Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Valparaiso Crusaders got out to early leads in both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the IUPUI softball team and never looked back as it swept the Jaguars by scores of 8-1 and 7-1 at the Valparaiso Softball Field.

The losses moved the Jaguars overall record to 7-18 on the season, while the Crusaders improved to 14-9.

Game 1 – Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score

IUPUI had opportunities in both the first and third innings to take an early lead but could not pick up that key hit in either situation to take command.

Meanwhile, Nikki Thomas held the Crusaders without a hit in the first two innings before they received a single and a double to lead off the bottom of the third to place runners on second and third with nobody out.

Thomas was within an out of escaping the jam following a pair of pop outs, but consecutive walks preceded a hit by pitch allowing two runs to score while keeping the bases loaded. Things got worse for the Jags as an error during the next at-bat plated another pair of runs, before a double steal allowed the runner from third to cross home as Valparaiso took a commanding 5-0 lead.

Valpo tacked on another run in the fourth before the Jags got a run of their own on the board in the fifth. Kelsey Rupert reached base with one out on a single through the left side and then scored during the next at-bat on a RBI-double to left-center field from Nicole Checkie.

However, that would be the only run scored for IUPUI and Valparaiso went on to add two more runs in the sixth to defeat the Jaguars, 8-1.

Rupert and Checkie led IUPUI offensively with two hits apiece.

Game 2 – Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score

Similar to Game 1, Valparaiso jumped in front early using a pair of doubles to score one run in the second inning, before a two-run, two-out single off the bat of Jordan Rutkowski in the third inning upped the Crusaders lead to 3-0.

While Jocelyn Oppenhuis slowed down the Valpo offense, the Jags looked to make a late rally when it struck in the sixth. With Eryn Dillon on first and two outs, Jenny Royse delivered double to left field that scored Dillon all the way from first closing the gap to 3-1. The Jaguars looked to close within a run with Royse in scoring position, but a ground out ended the threat.

Just as IUPUI closed within two runs, the Crusaders made the most of two Jaguars errors scoring four runs thanks to those two errors and two hits as their lead ballooned to 7-1.

In the seventh, the Jaguars were set down clinching the six-run victory for Valparaiso and the doubleheader sweep.
Aundria Basquez led the squad with two hits in Game 2.

The Jags embark on their first Summit League road trip this weekend when they head to Vermillion, S.D. to take on the newest Summit League member, South Dakota. The Coyotes and Jaguars will play a doubleheader on Friday, March 23, beginning at 3 p.m. ET, before squaring off at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 24 in the series finale.