Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

OMAHA, Neb. – IUPUI dropped the first two games of its three game series against Omaha on Saturday afternoon (April 13) in Omaha, Neb. This was the first meeting between the two teams in both school’s Division I histories.

IUPUI dropped to 15-21 overall and 5-9 in Summit League, while Omaha improved to 29-5 overall and 7-1 in Summit League. 

Omaha 4, IUPUI 0

Despite positioning runners in scoring position in two different innings, the IUPUI softball team was unable to push any runs across in its 4-0 loss to Omaha in the first game of its doubleheader. 

The Jags threatened in the top of the second inning when Eryn Dillon led off the inning with the Jags first hit of the game to centerfield. Dillon was forced out at second base on a Kelsey Rupert fielder’s choice, but Rupert was able to reach second base on the next play when Alicia Brewer grounded out to Omaha’s shortstop, Tonya Peterson. The inning ended in another groundout and Rupert would not advance any further.

IUPUI moved a runner into scoring position again in the fourth inning when Dillon hit a two-out double to left-centerfield, but the Jags could not rally the run in. 

Omaha scattered seven hits on the game, scoring in three different innings. The Mavericks scoring began in the first inning when Campbell Ditto hit a two-out double down the left field line. Amber Lutmer followed with a single up the middle to score Ditto and provided the only run the Mavericks would need to pull out the win.

Omaha added a run in the third on a Tara Trede triple and a wild pitch from Nikki Thomas, and it added two more runs in the sixth on a two-out rally. Lutmer hit a double to left field and scored on another double to left field from Molly Negrete. Peterson followed with a single to first base to bring in Negrete and round out the Mavericks’ scoring. Sydney Hames followed Peterson with a double to left field, but the Jags were able to relay the ball in to catch Peterson at home.

Dillon led the Jags’ offense with two of IUPUI’s three hits in the loss. Morgan Schlobohm also singled.

Nicole Natter got the start for IUPUI in the circle and took the loss. She tossed two complete innings before Thomas came in to finish out the game. Natter allowed only one run on two hits and struck out one, while Thomas finished out the remaining four innings allowing three runs on five hits and struck out two.

Omaha 5, IUPUI 2

IUPUI notched a couple of runs on the board in its 5-2 loss to Omaha in the second game of its doubleheader to avoid being shut out on the day. The Jags put runners on base in all but one inning of the game.

Alicia Brewer started it off for the Jags in the top of the second inning when she homered to centerfield. The homerun was Brewer’s second of the season. 

The second run came in the fifth inning when Aundria Basquez reached first on a leadoff walk. Basquez was replaced by pinch runner Alyssa Neff. Schlobohm doubled to right field to advance Neff to third and scored on a Rupert single to left field.

Omaha’s top hitter Allie Mathewson started off the scoring for the Mavericks in the third inning with a single to right field. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Trede and scored on a homerun from Ditto to give Omaha the lead, 2-1.

Omaha tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning on a three-run homerun from Mathewson. The homerun was Mathewson’s tenth of the season, and she is now tied for the lead in that category for Omaha along with Lutmer.

Ali Mosier, Jessica Lam, Brewer and Rupert all singled, and Schlobohm was 2-for-3 in the loss.

Jocelyn Oppenhuis tossed all six innings and fell to 5-7 on the season. Oppenhuis allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks and struck out eight.

IUPUI and Omaha will conclude its three-game series tomorrow (April 13) at 1 p.m. ET.  Live Stats will be available for the game.