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MONROE, La. – Failing to score through four innings, the IUPUI softball team rallied for seven runs in its final three frames to pick up a 7-1 victory over SIU-Edwardsville in its final game of the ULM Mardi Gras Classic Sunday morning.

The win gave the Jags a 3-1 record for the tournament, which is IUPUI’s best start since joining the Division I ranks during the 1998-99 season.

“I’m really proud of the team for the way they came back after last night,” said head coach Maggie Calcaterra. “Overall, it was a good weekend – we performed well and identified that we need to focus on going forward. I’m looking forward to watching this team grow and improve.”

Both teams mustered up one hit each in the opening three innings, before the Cougars jumped in front in the top of the fourth courtesy of a sacrifice fly.

However, the SIU-Edwardsville lead didn’t last long. In the bottom of the fourth, IUPUI scored two runs on three hits and the inning got started on a single from Leah Prewitt. With a runner still on first following a fielder’s choice, a Nikki Thomas single put runners on first and second with one out. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball, but a strikeout during the next at-bat brought Aundria Basquez to the dish, and she delivered a two-out, two-run single down the left field line to put the Jags on top, 2-1.

Thomas came in to pitch in the fifth and set the side down in order, giving the Jags the opportunity to increase their lead. Nicole Checkie led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and two batters later, Alicia Brewer belted her first home run of the season widening the IUPUI cushion to 4-1.

Leah Prewitt continued the rally with a single, and it didn’t take her long to touch home plate as an Ashley Seering triple during the next at-bat plated Prewitt pushing the Jags lead to 5-1.

Thomas put down the Cougars in order again in the sixth, and IUPUI used timely hitting in its half of the inning to tack on two insurance runs. Angela Bartucci reached base on a one-out single and scored during the next at-bat when Checkie doubled to right center. Checkie had advanced to third on a fielding error during her double and then scored on an Eryn Dillon single, pushing the Jags to a six-run advantage, 7-1.

In the seventh, Thomas surrendered a one-out, walk, but struck out the final two batters looking securing the win.

Emili Escamilla picked up her first win as a Jaguar going 1.1 innings in relief of Jocelyn Oppenhuis. Thomas picked up the save going 3.0 innings without relinquishing a hit.

Checkie, Dillon, and Prewitt each had a pair of base knocks, while Brewer and Basquez each drove in two runs to pace the offensive attack.

For their performances throughout the week, Prewitt and Thomas were named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Jags are back in action next weekend in Atlanta, Ga., when it competes in the Panther Invitational hosted by Georgia State. IUPUI begins the tournament on Saturday, Feb. 18, with contests against Tennessee-Chattanooga and Eastern Illinois at 10 a.m., and 2:30 p.m., respectively, before concluding the tournament with games against Georgia State and a rematch against one of the other three teams on Sunday, Feb. 19