Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 KANSAS CITY – Behind complete-game shutouts from Jocelyn Oppenhuis and Nikki Thomas, the IUPUI softball team swept its Summit League doubleheader at UMKC Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, Mo.

The doubleheader win secures a series win for IUPUI, its first in Summit League play this season. The wins also up their overall record to 13-26 overall and 5-9 in league play.

Game 1 – IUPUI 1, UMKC 0 | Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score

The opener of the doubleheader was dominated by pitching on both sides as Jocelyn Oppenhuis and Deanna Friese combined to yield just nine hits total.

Friese escaped trouble in the first when the Jags put runners on second and third with nobody out but failed to score a run.
Neither team truly threatened again until the top of the fourth when Jenny Royse led off the frame with a walk, before moving to second via a stolen base. Following a strikeout and a bunt single from Aundria Basquez that moved Royse to third base, the Jags were able to strike when Royse scored off a fielder’s choice from Megan Cory placing them in front, 1-0.

UMKC’s best opportunity to score came in the sixth when its first two batters reached base, but Oppenhuis went on to force back-to-back pop-ups and a ground out to end the threat and keep the Jags in front, 1-0.

After IUPUI was set down in order in the top of the seventh, Oppenhuis did the same to the Kangaroos in the bottom half giving the Jaguars the 1-0 victory.

Oppenhuis picked up her second complete-game shutout of the season giving up just four hits and one walk, while striking out three to earn her fifth victory of the season.

Offensively, Kelsey Rupert led IUPUI accounting for three of the team’s five hits and added a stolen base.

Game 2 – IUPUI 3, UMKC 0 | Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score

IUPUI used the momentum gained from the win in the opener to jump in front early in game two. Nicole Checkie led off the game with a triple to center field and scored two batters later on an infield single off the bat of Ashley Seering putting the Jags quickly in front.

The Jags weren’t done with their scoring adding two more runs in the second. After Cory reached on a fielder’s choice, she quickly crossed home plate on a triple from Lindsey Richards, doubling the lead to 2-0. Following a fly out, Checkie delivered a clutch two-out single through the right side that scored Richards and moved the IUPUI advantage to 3-0.

Meanwhile, Nikki Thomas managed to escape a little trouble, especially in the third inning, to keep the Jags lead at 3-0.
In the sixth, IUPUI looked to tack on an insurance run as Richards delivered a one-out triple, her second of the game the team’s third, but a strike out and a ground out kept the Jags lead at three.  

Down the stretch, Thomas continued to keep the Kangaroos off balance and managed to retire the ‘Roos in order in the seventh to close out the 3-0 win.

Thomas gave up seven hits and one walk and struck out four as she picked up her fifth win of the season and her third complete-game shutout.

With its three triples, IUPUI tied a school record for most triples in a game, while Richards two triples also tied a school record for most triples in a game by a player. The only other time the Jags recorded three triples in a game was on March 31, 1981, against St. Mary’s of Woods.

Richards becomes the fifth player in program history to record a pair of triples in a contest and the first to do so since Amy Bowman did it against Lipscomb on March 16, 2006.

The Jags will go for the weekend sweep on Sunday, April 15, when they meet up with UMKC for the finale of their three-game set. First pitch for Sunday’s game is set for 1 p.m. ET.