Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS - For the second straight game, the Jaguars softball team came up one run short in extra innings, this time dropping a 5-4 decision to Western Illinois in nine frames on Tuesday night at the IUPUI Softball Complex. Western took advantage of six IUPUI errors in the game, including pushing home an unearned run in the top of the decisive ninth inning.

Julie DePolo led off the ninth by reaching base when Jenna Crockett was unable to field her smash to third. After Amy Raker got a strikeout on a brilliant change-up, Colleen Biebel moved the runner to second with a ground out back to the pitcher. 

Samantha Valentine followed by hitting a grounder to second, which took a tricky hop and bounced off Cayleigh Harvey's chest. Harvey's throw to first was late and DePolo, who never stopped running on the play, was able to score the winning run on the play. 

IUPUI took advantage of two WIU errors and a walk to load the bases in the bottom half of the ninth before Jenny Boyts grounded out to first to end the contest. 

Western (7-22, 5-4 Summit) built an early 3-0 lead in the top of the second off IUPUI starter Jessica McGown. IUPUI (4-22, 1-12) responded in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of homers to tie the score. 

Raker led off by clubbing her second long ball of the year to right center to make it 3-1. Freshman Stacy Harte later reached via a walk and Harvey launched a long homer, her second of the season, to left to tie the game.

WIU jumped on top 4-3 in the top of the sixth inning on Beth Golitko's pinch hit RBI single, but the Harvey twins helped tie the game again in the bottom half. After two were out, Cassie Harvey lined a soild double just inside the left field foul line and sister Cayleigh followed with a run scoring single up the middle after battling back from an 0-2 count to tie the game. 

Pinch hitter #Amy McCoy# almost ended the game in the bottom of the seventh when she drilled a Lori Pankratz offering to the centerfield fence where Britt Mason hauled it in.   

Pankratz (3-6) tossed a complete game for the Westerwinds, allowing nine hits and striking out nine in the victory. The WIU righty delivered 169 pitches to earn her third victory. 

Raker (0-6) took the loss, giving up five hits and two runs (one earned) in seven innings out of the bullpen. 

Cayleigh Harvey, Harte and Raker had two hits each for the Jags while Harvey drove in three runs in the loss. 

The same two teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow evening at the IUPUI Softball Complex with the first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 4:00 p.m.. The twinbill will conclude IUPUI's current 13-game homestand while Live Stats will be available at IUPUIJags.com.