Game #1 Box Score I Game #2 Box Score I Photo Gallery

INDIANAPOLIS - For the second straight day, the IUPUI softball team was victimized by the homerun ball as it dropped both ends of a doubleheader, this time against Indiana State. The Sycamores won game one 3-1 before taking game two 6-4 at the IUPUI Softball Complex. 

In game one, ISU's Lindsey Beisser outdueled IUPUI's Nicole Natter in the circle and Sycamore centerfielder Stephanie Jonson blasted a two-run homer to account for the bulk of the offense. ISU's Bailey Wittenauer reached with a two-out double in the top of the third inning and trotted home when Jonson clubbed a long homerun over the leftfield fence. ISU (14-19) added an insurance run in the fifth when Kacy Kestner reached on a single and raced around on Wittenauer's second double of the game. 

IUPUI (7-28) finally scratched home a run in the sixth when Mia Ettl led off with a single up the middle and moved to third on Chelsie Hale's second double of the season. ISU Head Coach Brenda Coldren summoned Meagan McCurdy from the bullpen, but the righty reliever immediately uncorked a wild pitch to allow both runners to advance. However, McCurdy kept Hale stranded at third by getting a ground out and back-to-back strikeouts to end it. 

Beisser (4-2) struck out six in five innings while McCurdy recorded her second save of the season. Natter (2-9) gave up three runs (two earned) and struck out six in her third complete game of the season. Ettl led the IUPUI offense by going 2-for-3 at the dish. 

In the nightcap, IUPUI fell behind 4-0 before clawing back to a 4-4 tie before Kim Pierce hit a decisive pinch-hit two-run homer in the sixth inning to win it for the visitors. 

Down 4-0, IUPUI finally got on the scoreboard when Laura Wilcox golfed an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left-center to lead off the home half of the fourth, making it 4-1. Ettl and Hale followed with back-to-back bunt singles and Leah Prewitt drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Coldren went back to McCurdy, who threw a wild pitch to let all three runners move up. Senior Alicia Hayes followed with a ground ball to second that was bobbled, allowing Hale to score from third. Junior Amy Raker reloaded the bases with a hot smash off McCurdy that caromed to her shortstop. Like she did in game one though, McCurdy was able to escape further damage when she got a fielder's choice force out at home and back-to-back strikeouts. 

IUPUI tied the game in the fifth after Ettl led off by being hit by a pitch, moved to second on Prewitt's infield hit and scored on Hayes' single through the hole on the right side. 

Yet Pierce came up with the pivotal blow when she drilled a two-out homer to left after Beisser had been hit by a pitch, making it 6-4. IUPUI went down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings as McCurdy (6-11) earned the win in relief. She struck out six in four innings in relief of Sara Evans, who fanned one in three innings work. 

Bumbaugh (1-12) fanned four in the complete game defeat. 

Ettl scored two runs and IUPUI outhit the Sycamores 7-6. 

IUPUI will continue its current five-game homestand on Friday when it hosts Southern Utah in a Summit League doubleheader, beginning at 4:00 p.m.. Admission is free and open to the public.