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INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI softball team opened the weekend with a pair of 3-1 losses to Southern Utah, but the Jags returned the favor with a 3-1 win over the Thunderbirds in the series finale Saturday afternoon at the IUPUI softball complex.

Nikki Thomas and Ashley Seering led the way for IUPUI as Thomas went the distance in the circle to pick up her fourth win of the season, while Seering collected two base hits helping the Jags improve to 11-25 overall and 3-9 in Summit League play.
Just like it did in the previous two games, Southern Utah struck first with a run in the second inning.

Following a lead-off walk, Haylee Hoch put down a hard-hit sacrifice bunt in between the pitcher and first baseman that got all the way into the outfield grass resulting in a double that put runners on second and third with nobody out.

Following a ground out, Thomas forced another ground out, but the runner on third broke and scored after Thomas looked her back and threw to first, placing the Thunderbirds in front, 1-0.

The Jags responded in their half of the third taking advantage of two Thunderbirds errors. With one out, Thomas reached on a throwing error by the pitcher and moved to second on the error. After Nicole Checkie was hit by a pitch, Kelsey Rupert put down a bunt and was thrown out on the play, but a collision occurred at first base between Rupert and the first baseman. The collision gave Thomas a chance to score and Thomas slid under the tag tying the game at one.

During the next at-bat, a dropped pop up by the third baseman allowed Checkie to score giving the Jags a 2-1 lead, their first lead of the series.

In the fifth, the Jags were able to manufacture a run to increase their lead. For the second time in as many at bats, Checkie was hit by a pitch to reach first before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. It didn’t take long for Checkie to score as Seering drilled a fastball into left-centerfield for a double that scored Checkie upping the IUPUI lead to 3-1.

In the top of the sixth, Thomas got out of a jam by striking out the final batter with two on, and the game moved to the seventh after the Jags were set down in the bottom of the sixth.

Even though the Thunderbirds brought the tying run to the plate in the final frame, Thomas closed the game out to give IUPUI the 3-1 win and earn the complete game.

Seering led the way with two base knocks and was responsible for the Jags lone RBI.

IUPUI returns to action on Thursday, April 12, when it travels across town to take on local rival Butler for a mid-week doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. ET.