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INDIANAPOLIS – A day after recording a career-high 10 strikeouts in relief, Jocelyn Oppenhuis got the starting nod in the series finale against South Dakota and relinquished just two hits while adding eight more punch outs. However, those two Coyotes hits were both solo home runs leading them to a 2-0 victory over the IUPUI softball team at the IUPUI Softball Complex Saturday afternoon.

The Jaguars (11-12, 3-3 Summit) out-hit the Coyotes (21-11; 5-1 Summit) four to two, but IUPUI went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position resulting in South Dakota claiming the series.

“I think Jocelyn [Oppenhuis] did an awesome job in the circle yesterday and today. If we could have those two pitches back, I think it’s a different outcome here today,” head coach Amanda Rivera said. “Offensively, we have to do a better job of executing in the big moments – even just putting the ball in play hard somewhere. I think we were 0-for-8 [with runners in scoring position] and someone has to come up big in that moment.”

During Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader, Oppenhuis entered the game in the fourth with IUPUI holding on to a 4-3 lead and she needed to record 10 more outs to preserve the win. Oppenhuis registered all 10 of those outs via strikeouts and she started the series finale on Saturday in similar fashion by fanning the first three South Dakota batters in the first.

IUPUI had an early opportunity to strike in its first at-bat as Kelsey Rupert led off the opening frame with a triple over the head of the right fielder. Coyotes’ pitcher Erica Denney rebounded with two strikeouts, before a walk to Eryn Dillon put runners on the corners with two outs. The Jags failed to bring Rupert across home plate as Denney struck out Jessica Lam to end the inning.

The Jaguars had another chance to get a run on the board in the second with runners on second and third and one out thanks in part to a USD throwing error. Unfortunately, IUPUI failed to capitalize again with runners in scoring position when a ground out and a fly out ended the threat and sent the game to the third tied at zero.

For the third straight inning, the Jags were poised to put a run on the board following a lead-off double from Ali Mosier. Following a strike out, Dillon drew her second walk of the game, and both Mosier and Dillon moved up a base on a ground out from Lam. Jazmine Pedrotti looked to break the scoreless tie and put a pitch in play, but it resulted in a ground out to end the third.

By the start of the fourth, USD still had yet to register a hit, but a one-out solo shot to right field from Yvon Minogue broke the tie and placed the Coyotes in front, 1-0.

For the next three half innings, neither team saw a runner reach second base and the score remained 1-0. In the sixth, South Dakota received its second hit of the game and again it was a solo homer, this time from Katie Dinning, which doubled its advantage to 2-0.

Both teams were retired in order during their next at-bats, leaving the score at 2-0 entering IUPUI’s final at-bat.

The Jags brought the tying run to the plate in Rupert after Morgan Schlobohm delivered a one-out single to center field. Rupert lined a pitch down the third base line, but it was caught by USD third baseman Lindsey Boyd and Boyd threw over to first in time to double off Schlobohm and end the game.

Rupert led IUPUI and matched South Dakota’s hit total with a pair of base knocks, while Schlobohm and Mosier also registered hits.

The Jags return to action on Tuesday, March 26, when they host in-state foe Valparaiso for a doubleheader at the IUPUI Softball Complex. Game 1 of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET.