Game #1 Box Score I Game #2 Box Score

XENIA, Ohio - The IUPUI softball team's brushes with luck continued to be bad as the Jaguars dropped a pair of slugfests to the University of Dayton at the Athletes in Action Complex in Xenia, Ohio on a cold, rainy Tuesday night. IUPUI fell short 7-6 in the opener before having its comeback bid fall shy in a 12-8 defeat in game two.

Freshman Sarah Oppelt extended her hitting streak to a team-high nine straight games, going 4-for-6 with four runs scored on the day.

In game one, IUPUI (3-44) got off to an atypical strong start, building a 4-0 lead in its first two at-bats. In the opening inning, Oppelt led off with a soild single and later scored when Amy Raker grounded a base hit through the left side. In the second, Stacy Harte made it 2-0 with a run scoring single and later scored when Mia Ettl blasted her tenth double of the season.

The lead was short-lived though as Megan Lee belted a grand slam off freshman starter Samantha Bumbaugh in the bottom of the third to tie the score. The inning began with a single, followed by a hit batter and walk to fill the bases.

IUPUI showed some fortitude though, jumping off the mat to recapture the lead in the fourth. Oppelt reached on a one-out single and moved to second on Harte's sacrifice bunt. Oppelt later stole third and raced home when the catcher threw wildly to the bag.

After UD tied the game in the bottom half, Raker promptly gave IUPUI the lead back with a solo homerun to greet reliever Eva Rappe in the top of the fifth. Yet Dayton (11-30) did the same to Raker in the sixth after she came on in relief of Bumbaugh.

The first two batters reached on a double and walk before Raker came in from third to relieve the rookie. The sophomore fanned her first batter, but walked three others to force home the game-tying and game-winning runs. In the top of the seventh, Raker led off by reaching on an error and pinch runner Chelsie Hale moved to second on a passed ball with no outs. Rappe (5-19) then proceeded to fan the next three hitters in order to seal the win. She totaled five strikeouts in three innings to collect the win. Allie Falk whiffed four in the first four innings in a no-decision.

Bumbaugh (1-15) struck out three and walked four in the loss while Raker tossed one scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Offensively she and Oppelt had three hits each while Oppelt's three runs scored were the most by a Jaguar this season.

Game two was ugly from the opening pitch as IUPUI trailed 8-0 at the end of two innings and 10-1 through three.

A seven-run fourth inning made things interesting though, capped by an Ettl grand slam, marking her tenth longball of the year. Raker, Alicia Hayes and Leah Prewitt led off the inning with three straight singles to plate the first run, making it 10-2.

After Lauren Popov reached on an error to load the bases, Cayleigh Harvey followed with an infield hit to make it 10-3. Senior Amanda Mackey followed with a sacrifice fly before Oppelt and Harte walked, setting the table for Ettl, who cleared the bases with two outs.

Unfortunately, IUPUI would get no closer as Lauren Nacke drilled a two-run homer in the fifth to cap the game's scoring.

Nicke went 2-for-4 with four RBI and leadoff batter Molly Meyer was 2-for-2 with four runs scored. Cayleigh Harvey was 2-for-2 from the bottom third of the IUPUI batting order as seven of the nine starters had at least one base knock.

Raker (1-16) was roughed up, yielding eight runs (all earned) in just 1.1 innings work. Sarah Wedel (4-9) got the win despite allowing eight runs (four earned) in just four innings.

IUPUI returns to action this weekend when it hosts UMKC in a three-game Summit League series. First pitch on Friday is slated for 4:00 p.m.. The Jaguars will also be recognizing its seniors before game three of the series on Saturday.