Game 1 I Game 2

INDIANAPOLIS - Playing on its home field for the first time in 2008, the IUPUI softball team gave its best showing of the season in a doubleheader sweep of Butler on Monday evening. The Jaguars used a six-run first inning en route to a 6-1 win in game one and followed that up with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap. 

Sophomore Mia Ettl had five hits in the two games to pace the Jags offensively. IUPUI has now won three of its past four contests.

Game #1 - IUPUI 6, Butler 1
The IUPUI offense came out on fire in game one, staking senior Meaghan Raynes to an early 6-0 lead and coasted to the 6-1 victory. 

Ettl led off the game by hooking a triple inside the rightfield foul line and scored easily when Raynes smashed a double two batters later. After a pop out, senior Jenny Boyts put runners on the corners by smacking a solid single back up the middle. 

Fellow senior Jenna Crockett made it 2-0 by lining a single to center and Mandy Buckwalter loaded the bases with a third straight single back up the middle. 

Junior Cayleigh Harvey then struck the big blow, a mammoth grand slam to left that chased Butler starter Jennifer Chasteen (0-2). Nikki Naffziger worked the final 5.1 innings for the Bulldogs, allowing just two hits and fanning five. 

Raynes (3-4) was equally dominant for the Jags, yielding just one run on an Alex Boros solo homerun in the fifth inning in the win. She struck out four and walked two before handing the ball to freshman Amy Raker after walking the leadoff batter in the top of the seventh. 

Raker got a ground ball, strikeout and line out in order to end the game. 

Ettl was 2-for-3 with a double and triple and Raynes was 2-for-2 from the third spot in the batting order. Jen Arriaga was 2-for-3 for the Bulldogs.

Game #2 - IUPUI 3, Butler 1
In the second game, IUPUI used a strong pitching effort from sophomore Jessica McGown, sound defense and an opportunistic offense to collect a 3-1 win over the crosstown Bulldogs. McGown collected her first collegiate win, tossing a complete game five-hitter while striking out three batters. 

Butler's only offense came in the top of the first as Amy Hyerczyk led off the game with an infield single, moved up on a sac bunt and ground out before scampering home on a wild pitch.

IUPUI (4-16) pulled even in the bottom of the second thanks to some two-out thunder. Crockett led off with a flare single and advance on Chelsie Hale's sacrifice bunt. She then stole her first base of the season as freshman Stacy Harte squared to bunt, leaving third base unattended. 

Although Butler (14-17) starter Kristen Malinkey got Harte for the second out, Buckwalter continued to break out of a season long slump by hammering a double to straight away centerfield. 

The score stayed 1-1 until the Jaguars pushed across two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pinch hitter Amy McCoy drew a leadoff walk and Ettl followed with a double to put runners on second and third.

Harvey made it 2-1 by lofting a sacrifice fly to centerfield and Ettl was able to move up to third when the Bulldogs were unable to execute a rundown between second and third. Raker made the guests pay by drilling a single back up the middle, making it 3-1. 

McGown (1-5) retired eight of Butler's final nine batters of the game to seal the victory. Malinkey (4-8) allowed seven hits and all three runs in the loss while Naffziger retired five of the six batters she faced out of the bullpen. 

Ettl continued to be a catalyst for the offense, going 3-for-3 from the leadoff spot for Head Coach Maggie Calcaterra's club. Erin Jackson was 2-for-3 for Butler. 

IUPUI's current 13-game homestand will continue on Wednesday when the Jaguars host Ball State in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m..