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INDIANAPOLIS – Following an eight-game homestand, the IUPUI softball team hits the road on Tuesday, March 20, when it travels north to Valparaiso, Ind., to take on the Valparaiso Crusaders in a mid-week doubleheader.

The Jags are coming off a tough weekend in which they were swept by North Dakota State. IUPUI dropped the first two contests by scores of 6-0 and 11-0, before a one-out, two-run home run in the top of the seventh helped the Bison rally for a 4-3 win in the series finale as the Jags fell to 7-16 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

During the eight-game homestand, Ashley Seering led the Jaguars in hitting with a .333 average and drove in three runs. The South Elgin, Ill.-native also led the team with seven runs scored while hitting her first career home run against Morehead State on March 14.

Valparaiso comes into the week with a 12-9 overall record after going 1-1 last weekend while in San Diego, Calif. The win last weekend against CSU-Bakersfield snapped a five-game losing skid for the Crusaders.

Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Jaguars marks the home opener for Valpo.

Offensively, Jordan Rutkowski paces the team in almost every offensive category. Rutkowski is the team leader in hitting (.492), hits (31), doubles (8), home runs (8), RBI (26) slugging percentage (1.000) and on-base percentage (.507).

As a team, the Crusaders are hitting at a .304 clip and have collectively outscored their opponents 121-85.