue existing, the bedrock of our country had to be a government made up of separate functions controlled by competing separate and equal powers. As a people we have had a history of teetering from side to side with only occasionally tipping completely over to any one branch gaining too much power.
The Civil War broke out because all three branches chose conflict over compromise on the issues of slavery and the human rights of African Americans. On other visceral issues, such as Native American rights, Women’s right to vote, use of alcohol or marijuana or wars such as World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq, we have managed to let the struggling of the separate governmental powers find a way to come out in an acceptable equilibrium.
We have had countless opportunities to lose our democracy but have eventually stepped back from the brink. The United States Supreme Court has taken more than one foray into excessive power, such as Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857). During Chief Justice Earl Warren’s reign (1953-1969) the Court’s ultra-liberal rulings had much of the public up in arms. There were even billboards on the highways calling for Warren’s impeachment.
And the Legislative Branch has had its attempts at being the conscience of America also. For example, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy set himself up to be the ultimate determiner of what a “true American” was. During the era of “McCarthyism” in the 1940’s and 1950’s the American public generally bought into his “Red Scare” tactics until the facts overcame his allegations.
But it has usually been the Executive Branch where the abuse of power has been the most obvious. The most salient example was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was president from 1933 until his death during his fourth term in 1945. Even though a great majority of both Congress and the American people objected to American involvement in WWII, Roosevelt manipulated the United States into the war. Of course, he had the aggression of Japan to help his argument.
It was Roosevelt’s long-term in office and some of his unpopular policies that brought about the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that forbids anyone from serving more than two terms as President. Although some supporters of President Donald Trump have advanced the possibility of an exception to this amendment for President Trump. Such moves on behalf of Donald Trump and the current makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court are raising concerns among anti-Trumpers. There exists the possibility that neither the Supreme Court nor the Legislature may provide a proper balance for our democracy as both may be biased in favor of President Trump, especially as about one-half of the electorate has supported him and his policies.
While a revolution may be extremely unlikely, so have been numerous other shifts in power in America throughout our history. There is no need yet to call for extraordinary action by any branch nor from the news media or the public. However, it is the fabric of our democracy that may be being tested once again. There is no harm in remaining true to the wisdom of our nation’s charter and there could be harm from failing to reference it.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
Product Recalls – Look for These Items in Your House
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the following consumer products were recalled in January:
If you believe you recently purchased a recalled product, stop using it, and check its recall notice (linked above for all products). Then follow the notice’s instructions, including where to return the product, how to get the product fixed, how to dispose of the product, how to receive a refund for the product, or what steps must be taken to receive a replacement product.
To view recalls issued prior to January visit the Consumer Protection Safety Commission website.